The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-06-10
Mr.. Batchclder and the Railroads.
From the Middlcbury Register !

We stated last week some excellent
reasons why Mr.. Batchelder should not
be elected governor. 1t was said that
the people desire legislation for the reg
ulation of railroad freight rates, and
that therefore Mr.. Batchclder, with his
known railroad affiliations, was not a
safe man to place in the gubcrnatorial
chair. In this connection an incident
of the past session, when Mr.. Batchel-
der was speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, is exceedingly interesting.
1t was Oh the afternoon of Friday,
the 18th of October, that Mr.. Brock of
Montpelier introduced the following
resolution:
Resolved by the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives, That the auditor Of accounts be
directed tc discontinue the suit, State of Yer
mont against the Central Vermont Railroad
company, now pending in Washington county
court, it being for penalties for non-payment
of taxes on the Vermont Central railroad for
the half year ending the goth day Of Juue,
1883, 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. q of the rules governing the
House proceedings provided that call
petitions, memorials, circumstances, res
olutions and other papers calling for
Legislative action Except such as have
been reported by committed no OBJ
lection being made, shall be referred by
the speaker to appropriate committees"
But that venerable legislator, Hon. Rod
ney c. Abel of West Haven, inter-
posed as the speaker was about to put
the question, and on his motion the res
olution was referred to the judiciary
committee. The resolution was an i'm
portant one, the amount involved be-
ing between 100000 and $4,000. 1t
finally passed, and probably ought to
have done so. Mr.. Batchcldcr might
have been ignorant of the rules, though
it was not 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 COM
mittee on railroads, appointed by him,
was largely composed of men subservi-
ent to railroad management; and, sit
ting with the Senate committee as a
joint committee, reported adversely
upon every measure looking to the es-
tablishmcnt of railroad commission,
the short-haul bill, etc. Tho same class
of men who elect him speaker are now
working to make him governor. If
they succeed he will have the appoint
ment of the railroad commission. should
one be established this fall. So 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
man who ought to be chosen as chief
executive 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 acknowledged by every one who
has given a moments thought to the
matter. Consequently Mr.. Batchelder's
past history and the present situation,
taken together, form the strongest pos
sible argument against his election to
the governorship, so strong that moth
ing further is required.