The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-03-06
The Three Candidates.
bellows Falls Times.0


There are three candidates for the Re
publican nomination for governor of Yer
mont and it is not likely that there viii
be more. The one who receives the most
votes at the September primary will be
the next governor.
All are good citizens, able men who
have made good in their several lines of
endeavor. The state is to be congratu-
lated on the prospect of a clean cam
paign, free from personalities and above
reproach. The public veal will not sui
fer whoever is the final choice, but this
does not mean all are equally qualified
to become governor of a state. A man
may be eminently successful in one field
of endeavor and be but an Indifferent sue
cess in another. Let us briefly consider
the three candidates in the order in which
/ they made their ambitions known to the
public.
James Hartness, scholar. inventor,
idealist, dreamer very likable man and
withal a thorough gentleman He is the
| head of large manufacturing company
which has made practical and profitable
the product of his inventive genius. As
we understand it, he is not an industrial
list who knows his business from the
| ground up nor an executive who pays
much attention to the details of the bust
tness he nominally heads. Not until re
Gently has he taken an interest in public
affairs. He is without legislative eXpe-
rience. No governor. no matter how good
his intentions, can carry far unless he
can carry with him the hard headed
practical men who compose a Vermont
legislature. To believe that the Spring
field candidate can cooperate with Yer
mont legislature as successfully as either
of the other candidates requires "a wild,
stretch of the imagination James Hart
ness is the Henry Ford of Vermont. Ford.
are useful in their place. but that place
is not in the sumptuously upholstered
chair in the executive chamber at Mont
Ipelier.
Frederick H. Babbitt is a wholly diff
ferent type. He has made success il
business by being in it and a part of it
, working at top speed through long hour
2 and knowing and directing the major de
tails. He has never given his hand t,
any enterprise, private or public, with
out backing his endeavor TO the limit
He is always successful because whe
he leaves something for George to do h
makes sure that George does il. II
doesn't reach the finish only to sind tina
some important detail has been neglect
: ed. He is an executive who directs an
directs intelligently and successfully. II
4 will direct the business of the state jus
: as energetically and painstakingly as h
s directs his own business. He has ha
Il legislative experience in both houses c
the Vermont legislature and it is SAT
o gamble that he and any Vermont legisla
q ture would Join fraternal hands in put
/ ting across any reasonable program
c legislation. 1t isn't what is in Il cand
q dates platform that counts, it is Wha
L a candidate after election is able to %
incorporated into workable law by e
# operation with the legislative branch {
lie the state government When it comes /
results at the show down. one can AWAY
count on Frederick H. Babbitt.
Curtis S. Emery is still another type
country lawyer, county clerk and FEEDER;
office holder. 1t is safe to say that if !
{ has accumulated any money it was viii
he was collector at the Port of Memphr
i magog, a position he held for four yea
:, by grace of presidential appointment
= His roots may come nearer reaching
:, the soil than those of either of the 9th
: candidates, but the soil of Chelsea wheI
7 he spent most of his life is not noted {,
= its fertility. He has had legislative e
- perience in both branches, but his life f,
> the most part has been along lines
= least resistance. He has been lfe-loi
office holder. He has not tackled prop
e sitions which require great energy. for
d. sight and skill. He has never taken
no business which was small and made
e, great. He has held office and perform,
RS the duties thereof creditably, but h
at never shown initiative or more than orc
it, nary energy of purpose. He, too, is
rs, man one likes,-social, friendly and
IS good citizen. His present office of may
Of of Newport, Vermont's debutante amol
cities, is the first he has ever held requi