Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-02
Questions Which the Democratic
Candidate Cannot Ignore.
Fifteen Question Marks That VIII star.
Him in the Face ON Every stump
but which He VIII Not Dare
Answer.

candidate for governor, is to speak in |
Brattleboro next Monday evening ON
State issues. lie purports to stand upon
the democratic platform, and 1t Will be
in order for him to declare specifically
whether lie approves the various planks
which the opposition party nave de-
clared to be their belief, Let us intefro-
gate this candidate, once republican
and now democrat.
/. Do you, Mr.. Clement, believe in put
ting all public officers. including sheriits,
deputy shcriffs and justices of the peace
on u stated salary. as is advocated IN the
democratic platform? DO you believe
that that would be a prudent and eco
nomical thing for the State to do?
.. DO you believe IN the repeal of the
state highway and state school tax, as
the democratic platform urges? Do you
think it is fair to the smaller communities
to take away from them the aid which
they need and which they now receive
under republican rule. in the support of
the rural schools and in the building of
the main highways? DO you think 1t is
fair to the smaller towns that prac-
| tically all the states money b. spent in
| the large and more prosperous towns,
and the small towns be compelled to
pay tribute to the large towns without
| recompense or remuneration in any way?
3. 10 you favor the regulation of rail
road rates by the government. as Pres
dent Roosevelt does? II so, why does
your newspaper, the Rutland Herald, OPP
| pose that law?
| 1. DO you favor law in Vermont inn
| posing a penalty upon railroads who
! ,,,,1 a. ri,t1i1 M lions
within the State OF Vermont? If so, why
| did you not have such a plank in the
platform. and why did you not adopt the
plan: which the Republican party has
in its platform, and If you believe now
in such a law. did you believe In such n
| law when you were president of the
Rutland railroad? If you believe that
there should be no discrimination or IA
vor in freight rates. WHY is It that when
you were president OF the Rutland rail-
road the Standard Oil company had spe-
cial favors from your railroad and prac-
tically shut out other oil producing COM
panies from getting trade on the line of
your road?
| And why did you. when you were presi-
dent of the Rutland railroad company,
make discriminating freight rate on
COAL SO that towns like Chester and
Ludlow. and other towns which had to
rely solely upon your road. were COM
Ipelled to pay a larger freight rate than
was paid by other places? why did you
fix the rates so that Chester was COM
PEELED to pay more for coal which came
| through Rutland to Chester than was
paid at Bellows Falls for the same kind
of coal that was hauled from Rutland
through Chester to Bellows Falls?
8. Are you now In <avor OF n weekly
payment law? II so, what has changed
your mind since YOU voted against such a
law in the House of Representatives. in
1892, and voted against 1t In the senate
In 1900, and wrote a letter against it in
April. 1906? What has brought abou,
your conversion?
6. DO You favor living wages for thc
workngman? If SO, why did you un-
dertake to cut the wages Of the labor
Ing men In Rutland city. when you were
mayor. to SIPS day?
7. You complain of the management
Of the Vermont state Institutions The
republican administration, acting under
the authority OF the republican leSisla-
ture, has conducted an investigation OF
the hospital for the insane. the State
prison and the house of correction. Dc
you know of any evidence bearing upon
the management of these institutions
that has not been produced before the
investigating committee? If so, will
you tell the people of the state what
that evidence is?
S. DO you know Of a state prison
anywhere in the country where labor
La icfS T.
as does that of the State prison Of Yer
| mont? Name the State prison. IL you
know of one. DO you know OF a state
prison anywhere in tho United States
under as good business management as
the state prison of Vermont? If so
name the prison.
DO you know of house Of correc-
ton anywhere in the United States
where convict labor yields the state as
much as does that of the house of cor
rection at Rutland? If so. name the
institution, DO you know of another
house 81 correction in the United
states under as good business manage
ment as the house of correction al
Rutland? If so, name the institution
DO you recommend that the state o
Vermont use labor at tho house OF cor
rcction for something else than marble
work? If so. what do you rccommenC
| that the labor there he employed at
DO you know OF any employment tina
will yield the state as much as II nov
gets for that labor?
10 You complain that tho House o
Correction has bought rouGh marble o
the Vermont Marble company. -ou have
had your expert accountant NJ work 70
n longtime on the books OF that institu
ton to examine its dealings with the Yer
mont Marble company. Can you tell o
a single instance where any favorttsn
has been shown the Vermont Marble com
pany by the dealings of the state OF
| ficals with II? Can you tell OF singI
| instance when the state has paid 10
marble purchased more than II woul
have had to pay elsewhere, or more ina
the Marble company ENt elsewhere &c
the same grade of marble can yoA te
OF a single item or deal which ever too
place between the state of Vermont an
the Vermont Marble company that We
anything else than fair, square and hol
est?
II. You have charged the repuhlics
administration of the State of Vernon
with graft Can YOU name a single on
cial Of the State OF Vermont who HI
ever received one dollar from the Sta
treasury which did not legally belong
him?