Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-11
PALMER BOOM
IS STARTED HERE
Prominent Vermont Democrats
Gather at Sherwood TO Hear
Speakers Laud United States
Attorney General

A boom for Attorney General Palmer
as the democratic candidate for the pres
idcncy was launched Thursday at the
Sherwood hotel at dinner, given by the
Hon. Harland y. Howe, United states
judge. V. A. Billiard district attorney,
and James l.. Kennedy, collector of in
ternal revenue. Thomas ]. Spelacy Of
Hartford. Conn, assistant to the attorney
general and former district attorney in
Connecticut and Thomas jefferson Boyn-
ton of Boston, district attorney for Mas
sachusetts, were the principal speakers,
and both extoied the services of the at
torney general.
Mr.. Billiard acted as postmaster at the
dinner. which was attended by about 35
of the leading democrats Of the state. He
introduced his former schoolmate. Mr..
Boynton. as tho first speaker To district
attorney in the neighboring State was a
| Lamoille county boy.
! Mr.. Boynton paid high tribute to the
| President of the United States in open.
| ing When the Democratic party came
into power" he said, "a half dozen mon
| in New York, as they had often done.
could produce a panic. The Wilson admin
istration forced the federal re Drive act
on the statute book and all this ceased.
So long as this law is allowed TO operate
the selective service act In tho war of
| the rebellion $500 purchased substitute.
| Under a democratic administration. any
man fit for service was Obliged to reg
| lister. Thus the rich man and the poor
man met even-handed justice. War leaves
| troubles in its trail. IT Is time when
anarchy and treason raise their heads;
aliens make disturbances and create dis
| content and advocate the overthrow of
our country by violence. If allowed to go
unrestrained they will succeed. The at
torney general following the May day
riots of last year. came near to murder
at their hands but they are being gath
cred up and sent home.
| Free speech and freedom of the press
never authorized sediton and blasphemy."
Touching upon the matter OF policies. Mr.
Boynton gave an account of the present
head of the department of justice, Mr.
| Palmer. CHASING him as entirely safe
His record as alien property custodian
| and attorney general is credit to the
country" he declared Other candidates
were mentioned as presidential timbr but
to Mr. Boynton's mind, Mr.. Palmer was
the ideal candidate.
| Mr.. Spellaoy being introduced said
| zone year from tonight we shall have
! had a new president inaugurated, sue
ceedng the greatest national executive
| since Washington and Lincoln. Tonight
| Is the time to don anew the armor of our
| former fighting days and place again
democrat in the White House. Let us not
be speakers but doers.'' The speaker
| urged his hearers to look not upon the
water that has passed but to unite in the
cause of electing a sterling character to
| succeed our noble president. All the demo-
Gratis named as eligible for the coming
| election received at the speakers hands
| the highest praise but A. Mitchell Palmer.
| the present attorney general, was ranked
high above them Mr.. Spellacy reviewed
| the executive achievements of Attorney
| General Palmer as alien property Gus
! todan. denoting his office the strong
| right arm of the war department. when
| his work here was accomplished, Presi-
| dent Wilson named him as head of the
department of justice, where he favors
| none and persecutes no one. Such man,
a fighting militant democrat, asks openly
| the nomination to the highest office in
| the gift of the American people"
| rising vote of thanks was rendered
| the guests of the evening, after whic h
there was an informal discussion of the
merits of the different possibilities for
| the presidency.
| Those present were:
! Thomas j. Spellacy, assistant to at
| torney general Thomas j. Boynton.
district attorney for Massachusetts;
| United States Judge Harland r. Howe:
collector of internal revenue. James E.
| Kennedy: District Attorney Vernon A.
Bullard; Henry Conlin, clerk of United
States court; Deputy Collector George
| w. Burleson of st. Adams; Collector of
| Customs Herbert c. Comings of st. AL
| bans; Postmaster James E. Burke:
| Capt. Burke, local revenue officer;
John j. Enright, United States Com
missioner: Postmaster f. S. Harris of
Bennington; Postmaster c. l.. Gates
and Bert Small of Morrisville; Howard
Shaw of Stowe; United States Marshal
| Arthur =. Carpenter of Brattleboro;
Mayor elect Harry C. Shurtleff of Mont
peler, United States commissioner; NJ.
| G. Leary. referee in bankruptcy; Mayor
! j. Holmes Jackson: Park H. Pollard of
Proctorville; Dr. w. b. Mayo of North
field; Harry w. Writer'S of St. Johns
| bury; George r. Stackpole of Winooski
| George Tilden of Barre; Harold Nc
Mahon of Stowe; George Tracey of
| Grand Isle: Postmaster Frank IL.
Clarke of Windsor; Postmaster p. c.
| Dodge of Randolph; Postmaster II. o.
BiXby of Chelsea; T. b. Wright, j. j.
| Thompson of st. Adams: Fred II. Pierce
| and II A Pond of EnOshurc