Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-19

WiH CLe SplIlC Oh England independence as well q 8 II
geographical location.
these who did not take kindly to the Plumed Knight from
Maine in 1884, although he supported Blaine in a way after
ton to the national convention to Mckinley rather than Reed,
while in 1916 it clung to Hughes in preference to Weeks.
Governor Coolidge Of Massachusetts as a loyal son of Ver-
mont; Our people as a whole would undoubtedly rejoice to
to be experiencing pronounced difficulty in getting together
When the candidacy of Governor Coolidge started
spontaneously as a result of his splendid exhibition of back
bone in connection with the problems involved in the strike of
the Boston police, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge announced that
he would be a candidate for delegate at large to the republican
national convention tor the purpose OF presenting the gov
errors name Tor nomination for the presidency.
according Ua%1 ing to 3t the Washington MN HI correspondent ponder Of the Bos.
candidate for the support of the Massachusetts, delegation for
IN sake al e. Of producing harmony (" yh in the e+ Bay State te and the clos
Senator Lodge in a dilemma. The correspondent says.
contests s1s c GesE %e c s99 SaT definitely sGns out ns of the pres. g%rssid h e
aspirations? Senator Henry Cabot Lodge would like an
authoritative answer to this question"
Our readers will readily understand why as the time a-
breaches for filing as a candidate Senator Lodge is at a loss
in the contest Senator Lodge would file as a candidate pledged
to him. If the Governor is out of it the Senator says he would
file as an u%npedged candidate.
The correspondent continues: 'The Governors state
ment, together with the abandonment of the Coolidge head
State executive has withdrawn from the contest. Yet in
political circles there is a persistent underground that
that if the right circumstances developed he would not be
averse to re-entering his name in the lists.
For example, it is pointed out the Governors only prac-
teal chance of nomination, and it is conceded he would not
enter the fight for a mere complimentary vote, would come
arose Coolidge as a man who had been favorably mentioned
but who had Withdrawn to prevent a contest in his own State
might loom big as a compromise candidate.
Senator Lodge is a bit scrupulous about keeping political
promises. If he should announce himself as an %unpledged
drawal, it would appear as if he were abandoning the gov
ernor, a situation ne does not propose to hermit. Consequent
ly, he awaits a final word from the Governor before filing his
nomination papers.
Should Governor Coolidge release Senator Lodge from
the arrangement which brought the latter into the delegate
contest, Senator Lodge will run as an unpledged candidate
independently of any group, While it is an open secret that
Senator looks with favor on the candidacy of General Wood,
he will not align himself formally with the Wood movement
company which is not altogether congenial."
We can readily see how Senator Lodge cannot afford to
that of the Bay State executive, because of the delicacy of his
negotiations in maintaining some semblance of party
solidarity on the treaty question in the Senate.
Another reason he does not propose to run as a member
efa "a group, even though the Group be u]npledged, is his
With his public career coming to a close. the Senator is said to
believe he has earned the right to play a lone hand in this
the other candidates. That at least is his view now.
Meanwhile Senator Moses of New Hampshire announces
in the shape of reports that F. ". Estabrook. national Com COM
mitteeman from New Hampshire and Jesse M. Barton, an
other candidate for delegate.atlarge. had abandoned their
plan to run as unpledged candidates and had filed as pledged
to General Wood; AS a consequence of this Senator Moses is
Chicago instructed for Wood.
At the present time General Wood seems to be profiting
from uncertainty regarding Governor Coolidge's candidacy.
How the rejection of general military training as a policy
for adoption at this particular time will affect General
Woods chances remains to be seen: His name has been as
ISOLATED with that policy to a greater or less degree, and on
general principles one would expect him to suffer to a certain
extent from the latest developments in that connection.
1t Is to be noted in this connection that according to
'advicea from Washington the candidacy of Senator Harding
Of Ohio has also entered a new phase during the past few
days. The original intention of Mr.. Hardings friends was
not to campaign for delegates in any State outside of Ohio.
Now, however, the Harding candidacy has become more pre-
tentious. A nationwide organization is being brought to-
gether and in a few days will be announced. Aggressive eff
forts are already being made to secure the delegation from
Indiana, and similar efforts will shortly be made throughout
the country generally.
On the democratic side the effort of party leaders to head
off Bryan is now coming into sharp and open conflict with
those who are determined to make Mr.. Bryan a figure in the
convention. The Democratic party organizations, as organi-
cations, in the various States, are generally opposed to Bryan.
But the rank and file OF the party In many OF the same States
are In favor Of Bryan. In order to f orestall the growth of Bryan
sentiment and to head off any attempt to give formal endorse
ment to him, the party leaders have been following a policy
Of calling their State conventions and State committee meet
ings earlier than they anticipated.
Significantly enough Senator Walsh of Massachusetts en-
dorses the position of Senator Lodge relative to the treaty of
peace and Col. William A. CASTOR, one of the democratic wheel
horses In the Bay State, has come out in a statement IN praise
At AaAn 7 NI~& H~I yc1L. &c. -. -zl:--