Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-23
Fletcher Proctor and the Rutland Herald.

1t is evident that Fletcher ID. Proctor
impressed himself on the members of the
legislature of 1904 as one of the men of
real strength in that body The esti-
mate of him, formed by personal contact
and observation day by day. was that
of man of large ability, Of education
in practical affairs of plain, direct COM
mon sense, and of active personal inter-
est i'm whatever concerns the state of Yer
mont and its people. There is a certain
| homely sturdiness about the man which
always appeals to any COMPANY of his
fellows Does this have any bearing on
the makeup of the state ticket in 1906?
That depends In the minds of "A good
many of this years members 1t does -
-GBrattleboro Phoenix
We are not disposed to join i'm a po-
litical discussion Just now Christmas
is coming on and there is little bird
singing in every heart but the Phoenix
was the paper which wrote the editorial
that started the Fletcher Proctor boom
some three years ago for governor. Is
history repeating itself? Speaking of "a
certain homely sturdiness of the man."
we would like TO ask if Mr. Proctor did
not agree to vote against any amend
ment looking to an increase Of the state
tax on railroad corporations, and wheth-
er he did not vote against the Bullard
amendment. which was drawn in a spirit
of hostility to a bill providing for an in
a
thirdly. whether this is the Phoenix idea
of the homely sturdiness" of the man.
-[Rutland Herald.
The red flag is an emblem of innocence
to the bun compared to the favorable
mention of the name Proctor to the Rut-
land Herald. The Phoenix has not ex-
changed a word with Mr. Proctor in
regard to the work of the recent legisla-
ture. but it cannot see anything in his
course with reference to the tax on
railroads which is open to the slight
est censure. As chairman of the COM
mittee on ways and means he introduced
from the committee a bill increasing
nearly all of the corporation taxes in
cluding that on railroads, from seven
tenths of per cent to per cent on ap-
praisal and from 212 to 2s. per cent. If
the companies elected to pay on gross
earnings Mr. Bullard of Burlington
moved an amendment to restore the for
mer railroad rate of 2lh per cent on
the roll call he was badly beaten Mr..
Proctor voted with the majority and in
support of the pa per cent rate. After
the bill had passed the house the rail-
road lawyers and lobbyists got in their
work in the senate They used the little
electric railroad companies as catspaws,
and made 1t appear that to raise the rail-
road taxes would be ruinous to them. The
result was that the senate, in the closing
hours of the Legislature, restored the old
railroad rate on gross earnings, leaving
1t at l per cent on appraisal, and passed
the bill, with the other increases as orig
inally framed When 1t came back to
the house Mr.. Proctor spoke. advocating
concurrence in the senate amendment, in
the hope, unquestionably, of saving the
rest of the bill The house concurred
with the senate. Mr.. Proctor showed
his independence in proposing an extra
railroad tax, stood by the bill as long as
there was a chance for it. and then con-
sented to a compromise in order to save
what he could in the peoples interests.
If the Herald can find anything to crit
icise. in this action. except from the
standpoint of the railroads interests it
is welcome to make the most of its am
munition.