Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-05


n plank which reads MS follows
THE searching investigation to which
our State institutions have been subjected
shows efficient administration of our State
affairs. Whatever there was of weakness
and error in the MANAGEMENT of those
institutions has been laid open to the
public and remedied."
The first sentence says that the investiga-
ton shows efficient management; the sec
ond that the weakness and error have been
remed'ed. But which are you going to
believe? Did the testimony which APP
pcared In the newspapers in regard to tho
states prison at Windsor show efficient
management? AS Vermonters, are you
proud of what was going on?
If not then the second sentence which
admits weakness and error must be cor
rect
In the next plank we read that the
party recognized the evils of the fee sys-
tenn. and I'VE recommend careful legis-
iative attention to- recognizing our
judiciary system" That is encouraging
The Republican party has had absolute
control of the fee system for 80 years
and fof % years there has been a steady
increase in court expense.
In 1891 county courts cost tho State
sSa.4lsSS with the double expense for adj
ninistering justice OF s13Sej2 %. In 1924
these expenses had increased to $3.50
OIO.2I in the same courts, and the double
expense Of administering Justice was $685.
2olSI, an increase respectively of sl94 900
and s25j.O00 in twenty years.
That increase was coming on year by
year; the legislature was meeting every
two years and every two years a new
gang of republican officials were noting
or supposed to he noting this increase.
and paying no attention to it.
In 1902 the license-loca option party
charged that these expenses had in
creased without reason. and the repuh-
lican machine in alarm put Martin Of
Bratteboro on the stump who tried to
show that this was untrue To-day for
the first time they admit the increase.
They admit weakness and error in the
management of our institutions; they adj
init the evils of the fee system and rec
ommend careful attention thereunto. II it
took 70 years to find out that there was
trouble, with trouble existing every min
ute) how long do YOU think it Will take
to reorgan!zc our judiciary system if it
is In the control OF the machine?
This same platform advises the Irgis-
lature to investigate expenses with the
idea of reducing them, and yet the candi-
date says: We must make progress along
the line Of practical and conservative ex-
Ipanslon." What do you think conserva-
tive expansion would mean when we have
gone in 20 years from $4,000 to $3.50. DOOR
Where under tho heavens. are we going
! to land under this kind Of conservative ex-
pansion?
| | will tell you where the trouble is
After Mr. Proctor wrote his speech, they
changed his platform and he didn't have
time to change his speech?
| That platform always said that the adj
ADMINISTRATION of State affairs had been
efficient Do you know that every one
of you have been in business for l6 years :?
In Rutland the Rutland Marble company
is nothing more or less than the State of
Vermont and in IS years it has done a
business of $4,000. That is all your bust
ness but but you never knew It.
| The business Is that of buying and SELL
ing marble, polishing and cutting it by
our state convicts, and four auditors in
i16 years have never examined one single
voucher or bill connected with that bust
ness, and have yet to find any ona who
knew that the State of Vermont was
title.
The State has been Kept absolutely in
the dark regarding the details of that
business except for a meager statement in
the report of the States prison directors.
lWhy this concealment?
Well there is one thing stranger yet
about it; more than so per cent. of this
marble has been bought Of the Vermont
Marble company Several thousand doI-
liars worth has been cut, polished ana
sold to the Vermont Marble company
The gentleman who presented Mr. ROC
tors name in the republican convention
isays he is a good business man. Iheh
surely he knew about these TRANSACTIONS
as he would examine the cfedlt oi ms
| customer. He has been i'll the heR'S'"-
ture three or four times: ne mas oceH sen
ator and speaker Oh Inc HOUSE an" CT
has he ever SAID WORD apo"' "'"' Nv
business down there that me """''ol az
not examining. ana that ne was
the marine 'o' WY mas 'o
iact cohceaIeu'
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