Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-06-04
Mr.. BAToHELDER AND THE RAILROADS

We stated last week some excellent
reasons why Mr.. Batcheldcr should not
be elected governor. II was said that
the people desire legislation for the regu-
ation of railroad freight rates. and that
therefore Mr.. Batchcder, with his known
railroad affiliations, was not safe man to
place in the gubcrnatorial chair. In this
connection an incident of the past session.
when Mr.. Batchelder was speaker of the
House of Representatives is exceedingly
interesting.
1t was on the afternoon of Friday. the
18th of October. that Mr.. Brock of Mont
ton:
Resolced By the ScH0te and HouSc ot' Rep
rcScatutjreS. That the auditor of accounts
be directed to discontinue the suit. state
of Vermont against the Central Vermont
Railroad company. now pending in Wash
ington county court, it being for penal
ties for non-payment of taxes on the Yer
mont Central railroad for the half year
ending the Both day of June, lSS3, during
the most of which time it was exempt
from taxation under the charter of the
Vermont Central railroad company.
The speaker proposed to put the resO-
luton upon its passage at once. although
No. - of the rules governing the House
proceedings provided that 'all petitions.
memorials. remon>trance>. resolutions
and other papers calling for Legislative
action (cNccpt such a. have been report
ed 10y Il conmttec). no objection being
made. shall be referred by the speaker to
appropriate commIittccS. But that ven
cradle legislator. Hon. Rodney {. Abel
of West Haven, interposed Il, the speaker
was about to put the question: and on hi>
motion the resolution was referred to the
judiciary committee. The resolution was
an important one. the amount involved
being between SGO,OOO and oSO.OOO. 1t
finally passed. and probably ought to
have done so. Mr. Batcheldcr might
have been ignorant of the rules. though
il was no: thought at the time that this
was the cause of his action. 1t was well
known that he had been chosen speaker
by and through the earnest efforts of the
railroad lobby. The committee on rail-
roads, appointed by him, was largely
| composed of men SubSerVient to railroad
management; and. sitting with the Sell
ate committee a Il joint committee, re-
ported adversely upon every measure
/ looking to the establishment of II railroad
commits ion. the >hOrt-haul bill, etc The
same class of men who elected him speak
er are now working to make him COVER
nor. If they succeed he will have the
appointment of the railroad commission.
should one be established this fall. 80
much for Mr.. Batchelder and his history
for two years past 1t is perfectly clear
on the basis of these facts that he is not
the one who ought to he chosen as chiefeX-
ecutiVe of Vermont at this time. Nor need
any space be occupied in setting forth the
supreme Importance of the regulation of
railroad freight rates. 1t is acinoWl-
edged by every one who has given mo-
ment's thought to the matter. Conse-
quently Mr.. Batchelder'S past history
and the present situation, taken together,
form the strongest possible argument
against his election to the gOvernorShip
so strong that nothing further is re-
quired.