Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-08-28
STATE ISSUES
Made Prominent by Speakers
at Democratic Rally
PRoH|B|ToRY LAWS
Alleged to Be the Cause of
the Slow Growth of
the State.

Owing to the storm 1t was O'Clock
before the Democrats started theil
rally last night. AT that time SOC
citizens were present.
Robert Treat Paine, Jr., of Boston
was the first speaker, his subject be-
ing the National issues. His speech
did not hold his audience in hand very
we'll, as it was mainly of statistical
nature. Many brilliant points were
brought out, treating of the Philip
pine question; the trusts and all other
arguments generally used by both
sides to convince their opponents that
the issue under which they run is the
only one.
Thomas w. Maloney of Rutland fol-
lowed with an argument on the state
issues and state taxation. This gen.
tlcman is powerful speaker. He has
a fine delivery and argues with earn
eStnesS. He has we'll earned the title
of the "siver tongued orator" of Yer
mont. His speech was brilliant all
the way through, and his points were
well taken, his principal one being
the platform CT the Democratic party,
high license or local option; was re-
ceived with enthusiasm. He COM
manded the attention always given
one who talks Just as he believes. He
said;--
81 feel that it is the proper thing
and = the proper time to bring up
the matter of why this state remains
in the same condition now as it was
fifty years ago. We have been as long
as | can remember talking the Ma
tional question and | think that is
| the trouble.
| think we should look first to the
interest of the state and then take
up some other question as soon as that
| is settled.
What progress has Vermont made
in the last thirty years?
| ask you to take the report for the
last ten years and you will find that
Vermont is decreasing. Why should
this be, none of the other states are
so? You will also find that the pro-
perty is taxed from - per cent to 40
per cent. There is reason for it and
| the Democrats believe it is faulty
legislation.
We have had for 40 years in this
state what they call prohibitory law
but in all the 40 years has the law
prohibited 40 hours. | know nothing
of the city of Barre personally but l
imagine it is the same as the other
cities in the state that it has prohi BIZ
tion that does not prohibit. am not
going to talk prohibition but only
bring it up as an economic question.
The republicans in twenty years
have not taken the public into their
confidence. Why don't they do it?
Why don't they have platform?
The republican party is composed of
very few men and | admire them
as they are the only men WHO can ride
two ways at the same time.
When they strike prohibitionist
they talk nothing else but prohibi-
tion and turn right around and take
high license or local option with the
next man in order to secure his
vote.
If they had platform we would
have had high license or local option
two years ago. Barre has only one
vote and so has St. George with only
twelve voters and when town of
that size has the same say as one
with 5000 voters then it is impossible
to get what is wanted. If 1000 re-
publican voters will walk up to the
polls next September and let the
world know what they are doing: that
they are voting the high license or
local option ticket then we will have
it.
The Democratic party believe in
Home Rule. If the people of Barre
want high license then let them have
it.
WlldU. 10 UllC lCoulO vi PAoiiioi WIN ~
Vermont during those 40 years. l
don't know anything about Barre but
the city come from, Rutland, has
lost 81, 900, 900 less $40, 600 in revenue
during those years, which would be
enough to pay all our debts and de-
crease the taxation by half. Is not
Barre in the same fix:
Now let us see how Vermont is
taxed. ] claim that our system OF
taxation is unjust, is faulty. 1t dis
eliminates against the citizens in max
ing them carry some of the state ex-
penses. What is taken out of the
little towns go right back to them.
This city pays every year state
school tax which goes into a hopper
and is divided in some way whereby
the city gets back l-6. Where does
the other SO go to? 1t goes to pay
for the schools of the small towns.
Another criticism of this tax law.
We have in our city a poor mans