Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-12
"GRAHAM GUILTY"

Those two words lave tremendous sig
nificance for the commonwealth Of YER
mont and the people thereof. Not only a
former governor of the State, but also
the people Of Vermont were on trial. II
was an unfortunate case where either one
or the other must stand convicted.
If a State official could take money
from the State treasury under cover Of
department orders and put 1t into
bank and check against the deposit for
the payment of his private bills, and
have Vermont jury pronounce the Of
fender innocent of offence. then it would
follow that the public moral tone of our
people had reached a low ebb indeed
The conviction Of Graham. wholly out
side of all other considerations, is there
fore moral triumph for Vermont and
Vermonts people.
This triumph Is all the greater on ac-
count of the conditions against which
Attorney General Archibald and former
Attorney General Barber were forced to
y.
The attorneys for the State are to be
congratulated on the fine way in which
they handled the case. It is no secret
that some people were short-sighted
enough to hold 1t would hurt the Repub-
lican party If the party did it's own po-
litcal house-cleaning. From the very be-
ginning Of the disclosures in connection
with the case, strong political influence
was brought to bear in one way or an
other. Indeed, Graham's popularity was
so pronounced that not a few people would
have supported him for reelection despite
the disclosure on the ground that he was
the victim Of campaign n1ud-slinging
They would not believe the charges.
Az regards efficiency in the executive
office In the war period, Graham made
one Of the most satisfactory governors
the State had in long time But for this
shadow nothing could have stopped him
from election to represent Vermont in
Congress in one branch or the other. That
such development which probably be-
gan in mere carelessness In handling
funds entrusted to his care as so often
happens, should have blighted so prom
Using career is indeed pathetic All these
considerations and sympathy entered into
the case and made successful prosecution
difficult
The fact that Graham is found guilty
after this prolonged period is another
Illustration Of the profound need of more
speedy Justice in Vermont There is al
ways the danger Of the disappearance or
death of important witnesses and other
barriers to successful prosecution in de-
layed trials. The outcome of this case is
abundant justification of those newspa-
refs that IN consideration of the good
name of Vermont insisted over and over
again that the State should v;ndicate
Its claim 10 impartial justice for high
and low. by trying Graham the same as
. any ordinary man.
e.. II is remarkable coincidence that the
man who as candidate for governor
near the beginning Of the century brought
charges against Grahams manner of con-
Quoting the auditors office should be
governor when that official was brought
to trial for tho outgrowth of n question
able system nearly two decades later It
Is still more significant that he should
be one OF those who contributed to the
: fund to help make good to the State
treasury the funds which the former au-
dtor had manipulated
When Governor Clement took his pres-
EN- office, there was general feeling
that there was "something rotten in Dem
mark" and that he should Trip UP things"
The conviction of Graham after so much
political pressure to prevent it, and the
disclosures made in that connection have
changed this suspicion into a profound
certainty. 1t is up to the Republican par-
ty in Vermont to complete the political
housekeeping it has now so auspiciously
begun. Nothing short of this will remove
the stain from our commonwealth, which
stood for honest as we'll as courageous
Amercanism.
Glorious Vermont Here she stands,
proud Of her history as the first real
independent republic on the American
continent, as well as the mother of heroic
men and noble women. 1t is for this gen.
GRAFTON to pass on that grand heritage
to future sons and daughters of Yer
mont!