The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-18
st. Johnsbury Caledonian
Presents tie Project TO
/ Vermont Public l}
THE JUDGE HAS NOT
COMMITTED HIMSELF
Has Made Some Speeches In Vermont
Is q Weu-Known Orato--Expccted
Senator Dillingham; Would Contest -
Senator In Good Health.

ST. JOHNSBURY, Sept. 1S.-There
is movement, sufficient in size already |
TO attract attention, to bring forward |
Judge Wendell P Stafford, of this place |
and Washington, d. c., where he sits |
on the District of Columbia supreme |
court, as a candidate for the United |
States senate against the present SEN
Tor senator from Vermont, William p. |
Dillingham;, of Montpelier.
It is said that already the senator
ship and governorship lines have
crossed. Not long ago mention was
made of Former United States District |
Attorney Alexander Dunnett as a pos
sible candidate for governor in the Re- |
publican primaries and there are those
who believe that this was done in the |
interests of Senator Dillingham; because
it was felt that with st. Johnsbury
presenting two candidates there would
be less force in the candidacy of Judge
Stafford. Mr.. Dunnett, however, has
declined to permit his name to be con-
sidered in connection with the govern
orship, and some politicians profess to
see in this fact a sign that st. Johns
bury and Caledonia county are taking
the Stafford boom seriously.
One cannot yet learn whether Judge
Stafford himself is yet committed to
any course, one way or another. He has
been making several speeches in Yer
mont this summer, but that may not
be significant for he has always been
in demand in his home state as an ora
tor From the signs which have so far
| revealed themselves, it is quite gener-
ally assumed that Senator Dillingham;
contemplates giving battle if Judge
Stafford should enter the field. Despite
his years the senator is in excellent
health and does not look a dav older
than he did when he made the fight of
his life against Charles A. Prouty,. the
first time that he had to seek a popular
election. Up to that time elections had
been made by the legislature. During
the campaign Senator Dillingham; COW
cred practically the whole of the state
in his speaking tour and ended in fine
condition with a splendid victory at the
polls. He was also a vigorous cam
| paigner in the last presidential elec-
| TONS
1t is rather interesting that the in
dications are that once again the sen.
ator will find his opponent in one who
has long lived in Washington. Mr.,
| Prouty had been a member of the in
| ter state commerce commission for
years when he decided to make the
senatorial fight and Judge Stafford has
been in Washington for the past Is
years. As an indication of the trend
of mind in this community may be cit
ed the action of the Caledonian of yes
| terday, which departed from its usual
| custom so far as to run an editorial on
its first page under the headline, "Why
not Judge Stafford in which article it
advocates the nomination of election of
the judge to succeed Senator Dilling-
ham. This editorial, the first real gun
to be fired in the campaign, is as fol-
lows:
"Twelve months from this time the
citizens of Vermont viii register at
| the primaries their choice for a Unit
ed States senator and the candidate
elected in the following November will
take his seat in March, 1921, for a term
of six years. 1t is none too early to be
seriously thinking of candidate and
The Caledonian suggests that the wis
est choice would be made If the voters
nominated and then elected Judge Wen
dell p. Stafford of st. Johnsbury.
Judge Stafford is too well known
by the people of Vermont from Jay
Peak to the Massachusetts, line to need
any extended biography. When he be
gan his public career as representative,
from st. Johnsbury at Montpelier il
1892 some called him radical becaus,
he championed weekly payments, pro
o hibition and woman suffrage. Th
years have come and gone and now al
these measures have been adopted b,
v the country, while both the leadin.
d political parties are claiming the credi
e Of securing their passage.
r Judge Stafford was promoted iron
d the Vermont bench to the suprem
eel court of the District of Columbia i
E. 1904 and for Is years has been a
lie Washington where he has kept in tn
# closest touch with national affair.
Though away from Vermont goodl
N portion of each year he never lost hi
A. legal residence in this state, spendin
a every summer among his Vernon
a friends and in his Vermont home Fl
es has thus kept up his acquaintance wit
rs his own. people as well as his gras
e. upon all state issues
r. As an orator Judge Stafford stand
I'd unquestionablv in the front rank {
b. America brilliant galaxy of publ
I'd speakers, and if elected senator h
re voice would be heard with rapt after
re ton. But above ALL he is progressiy
Republican and stands for the lber
and progressive measures which appe
to so many Vermonters IN these stres
ful days. He strikes no false note
his public utterances and his RandolI
= speech offered solution OF the lab
question that commands attention.
mt eff elected senator his age insur
g him long and useful public servi
while the call for him to enter the lis
1T comes from all parts of the state. r.
at Caledonian confidently expects that
3 Judge Stafford should become a cane