The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-08-20

his new role by teaching that men may
participate in caucus and convention
and without political dishonesty nay
bolt the convention when its action is
| not in accord with their own desires
AS an exemplar in political morals he
leads in the most causeess and wicked
bolt known to political history.
He attacks the financial management
Of the state and yet his convention ac-
cepts as its Candidates the nominees Of
the Republican party who are the re-
| sponsibe financial managers of the
state.
He dscourses upon the increased
state expenses, expensive commits
| sions and unnecessary Offices but names
| no change except to establish another
! salaried state board to be its purchasing
agent with large array of clerks and
assistants, for all the different institll-
/ lions of the state.
No one denies that the state expenses
have largely increased during the years
| of Republican ascendency but IT is he
cause of the settled policy of the state
regardless of party requiring such ex-
penditures and shifting large burdens
of expense from the towns to the state
and not through corruption, inetiici-
ency, prodigality or mismanagement
Which part of this settled policy
would Mr.. Clement repudate?
We have now hospital for the insane
owned and equipped by the state,
equipped with moderu conveniences
and conducted in accordance with ad-
vanced and approved methods for the
safety and recovery of these unfortu-
nate members of our society. answering
the proper demands of a sympathetic
and philanthropic people
We have a House of Correction for
the less incorrigible law breaker where
reformation may be secured; we have
the industrial school for the young
where virtuous manhood and woman
hood may be wrought out of what would
otherwise become fixtures among the
criminal classes Our Colleges are
aided from our state treasury in order
that poverty shall not prevent the am
bilious youth from obtaining broad and
thorough culture. We provide instruc-
ton for the blind, the mute and the
weak-minded. We raise a > percent
state tax to distribute among our towns
which are richer in road mileage than
in grand list. We equalize i'm degree
the burden of school taxation by an
eight percent State tax. We nake lib
eral provision for our State Normal
Schools. We care for the insane poor
at the state expense and thus relieve
each town of this burden and secure
better treatment and care. We eXpend
a considerable amount upon our state
militia and our Soldiers Home.
All this and much more is done be
cause the state has approved of it and
yet this large expenditure has been so
provided for by our system of corpora
ton taxes that the state tax assessed
upon the Grand list is less than it was
twenty years ago. Undoubtedly this
method of corporation taxation can be
improved upon and extended and the
state tax be still further lessened and
even entirely dispensed with
A commission reporting when Mr.
Clement was in the Senate that the cor
porations were bearing only about one
fourth of their fair share of the burden
of taxation an effort was made to in
crease corporate taxation, but Mr. Glenn
ent was strenuous in opposition and it
was defeated. He was then President of
the Rutland Railroad system. He now
asserts that no state tax was needed and
that he voted against increased cor
pOration taxation because no additional
revenue was required. but as the chair
man of the Senate Finance Committee
of 1000. he in fact recommended the
very day. he brought about the defeat
of the corporation tax bill. the very
tax which you are now paying.
He describes the method of liquor law
enforcement in his city and draws many
illustrations therefrom. He has for
many years been an influential citizen
of Rutland and has been its Mayor and
yet these abuses continued without cor,
rection when he had official power. and
without rebuke from him as a man.
Mr.. Clement alleges that he doubts
the sincerity of the Republican party in
Vermont in its plank concerning the sub
mission of the license local option law
to the vote of the people and seeks thus
| TO JUSTLY MS SttpSSlOH. But WIen was
the Republican party of Vermont or OF
the nation untrue to its pledges? From
its inception to the present hour has the
party of liberty under Fremont of the
Constitution and Union under Lincoln
and Grant, of sound money and protec
ton to American industries under
Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison anC
Mckinley. crowned by its honorable
and philanthropic position towards
Cuba and the Philippines when anC
wherein has it in either state or DatioI
betrayed its trust or wandered from
the paths of honor, justice and recti
tude? In the light of its history then
he who would impugn the honor ant
good faith of the Republican party i'm
peaches his own.
The Convention favored the submits
sion to the people of the question o.
license and local option or state pro
hibition because it was deemed wist
and proper concession to a growing in,
insistent demand for such Il reference