Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-08-05
CANDIDATE poRTER's RECORD.
Was He a Friend Of Labor or Lead
err in the House2

AT the republican rally Monday
evening Congressman Haskins ehai-
lenged anybody TO mention any
thing that smiling little fellow from
Wilmington. ELI II. Porter, has ever
said on done In the legislature Tor Ia
Dor or anything else that has amount
ed To anything IN the way OF con-
struetiye legislation" To gratltysthls
laudable desire for information the
following facts are briefly presenteui
Mr. Porter served in the legislature
of 1892, 1900 and 1902, and IN every
one of them has been ranked by the
renorters at the press table as among
the ten leaders of the house. IN
1892 Inc was on the committee that
framed and carried through the Dill
for the town system of schools, ana
was recognized as one OF the lead
ers I'M that hard fight. He also led
the fight that resulted In the deieat
of the scheme for the removal OF the
county seat--a scheme In support OF
which Mr.. HaslSins ana the nearly
/ solid republican politician phalanx OF
| this county were united. They were
not thinking Of MIR Porter as mt
! tie fellow, AZ that time, Porter IN
1 PRODUCED at this session also the Din
which passed, changing the hour for
Z opening lilt ltpllN ~ 'ttAhf 49, -
tional elections. lie and T, j. Boyn-
! ton prepared and drafted the license
I bin Of that year which Porter got Mr.,
/ Clement. as a republican to nitro
duce. and for which the latter has al
ways had the credit.
When Porter reappeared in the
house IN 1900 be was made mein-
I Der of the committee on rules ana
also Of the committee on banks. At
! this session he introduced his valued
policy Insurance bin and carried It
4 through the house, but It was stran-
+ gled III the senate, He was the only
speaker against the salary grab" bill
and the Buffalo exposition Dill DOM
Of which were defeated.
In the 1902 session, Speaker Merri-
field had so different an idea of him
/ than Mr.. Haskns has that he made
! Porter chairman of the general. COM
mlttee. rs well as Of the committee
on final adjournment and a member
of the committees on rules ana on
( hanks. Mr.. Porter's record at TINS
session Is too recent 10 need rehears-
+ ing: how he introduced the bid to in
crease state revenue by additional
/ taxes on corporations TO the amount
4 Of $l0s076l5--how by the aggressive
| fight made the republicans We're
driven to forego the imposition OF any
direct state tax, for the first time IN
{ history how he vigorously support
ri the Bundy bin for reduction OF
( state expenses By 100000; two meas
ures that If they had passed would
+ have made a difference Of from 81 TO
+ IS 10 each Vermont family-hoY he
iopposed the scheme OF the bar ASSOC
f citation and pretty much all the lay
vere TO boost the salaries Of the SUI
preme court judges up TO $4,000
year. and with q telling speech de-
i feated the bill how he re-iniroducea
land made n gallant fight for his VAL
4 ued policy bill--how he was q mem
4 her az the democratic caucus commit
4 tee that framed and presented the
/ local option measure which, except
I ing for defects that were forced into
+ II By it's opponents, is the present law
/ and how he has always been on the
firing lire.
/ As to what he has done for labor.
/ labor itself is perhaps the best Judge:
I and what Il thinks is Indicated by the
< following letter;
Rutland VT, January, 1908
/ Hon f. H. Porter
l Sir:-Through our city representa-
4 tive. Brother w. n. Lawrence, we
/ learn of your position upon labor leg
4 islation during the last session Of the
1 legislature. Deeply approaching your
services. and being appointed spec
/ committee from the Central Trades
/ and Labor council Of Rutland so TO
/ do we take this opportunity 10 thank
you. The workingmen, as well as
! the farmers. of Vermont, begin TO
realize that their interest should be to
get TO Montpelier just such men as
1 Won would be counted among, who are
/ honest. fearless and sacrificing
l And now we wish for YOU happy
new year and may the Lord, who
provides for us all without distinction,
/ preserve you and return you in 1904
| an the unanimous choice Of Your con-
stituents,
Respectfully,
4 Wy N