Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-04-28
NUMBER II
fronted Brattleboro-that of the water

hohteu bfattieDoTo-tnat OF the water
system?
Probably no opposition ticket would
have been filed but for the declaration
to Mr.. Schwenk, in the presence Of
several witnesses. from the master
mind OF the old board. that no matter
II ninety per cent Of the voters
said No Day Police" the village Or
dinances gave the bahiffs power to
appoint one and he should do It, II
was only then that Mr.. Schwenk con-
sented TO be candidate, believing
this is country in which the people
have right to rule
The law says that the check list
shall be made up from the grand list.
A cursory examination OF the village
check list shows at least 373 names
OF men, compared with the March
check list, who are dead, or have left
town, still on the list, and $50 names
been voters in the village for years
"a total of 957 errors both ways out
OF what ought to be a list OF about
1900 names. This. in face Of section
u, chapter Z. Vermont Statutes, which
says, The trustees or bailiffs SHALL
at least thirty days before the an
nual village meeting, prepare and post
check list of the persons qualified
to vote in such meeting" A couple
llst would have enabled them
to obey the law The only
way now to make sure of not losing
your vote is to individually see that
your name is on the list properly.
Then, to decide whether this sort of
boys play shah be longer tolerated in
our public affairs
W. H. vINToN.
For self and petition signers for
independent ticket.
There was never yet an office-hold-
er or a candidate for public Office who
was able to avoid the influence of
personal motives" Such motives are
the strongest motives in the world,
and II Is casting no reflections on
Mr.. Gordon. whom everyone respects,
to say that ii is inconsistent for a
director of the Gas company to run
for bailiff, under existing circum-
stances. 1t is true that the contract
for lighting expired in 1903, and the
words "a few weeks ago" were used
inadvertently, but this does not affect
the argument. The present board of
baiiiffs has failed to renew this con-
tract In the hope that an opportunity
might arise whereby the village could
make more satisfactory arrange
ments; ii appearing that no such OPP
portunity is to arise the Gas COM
pany has been asked to submit terms
TO the new board of bailiffs, whoever
they may be. 1t is not true that a
new contract" is already substan-
TALLY made and only awaiting sig
nature 1t may be that the Gas COM
pany has prepared such contract.
but no terms have been made known
TO the bailiffs, nor are the proposed
terms known to the bailiffs.
The expense question is important
.rtx-
a way as to be misleading The BALL
lifts recommend $4,000 for the fire de-
partment, the expense of $1,000 so last
year being decreased by an offset of
$685. making it s6,409.50, including the
expense for repairs. The offset is for
teams hired by the town. The steam
er expense, If voted, will of course be
met by bonds or notes, and should not
appear in the estimate. If new light
Ing contract is made. it is expected
that the estimate of $4,700 will be
ample
The police service cost $1,63S.24 last
year including day service for over
TWO months, the extra service needed
and an offset of $31792 received for
fees making the net expense s1320.37;
The estimate for this year is $500 net.
The statement that the day police was
put on with the idea that it would
lelp the Yes vote at town meeting is
90 ridiculous to dispute. An extra
policeman under license would be
he last thing that would affect the
'ote in that way.
The source of the ticket has not
been used for an argument against it,
,ut merely as a possible interesting
act in connection herewith. The re-
oinder that the other is the wheel
'lub ticket is true in fact but not in
fleet. The Wheel club is not in poll
les and no effort is being made to
ret it into politics.-Ed1