St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-07-06
BELL AND STEARNS.
CONTINUED from First Page.)
candidates in the coming presidential

candidates in the coming presidential
election.
In the nomination of Theodore Roose-
Welt to be the twenty sixth president of
the United States, we recognize the same
careful selection and wise choice that has
heretofore so abundantly and successfully
appealed to the courage and the patriot
ism and the devotion of republicans
throughout our land, and believe that by
his election the continued prosperity of
the people of the whole United States,
irrespective of creed, color, or political
affiliations, will be assured.
It is with an honorable pride that we
regard the action of our government,
made possible by the republican party,
in the prompt securing of route connect
ing the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific
by an list hmian canal.
Vermont, the then independent COM
monwealth that in 1777 adopted the
first written constitution prohibiting
slavery, and one of whose judges in early
times declared that title to a human
chattel could only be shown by bill of
sale from God Almighty, cannot now look
with indifference upon the attempts
recently made in certain states to deprive
the colored race of the election franchise,
and we therefore emphatically endorse
the plank of the national republican
party that calls for congressional inves-
tigation of this subject, and if such dis
eliminating legislation be found uncon-
stitutional, we urge our delegation in
congress to use their best endeavors to
secure the enactment of legislation pro-
portionally reducing the representation
of such states IN the United States con-
gress and in the electoral college.
We believe that now is fitting time
to inaugurate certain improvements in
the administration of our own internal
affairs. and to that end we again request
the general assembly to enact a law reg
ulat1ng primaries or caucuses called tor
putting in nomination candidates for the
various state, county, and municipal
Offices, to the end that nominations OF
any party shall be made by the free, un-
corrupted choice OF the voters thereof,
and that punishment commensurate with
the offense shall be melted out to offenders
against such law.
We recommend such legislative enact
ment as will properly limit municipal in
debtedness; and further suggest tor the
consideration OF the general assembly the
question of whether or not a uniform
system of municipal accounting appli-
cable to all cities, towns, and iucorpora-
if accepted, tend to economy in the ad-
ministration of their municipal affairs.
A careful scrutiny of expenditures, by
persons clothed with authority to audit
the same, always tends to economy.
Hitherto it has been the policy of our
state to entrust its auditing to a depart
ment that, under the law, cannot be pro-
vided with force adequate to do the
work required of it. We believe a Judi
cious reorganization OF this department
will result in net saving to the state.
The creation OF the office OF attorney
general would be step in the line of
progress and we believe that the expense
contingent upon the creation of such an
Office would be equaled by the saving to
the state resulting from conscientious
and intelligent performance OF the duties
thereof.
We believe that the welfare and in
creased prosperitysof the state, and the
better convenience and greater enjoy
ment of it's habitants requires that a
system of permanent highways should
be constructed upon modern scientific
principles and at the expense of the
state, such expenses to be so provided
for that no material increase of taxation
to our people shall result therefrom.
Capital punishment for murder in the
III 81 ucSiSC udS, III IHcOIy, iOHS DCcu Tic
law of this state. In recent years the
legislature has SO acted in special cases
as to practically nullify this law. In
order that the statutes may be in har-
mony with the will OF the people upon
this important subject. we recommend to
all the voters of the state, general dis
cuss1on of this question so that when
the next general assembly convenes, it's
members will know the sentiment of the
state with reference thereto. and legis-
late accordingly.
g The republican party of this state has
ever stood for the principles of temper
ance, and is abiding in its belief that the
unrestricted traffic in intoxicating liq-
uors cannot be tolerated within our Dor
ders. Two years ago, after being referred
to our people, the present hcense-local-
option law was adopted. We believe
that this law should be given full, free
and fair trial and we, therefore, room
mend to the general assembly that this
law be amended so as to give force and
efficacy to its fundamental principles"