St. Johnsbury Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-1920, 1920-07-21
GOV. COOLIDCE'S
BIG DAY AT
PLYMOUTH HOME
Over 1000 VermOnters Greet
the Candidate for
Vice President

|
July u, Il perfect day and the $500
men and women who a.rendcd the
outdoor reception to Gov. Calvin
Coolidge at his fathers home at Ply
mouth Corner will long remember
the notable gathering. Not since the
republicans foregathered in the SUI
gar bush of Gov. Charles j. Bell in
Walden in the summer Of 1904 has
| there been such midsummer outing
and about all the politicians were
there, many brinpir their wives and
daughters. If you didn't recall fa-
miliar face il was a safe guess to adj
dress your friend as Governor or Col
onel and you would hit it ripht one
or the other titles. Gov. Clement was
there with a smile of satisfaction
that would indicate that he didn't
care what folks thought of him as
long as he was "It". Lieut.Gov.
Stone with his cordial handgrasp and
CHEEKY smile was welcome anywhere
in the crowd, and to a question as to
when he had visited the little town Of
Plymouth last, said that he snent the
night at that ime in he Coolidge
home.
The State House must have looked
deserted on Thursda" afternoon for
the officials attending the function in
cluded Adjt.- Johnson, Sec. of
State Harry A. Black Auditor of Ac-
counts Benjamin Gates. Commits
sioner of Industries Buttles, J. G..
Brown, insurance commissioner, and
H. M. Jones, fuel administrator. All
the candidates for governor were
busy min0ling with the crowd and
several of them brought their wives.
incidentally there were about as many
ladies present as men at this gather
ing and Gov. Clement must have
thought some things that will never
appear in his nroclamations. Among
the eX-governors in the hannv crowd
were Allan M. Fletcher of Cavcndish
and W. w. Sticknev of Ludlow,
while scattered throughout the crowd
were those who "also ran"
Congressman Dale was the sole
representative of the Congressional
delegation and was cordially greeted
by his many friends in the crowd.
The charm and success of the
gathering was its .informality. There
was no set PROGRAM and only one
short speech. 1t was summer meet
ing of Vermontcrs and they came
from Jay Peak to Killington and
from the Essex county wilds to the
shores of Lake Champlain. The Lud-
low Cornet Band furnished stirring
music and the movie artists
worked their machines vertime to
get the pictures for the screens and
the magazines. Even when the ma
chine failed to work Gov. Coolidge
posed after his sneech and looked
pleasant that the millions of voters
throughout the United States might
see the next vice president at his best
in his home surroundings. All had
chance to shake hands with the Mas
sachusetts executive and also to meet
his gracious wife. The most satisfied
man in all the crowd was the father
of the Governor, who led the process
sion that filedIby the farmhouse before
the speaking and who mingled with
the crowd and warmly greeted his
friends.
After an hour of social greetings,
with campaigning for the next gov
ernor of Vermont on the side, Earl
S. Kinsley of Rutland, the member
of the national committee from Ver-
mont and the man who arranged for
this successful affair, called the as
semblage to order. Three songs were
given by metropolitan soloist that
was greatly enjoved bv all. Instru-
mental music was furnished by a pi-
ano in the house, while on the piazza
Mr. Kingsley were Gov. Coolidge, his
wife and his aunt. After the sing
ing Gov. Coolidge was, presented as
the next vice-president Of the United
States and received with prolonged
cheers.
Gov. Coolidge addressed the audi
ence as his guests and fellow Ver-
monters and expressed his thanks for
the reception just extended him and
for their coming such a distance, and
at such personal inconvenience, to
pay him this great honor. He said
in part that he was here by right of
Vermont is my birth
right, noble and high birthright.
hHyOIc UOIH Ill tcIHlOIlL Has u DITLn-
right that entails great responsible
ties and a great obligation. You have
seen a part of this beautiful state as
you came to this lovely spot. You
see our fields titled not with all the
farm machinery, but with
that more skilful and intricate ma
chine, the brain and hand of man.
You see in this nlace the two insti-
latter by it's position and size testifies
tutions that make Vermont great,
The schoolhouse and the church. The
10 the relative position in which are
neld in this community those things
that are temnoral and those things
that are spiritual. 1t is great, my
friends, to have such heritage. As
| have spent my vacations here I
nave been impressed with the neces-
'ity of imparting to the heart of the
nation the same ideals of heritage
md birthright that belon" to Yer
Ignorance should be every
where supplanted bv education. Gym
cism should be replaced by reyer-