The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-07-07
PLATFORM THOUGHTS.

party for the State OF Vermont as
adopted in convention last Thursday
is such declaration of principles as
every Republican should be glad to
endorse. There is nothing high
flown about it. 1t is simple, for the
most part plain, and reasonably short.
There is no ringing appeal to Repub-
liosns, there are no beautiful con-
glomerations of verbiage such as
sometimes find their way into State
platforms to praise the nominees on
the national ticket and to laud the
deeds Of Republicans throughout the
land. But there is an earnest state
ment of the loyalty of Vermont Re-
publicans to the national party, their
approval of Roosevelt End Fairbanks,
their special approval of certain
planks in the national platform, and
lastly plain statement of certain
things which the Republicans of YER
mont believe should be done for the
best good of the State.
One proposition of the platform
is especially worthy of the attention
of the Legislature the creation of
the office of attorney general. This
proposition, at first glance, may seem
to look toward increased rather than
decreased expense, but such is not
the case. The State of Vermont has
a great deal of business of legal
nature both criminal and civil In
every large criminal case additional
counsel is assigned to assist in the
prosecution in order that the interests
OF the State may be as we'll attended
to as the interests of the respondent.
An able and learned counsellor at law
is needed for the various State officers
and State boards, not forgetting the
Governor. The salary Of an attorney
general would be much more than
made up to the State in actual saving
in cash, to say nothing of the better
attention which would be given the
States business
The platforms declaration in favor
of permanent roads at State expense is
very we'll The party thus favors
State aid in securing the kind of
roads that will last for years i n proper
condition and yet the Legislature can
use it's best Judgment as to the meth
DDS of which these ends shall be
brought about and still follow the
idea Of the platform.
The Legislature should pass a eau
Gus law this year. There is no bitter
fractional feeling now to oppose any
such action on the fancied ground
that it is a part of scheme of a
ring to control the party Two
years ago the party platform declared
for caucus law. Various bills
were presented to the Legislature,
some of them of real merit, in solu-
tion of the problem. The regular
Republicans nearly all united at last
on bill which was very reasonable
in its terms but the Democrats and
Clement Republicans voted it down
after looping off nearly all Of its pro-
visions. This year there is no fac
tional fight, and in only one city in
the State was there any real trouble
over the proper voters in caucus 1t
is an opportune time to provide a
reasonable and practical caucus law
by which the voters in party caucus
will be limited to the members OF
that party and which will make vote
puying Tor oaucuses a criminal mat
ter.
The only other plank of special in
terest is the final one, which refers to
the liquor question. AS in previous
years the Republican party stands firm
in the belief that the unrestricted
traffic in Intoxicating liquors cannot
be tolerated within our borders.
Nobody can reasonably complain of
the declaration that the license local
option law should be given full,
free and fair trial. for it should be
evident that the interests OF temper
ance will be best conserved by SO test
ing the new law. 1t should be made
decisive either that license is sue
cess or a failure. If after full,
free. and fair trial, the local option
law il adjudged failure it will be
relegated to the background for long
time to come. II it should be only
half tested and then turned down it
would bob up again very soon. If
there Is merit in the law it should be
known. Ii its dement's are much
stronger than its merits, that fact
should be known. The law undoubt-
eddy needs amendment if it is to be
kept in effect, SO the plank is right in
calling for such action,
The platform should be satisfactory
to the Republicans of the State. The
independent voters should also be sat
isfied and the two classes should roll
up vote in September which will