Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-19
PLATFORM INCONSISTENCIES
Sides of Question mt One
md the Same Time.

uhu Viz sumo
The following imaginary letter is too
good to keep:
My dear Democratic Brother:
You have doubtless been advised that
although I have heretofore been n rep
ublcan of republicans all my life ana
have been frequently honored by that
party / am now n democrat. The reason
why l turned coat is because have
personal grudge against tho Proctors.
got the nomination from the Democratic
State Convention and now wish you to
work and vote FOR me just tho Same as
II had alwayt worked and voted with
you in the Democratic ranks. IT won't
hurt you any and will do me lot of
good to get the governorshlp and beat
Proctor
| wan. to explain some things in my
platform so you won't have any qualms
of conscience In supporting me on account
of my seeming to ride two horses 60
| ing in opposite directions.
Now the first thing in my democratic
platform is that I am opposed to the small
towns having any representation In the
Legislature. But my great "holler," so
| to speak, IA right contrary to this.
wnnt everybody to believe am for
for usc only in large cities md IL not
intended for belief in tho smaller towns
I don't believe It myself whom am
clcctonccrne in tho small towns but
In tho large towns It Ia my slogan.
| Thcn my democratic platform declares
In favor OF tnkng AWAY from tho small
towns tho money pnld them under the
present shameful republican law IN ex-
| g nF Va I'm thDgr 70 w lu IN ep
taxation, to be expended on highways end
| In aid OF the public schools This plank
was also for consumption In the cities and
largo towns md whether or not be-
lieve 1t depends upon whore I am.
Now It is not 80 difficult ns it seems
| to stand on both sldea OF those planks
at the came time. You can swallow
your cud Just az easy as I can, when
you get used to II.
| Another plank In my democratic plat
form and IN my personal platform pro-
vdes that all license commissioners
should be elected by the people In the
several towns and denounces their ap-
pontment by assistant Judges OF the
county courts as unamerican and rotten.
| It is true that when 7 was in the senate
| in 1900 I drew and introduced n license
| bill which provided that these same as
| sistant Judges OF the county courts and
the county clerk should grant licenses
In license towns. but was not "aEin the
| government" then and I am now. Con-
| sequenty that system was all right in
1900 and all wrong IN 1906. You can SEQ
that plainly enough
Then my democratic platform says that
the salaries OF tho state treasurer and
secretary OF state used to he $500 per
year. but are now s2.700 per year. That
isn't true but is is near enough. In fact
you understand Is isn't necessary TO be
exact when YOU are running for office
Most Of the voters don't know any bet
ter and l find that in my business q
falsehood well cultivated will generally
| raise a better crop than the truth II
other words a muckrake is more use
full in politics than a muck-heap.
My democratic platform demands the
adjustment of the fee sustem and rec
ommends the payment of salaries IN lat
thereof. This would pay salaries to al
justices OF the peace. constables, collec-
tors, sheriffs ana deputies. doctors town
clerks and other town officers who are
now paid small sum If they render any
service but nothing of they do not. This
salary system would create a huge army
of saarled men who would naturally
support me In the future when I run for
other offices because am in favor OF the
scheme. In fact I don't know Just how
to abolish the fee system 50 Il will actu-
| ally benefit me. It is true that | am IN
favor Of less salaried officials and my
personal platform, as we'll as my DEM
ocratic platform. denounces the increase
OF salariod officers In the state. But wha,