The Bennington Evening Banner

A Close Contest.

The Republican caucuses throughout the state will be held Thursday evening of this week and with those the preliminary part of the campaign will be over. The chief interest is over the governorship with the prospect of an exceedingly close run between Prouty and Stanton.

If we were to guess on the condition of the contest at this time we should say that Stanton has the greatest numerical strength but that Prouty has the best organization and the more active workers. The Prouty forces are said to be completely organized in every county except Bennington, Chittenden and Washington in which three counties Stanton is so strong that Prouty can expect only a few scattering delegates.

Interesting only as showing how many delegates may sit in the convention and how close the contest may possibly be the Banner prints the following estimate made by two citizens of Bennington, Saturday, one of them a supporter of Prouty and the other of Stanton:

736

370 366

The result really depends on how the voters turn out at the caucuses in the counties where the contest is close. If a few interested persons are all who attend the caucuses the result may be largely changed by the efforts of the politicians in some of the close towns. Another complication too that is likely to arise is the probability that a few towns will elect delegates instructed to vote for the renomination of Governor Proctor and it would take but a few votes for him or even a few scattering or defective votes to tie up the contest in the convention and carry it to a second or third ballot.

Addison	65	32	33
Bennington	48	8	40
Caledonia	54	40	14
Chittenden	60	10	50
Essex	20	18	2
Franklin	53	40	13
Grand Isle	11	3	8
Lamotile	30	6	24
Orange	47	12	35
Orleans	54	54	0
Rutland	91	88	3
Washington	65	0	65
Windham	62	35	27
Windsor	76	24	52

Here in Bennington a Stanton delegation will be elected probably without opposition. There is some under current for Prouty here but the only active work done has been in behalf of Stanton. For lieutenant governor the voters of this county are for Mr. Barnes of Addison but the issue is not likely to be drawn in the caucus.