The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-11-01
DEMOCRATS SEE
] OPPORTUNITY IN
COUNTY ELECTION
Believe They Can Defeat Sheriff
Gardner for Reelection
RELY ON WOMEN VOTERS
Many Republicans Expected to
Cast Ballots for P. II.
Thompson Of Arlington
RELY ON WOMEN VOTERS

The annual state, county, and local
election, formerly called freeman's
meeting, takes place next Tuesday,
November T..
There Is much more than ordinary
interest this year because OF the
drive made by Kennedy, Democratic
candidate for Congress against Fleet.
wood, the Republican nominee. Ken.
nedy makes his appeal entirely OF
the wet issue and asks all those
not satisfied with the volstead act to
vote for him.
For the first time in many years
the Democrats have chance to elect
candidate on their county ticket,
according to the judgment OF many
people. Sheriff Gardner s marital
troubles, the charges pending against
I him and the scandal which has been
gathering around him for many
months, have raised strong opposi.
tion.
If one may judge from conyersa-
tion and report half the Republicans
and particularly Republican women
are going to vote for Thompson, the
Democratic candidate and this feel.
ing extends to some of the outside
towns, particularly Manchester. Pat.
rick II. Thompson, the Democratic
candidate, was for eight years post.
master at Arlington, has represented
Arlington in the legislature and Is
well-known as successful business
man Of the firm OF Thompson & How.
ard
On the other hand Sheriff Gardner
Is not without friends. His courage
is well-known and at the time OF the
Black Cat strike several years ago he
had the backbone to do his duty and
mainta n order when the village
police force failed. No criminal or
hood um has ever been able to scare
Sheriff Gardner and there are good
many people of sound judgment who
think it is better to have q man OF
courage, force, and decision as sher.
iff than to beat HIM because his
morals are not approved.
There is fair sized Republican
revolt against George A. Mathers, the
Republican nominee for states attor.
ney Under his administration prose
cutions have practically ceased and
bootlegging, liquor selling, disorderly
conduct. and petty thieying have been
running. riot here for months with
practically no interference The
Democratic candidate Is Charles A.
Maurer who will get considerable
Republican vote as matter OF pro-
test mostly.
In Mathers' behalf il Is urged that
he was in the army during the war.
is a member of the Legion, that he Is
young and will do better IL given "a
further chance and that he Is willing
to prosecute II local juries will have
the backbone to convict when the evi-
dence Is. conclusive.
With these contests pending II will
be interesting to notice whether the
voters will go to the polls or not.
There are over 10000 voters In Ben
nington county. The largest vote
ever cast here was only little more
than 1000. This means that there
are at least 5000 voters In this coun'
ty who never voted before or are not
in the habit OF voting and therefore
the unknown vote has complete pow.
er to settle every issue.
On the Congressional issue there
Is on one side the "wets" who are
not only opposed to the Volstead act
but are against the 18th amendment
and in favor Of making the purchase
of liquor easy On the other side are
those who believe that national pro-
hibtion and closing the saloons has
helped some and who do not want 10
see the country return to CONNER
cialized liquor dealing. This issue.
alone ought to draw out 10000 votes.
in Bennington county. The two coun.
ty tickets are as follows.
Republicans,
For Senators, Herbert A. Huett OF
Arlington and william A. Root OF
Bennington.
For Assistant Judges, Edmond La.
Franchise of Bennington and Merritt
b. Roberts of Rupert,
For Sheriff, Perry b. Gardner OF
Bennington.
For States Attorney, George \.
Mathers, OF Bennington
For Judges of Probate. Edward
Griffith of Manchester and Edward
C. Bennett of Bennington.
Democrats.
For Senators, Louis r. Martin OF
Manchester and Gilbert NJ Vaughn OF
Arlington.
For Assistant Judges, Edward G.
Bacon OF Sunderland and Freeman
S. Howard of SALISBURY.
For Sheriff, p II, Thompson OF AT.
lington.
For High Bailiff, Truman II. Mat.
tison of Bennington.
For States Attorney. Charles A.
Maurer of Bennington.