Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-06-22
Mr.. PROCTOR'S SPEECH
In Favor Of Up.to- Date Business
Principles for the State
The Good Roads Question and other Sub
Jeots Which Demand Attention for the
Greater Vermont.

licans of Vermont. have this day CON |
ferred upon me The fullest statement |
of their views as a party must be found |
in the platform which you will adopt here |
today and l doubt not it VIII be expressive |
of the good sense and conservative judg
ment of the best citizenship of our state. |
Beyond that, however, l wish to avail |
myself of this opportunity to express my |
personal views upon some questions of
public policy.
our legislature and judiciary have |
always been remarkably free from the
least suspicion of corruption No state
has had cleaner record. Though charges
have recently been made of corruption and
extravaganza in the administration of
our state institutions and the general
management of the states business a
most complete, careful and impartial in
vestigation Of them has failed to find the
least so-called graft or misappropria-
ton of funds, but for the most part dis
closes business like and economical ad-
ministration. In one institution a great
and ineXcusable lack of discipline was
revealed Every one directly or indirectly
responsible for that should be promptly
punished to the full extent Of the law.
| am sure that all true Nermonters are Of
one accord regarding this II eXtrava-
gance or poor management exists any
where it should be corrected at once, and
l believe it is the duty of the governor at
the limits Of the law for the correction of
such abuses in executive and administra-
tive channels.
If elected governor, so far as lies within
my power the business interests Of the
state shall be conducted upon up-to-date
business principles. Her institutions, for
example. should buy their supplies as
cheap or cheaper than any individual or
corporation. and / should endeavor to see
that they did.
Our expenses. to be sure, have increased;
but that is because the number. extent
and scope of the activities OF the state
| for her people have increased. If We eX-
pect to hold our own with other states,
| keep our people at home and draw
/ strangers TO our borders. we must keep
well abreast of the progress of the age.
/ We cannot mark time; that means fall
| ling behind. for others are surely advanc-
| ing. Instead of making less progress we
should make more in the future; but let
| it he along the line Of practical and con-
! sentative expansion rather than any radi-
cal innovation or parsimonious retrench-
ment.
Much has been said about the poor con-
dition of our highways. In some sections
many OF them are not good and some are
very bad. They can and should be better.
| We are all agreed regarding that But
| i'm our efforts to improve them We ought
not to be led into higher taxation or a
| state debt l am strongly opposed to is
suing a state bond for the purpose OF build
ing state highways. The condition of our
highways at the present time is not bad
enough nor the practical advantages to
be derived from expensive highways great
enough to warrant loading upon the state
| a debt nor is IL good business to mortgage
in advance what someone simply claims
can be saved In the administration of our
state institutions. Each proposition should
stand by itself We should not deceive
ourselves by undertaking any policy with
respect to state roads which is not other
wise warranted and which in itself. in
dependent Of any question of saving in
our state Institutions, we would not be
willing to undertake.
We are rural community. Our china te,
grades, soil and other natural conditions
are such that We have much to contend
with, and taxation must not be made eX-
cessively burdensome. We have started
right and during the past ten years there
has been progress, in some communities
very marked. The present state highway
tax by which the large towns I'm effect
contribute some part OF their direct high
way money to the smaller towns Is right
in principle, but the method of expending
it should and must be decidedly improved
1t should continue to be expended by
each town. but its expenditure should be
under much more complete and rigid SUI
pervision and in accordance with a more
strictly enforced uniform plan for perma-
nent construction upon roads in the diff
ferent towns which form parts OF selected
through highways.
State roads should be gradually created
out of the state highway money. Every
dollar of it should be located and expended
under state supervision, but 1t is impos-
sible for one man to properly supervise
the expenditure OF over 100000 dlstrlb-
uted annually in small amounts through
| nj fnu in fha nj fh.a CT r.
, commissioner should give his entire time
to outlining the work and to the general
supervision, and there should be super
visors under him for each county TO des-
ignate where the state fund should be
expended in each town and closely super
wise its expenditure.
AS the method of expanding the state
highway fund is improved the state migf-
well add to that fund in so far as that car
be prudently done without the creation oi
a state debt or the levying OF a direct stats
tax. The last two biennial terms we have
been without a direct tax for the support
| of the state government and we can and
should continue this policy. We should
so adjust our expenditures and revenues
and in every department of the state gov.
eminent practice such economy that thii
will become a fixed policy of the state
! think some part OF the highway fund
and especially II the state contributes Il
it, should be distributed for permanent
work in towns which will pay toward sucf
: work a certain percentage OF its cost
) That system is used in Connecticut and
some other states and its principle modi
] fled to suit our case would tend to in
crease the construction of permanent
I roads.
! There should be a thorough investiga
ton of our entire system of court and
judicial proceedings with a view of Sc
curing II possible greater efficiency al
we'll as financial saving This investiga
tion is especially important in connection
with the arrest and trial of persons
! charged with misdemeanors in the lowe
g courts; and it is my opinion that changes
could be made which would ensure {
! better and more economical administra
1 ton OF justice in such cases.
An important question confronting vi
: Is that of the public schools. gooC
public school education is all that thu
great majority Of Vermont parents car
give or leave their children. This the!
give or leave their children. This they cal
J and should give them, and they will always
, naturally seek a home where they car
best obtain it. I believe in the. gradua
, Capitalization of our rural schools, {
higher standard for teachers, strict re
: quirement of attendance, a rigid enforce
: ment of the child labor law. and gradua
introduction in centralized schools o
: industrial training. / consider, however
: the change most fundamental and vita
to the welfare of the common school 4
" | Of