Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-07-06
THE FUSION PLATFORMS
CONVENTION DECLARATIONS OF IgpE.
PEspEsTs AND DEMOCRATS.
Made at Burlington Last week-Many State
Reforms Adyoeated-fair Representation
Urged-singls Taxation Good Roads
Labor Laws.

Urged-singis Taxa,ion-oood Roads
Labor Laws.
The state conventions Of the independent
and democratic parties which held separate
meetings at Burlington last week nominated
fusion ticket but adopted individual plat
forms In harmony upon all important points
The platform Of the democrats is as follows
! We charge the republican machine Of Yer
mont with continuing the rotten borough
system to maintain supremacy. No change
can be made until an amendment TO the Yer
mont constitution Is enacted, aud this can
not be done until 1910 aud each 10 years
thereafter.
The democrats OF Vermont pledge their
best efforts TO secure the submission OF an
amendment and TO change the present unfair
and unrepublean method Of representation
by towns instead Of population.
Only two or three states OF the union, all
republican strongholds, refuse the right to
fair representation. Burlington, by all Just
rights is entitled to a delegation Of is repre-
sentatiyes, while Glastonbury. ST. George
Baltimore, Somerset, Brunswick, searsburg,
Brookline, East Haven, Athens CRANKY and
Lexington by population are entitled to a
single representative. Burlington has over
20 600 inhabitants and a grand list Of sl3,'
s77, ,26s; the IL small towns have popu.
lation of about i,450 and grand list OF
ss96,0is.
Up to a certain period, municipal judges
were elected by the people; then the law
gave the appointment TO the governor.
In the matter OF taxation and the ex'
penditures Of taxes the state is now de.
priving the towns and cities OF sacred
right Large sums OF money are now raised
BY the state taxation and expended by Of
acers over whose election neither the state
nor the Municipalities which raised taxes,
have any control.
The state imposes upon all towns and
cities a state highway tax and school tax.
This money is paid into the state treasury
and is there divided among the towns ETC.,
according TO the statute then in force.
The members Of the rural districts each
year make mighty effort to increase these
two taxes.
The following results may be found in
the treasurer's report for 1904 and show
why the rural districts favor the present
plan: Burlington that year paid In the
state treasury on school taxes, sl0,s7o.4o.
She was paid back merely s3,502.69. She
paid on highway taxes S6,75463, and drew
out s4s2.47. In other words, Burlington
was taxed for schools and highways, sl1,-
$50. 03 and drew back $3,9s5.l6. In other
words, Sl3,576.s7 Of her money was not ex.
pended by her municipal officers. underhlil
in the same county, paid for schools >s4lsll
and for highways s26l.32, total of so7s.is'
She drew back ss0s.3l and S596.5l, TO-
fnAa W
s725.39.
As n matter of fact there is no rea-
son why the larger towns and cities should
be bled in this way, for they owe large
sums while most of the smaller towns are
free from debt and the larger towns and
cities are in an aggregate otherwise taxed
more heavily than are the smaller ones.
We urge that all money raised for the
state highways be expended by competent
and trained officer, upon the principal high-
ways in the state, in such manner as 10
make all such work permanent.
The license local option law has won the
respect OF its enemies. 1t is in fact an ex-
cellent educator. Its enforcemnt has been
much easier than was the antiquated prohipi'
tory law But we deplore the refusal OF the
republican party to allow each town ana
city to elect their license commissioners. 10
recommend the repeal Of the act OF lso4'
and the enactment Of another law giving to
the towns the choice Of license commission
ers.
We commend the prosecuting omcers LOT
,ba;r activity in the execution of the law.
We advocate trial and law court II a
change is made in the coming legislature
we trust that in the election of judges the
minority will not be forgotten
we also advocate the passage OF statute
declaring that no member of the legislature
shall be eligible to any office, executive or
judicial, during the term of which he is
elected.
For years the officers of this state have
been expending money without legal right
Section II, chapter 2, of the Vermont con
stitution reads: mo money shall be drawn
ont of the treasury unless first appropriated
by act of legislature.
We contend that the coming legislature
oupht to fix the sum to be given each insti-
tuition commission, or executive body. we
commend the work done by the auditor OF
accounts in the direction suggested
| We recommend the abolishment OF fees
| in all public offices and the payment Oh
salary in lieu thereof.
| If the management of the state govern
ment continues under the few men who abb
soutely control public Offices and appoint
ments we cannot look for any lessening oi
public expenses. They are in proportion 70
onr population and wealth, very heavy and
are constantly increasing. They VIII IN
crease until some strong business man takes
the governorship.
Public appointments are also increasing
| We call the attention of all voters to this
,,rov;son Of the Vermont constitution chap
Ter .. section 20: Whenever an office through
increase of fees, or otherwise, becomes sc
nrofitable as to occasion many to apply 1ol
| il the profit ought to be lessened by the leg
slature.
John A. Page, when treasurer of Vernon
IN 1861 to 1865 had $500 year. 1t is now
80. 700 and clerk hire. The secretary O.
state in oden times was paid $500 salary
II is now $2,7O0. The salaries Of most o.
the offices have been greatly increased.
These salaries are higher in Vermont IL
nroportion than they are elsewhere, and tn
coming legislature should examine this mat
ter carefully and revise the salary list.
Everv legislature regularly increases tn
number of public offices and secures worker
in nearly every town in the state From oni!
ID such public offices in 1870, there are nov
nearly 200 of them.
We uree upon the coming legislature Il
roneaI sections 5041 and 5042 as they pun
ish severely workmen for conspiring Dut o
NOT punish employer If the statute Is U
remain, we urge that it be amended as u
apply to employers also. We urge the pas
sage of suitable legislation to protect the Ia
bor of children and women, limiting ag
and hours of labor.
The public schools must be kept 70 In
b;abast standard. and compulsory attendance
must be obtained.
The present caucus law is unwise If no
rrcon stitutional 1t was framed in parti
s snirit to obtain partisan end WI