Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-23
"ROTTON BOROUGH SYSTEM
r. ID. Proctor Defends Present Systcm
before Large Audience nt Albany.

Albany. Aug. 21.-Albany entertained a
distinguished company of visitors to-day
when the Hon. Fletcher ID. Proctor, can
didatc for governor and the Hon. G. H..
Prouty of Newport, candidate for lieuten-
ant-governor and +. G. Fleetwood of Mos
risville and the Hon. Horace +. Graham
of Craftsbury, together with the Hon. Zed
S. Stanton of RoXury paid a visit here.
theoccasion being agrand~ republican rally.
Even the recent old home day celebration
did not prove the drawing card that Mr..
Proctor did,, there being fully 600 people
present.
Mr.. Proctor and his party drove here
from Newport. Stops were made at
Coventry and Irasburgh, where large
delegations of prominent citizens were
in waiting and rendered hearty and
cordial receptions. Albany was reached
at two O'Clock and the Albany Cornet
band saluted Mr.. Proctor with Hail
to the Chief" as he passed through the
cheering crowds to the hotel. The band.
by the way an organization possessing
much moro than ordinary ability. escort
ed the candidates from the hotel to the
speakers stand on the green, and again
Mr.. Proctor received rounds of generous
applause. +. w. Tenny of Albany presld-
Cd Introducing Mr.. Proctor as the next
governor.
Mr.. Proctor expressed his thanks to the
audience for the large attendance and
warm welcome and congratulated the
town in maintaining the fine band II had
He discussed the issues on the camnairn
In general, paying particular attention
to the matters of State expenses and
the care and maintenance OF our in.
situations, taxation. public schools and
highways. unfair treatment Of larger
towns.
Mr.. Proctor said that Mr.. Clements
democratic platform charges the re-
publican machine of Vermont with con.
tinuing the rotten borough system to
maintain supremacy" In the original
draft given out to the press the charge
was against the Republican party but
In the fusion process at Burlington,
Mr.. Clements favorite expression ma
chine" was substituted. The system
referred to Is the one which has al
was prevailed in this State by which
each town and city irrespective OF
population has one representative in
the lower branch of the legislature.
Mr.. Proctor said that our forefathers
as ii counter Dtidute utNlSeu u leElSlA-
tive body OF two houses, one elected
upon the basis of population and one
upon geographical basis. The Congress
Of the United States is constituted in
the same way. OF a house elected upon
a basis of population and a Senate Of
two members from each State irrespec-
tive of population. This dual system in
the United States Congress is generally
acceptable. Mr.. Proctor said that he had
no apology to make for our legislative
system. 1t was devised by the pioneer
builders Of the State, 1t follows the ma
tional precedent and At has worked we'll
in practice. Mr.. Proctor's speech was
frequently interrupted with applause and
he was cheered to the echo as he finished.
PROUTY WELL RECEIVED.
He was followed by G. II. Prouty, who
was accorded n warm welcome by his
county neighbors and more hearty COM
mendation for the convincing speech deal
ing particularly with machine politics
and the charge Of extravaganza in ex-
penses.
FLEETWOOD SHOWS UP CLEMENT.
r. G. Fleetwood ollowed with a bright
speech In which Clement was shown up
in great shape. He referred to the con-
ventions at Burlington as a case Of Jonah
swallowing the whale. He likened Glenn
ent to the Colossus of Rhodes standing
with one foot on the democratic and the
other on the Independent platforms, beck
oning on tho voters to land him into the
harbOr at Montpelier. Asking the crowd
II they intended to do this. the question
was met with a chorus of mo, never"
The speaker proved that Vermont had
not been tied to a post for the past &
years. and to prove Il called attention