Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-05-26
The Real Issue.

The preliminary discussion in re-
gard to governor candidates started
early and has been lively up to this
time. 1t is, perhaps, good thing
to present candidates before the peo-
pie in a thorough review of character
and fitness, but it is not unfrequent-
" the case that discussions run OH
upon personalities and side issues.
After all that has been said, it seems
to us that the real issue is: Who will
give the state the best administration
A few things ought to be corrected
in the public affairs of this state
From one cause and another we have
drifted long ways distant from the
safe, economical. conservative meth
ods of our fathers and fallen into the
way of spending very large sum OF
money annually for state purposes.
1t is true that some of the expense
has been called for, but somesof it
has been unnecessary. 1t has come
to that, that every biennial Legislature
is besieged with men and interests
that are begging and lobbying for
money for something outside the
seemingly legitimate beneficiaries of
the state. New institutions are
springing up continually which are
calling for great and continual ex-
penditures, and there are calls for
monuments, for paintings, for bridg-
es, for this and that, which in the ag-
gregate cost a great sum of money.
The state is small, and when public
expenditures climb up among the
hundreds of thousands, every man
feels the burden of his taxes. Some
body must object and demonstrate
ere long OF this thing will become
intolerable.
As we look at it, the expense of
the biennial session is altogether
too great. In the first place, the
sessions are too long-the school for
the benefit of first-term pupils in leg
islation is, possibly, necessary, but
altogether too long. Fewer new laws
are needed; less statute tinkering,
consuming time and money is de-
sirable. Legislative lobbying is be-
coming too common for state that
has small resources. Too much is
asked and granted to some of the pc
nal and eleemosynary institutions of
the state. Contributions too large have
been granted for bridges, monuments,
etc. The new school law is increas-
ing state expenses somewhat; the
new asylum begun at Waterbury has
big appropriation already, and like
most other things of the kind, is La
BILE to cost much more than is already
appropriated.
Within few years, comparatively,
while the wealth and population OF
the state has not largely increased,
the state has established House OF
Correction, a Reform School, Sol
diers' Home, and now is setting up
an Insane Asylum. All these things.
while there is, of course, some neces-
sity for each, have been added OF
late, and each one of them is a bene-
ficiary on the state, calling for main.
tenance, and more and more contri
buttons from the people. Then We
, might allude to the railroad commits
sion-a thing that there seemed to bt
a demand for-which is running W
heavy bill every year.
= We are not arguing for small
niggardly or mean management o
state affairs, but it is time the pres
call attention to facts and put ;
= check on careless and extravagan
expenditures. Our watchword i
retrenchment. Vermont, almost en-
, tirely agricultural in her pursuits, ,suf
] fers greatly at present from depres
sion in farm products, and she reall,
! has no money to waste in unnecessa
h ry taxation.
:, We favor a set of officers thi
year, from governor down to tn
smallest officers in the state or town
who will look carefully and sharpl
to the financial interests of state anC
y municipality. If c.. S. Page ca
"brush down the cobwebs" that hav
! been accommodating about the stat
headquarters for the past few years
let's give him chance, and furnis
him with a long-handled broom. w
know he has an ambition in that d
rection, and know he has pledged hi
friends to make an attempt. If b
is able to go through state matters a
he went through the affairs at som
of the Savings Banks few year
: since, he ought to be good man i
the place.