Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-09
CLEMENT AS SENATOR.
The Democratic Candidates. Votes show
Whether He Il for the People or
For Other Interests.
(From the Randolph Herald.)

From the randolph Herald)
Six years ago the Hon. T.. w. Clement.
present fusion candidate for governor
was a member of the Vermont Senate.
persual Of what he did. what he tried
TO do and what DC omitted to do is worth
while now. 1t is a record Of which Mr.
Clement need not be ashamed On tho
other hand. no reason exists for pointing
to II with pride. 1t is just the ordinary
achievement of a common place legisla-
tor, featureess In most respects. lie
was absent much OF the time, is unrccord-
cd ca many votes, but always managed
to be on han when tn re was anything
doing that affected railroads or corpora
tons. His voice and vote were invariably
given to protect the particular interests
OF tho railroads. however remotely az
| fccted
| On the organization of the Senate. Mr..
Clement was placed at the head Of the
committee on finance. and was also a
| member of the Senate committee on mill
tarN affairs and the Senate committee on
corporations. He headed the Joint oom-
mtten on temperance
| In the animated senatorial contest of
| that year. Mr. Clement supported the
| Hon Charles A. Proutv.
Mr.. Clement fatho-ed the following
Senate bills only:
5. 10. relating TO the killing n BIRDS or
| taking of birds eggs
| S. 20, giving courts authority to orde-
medical examination Of persons bring
ing suits for damages against railroads
at such time and plce as they saw At
5. 80, relating to the Rutland Transit
company; corporation measure
;. Sc. license. local option bill. with
] referendum.
5. IS, forbidding persons TO walk on
railroad tracks
s. 80 adopting the New Jersey plan Of
wholesale charter granting FOR tho sake
of the revenues derived therefrom.
| These six bills constitute Mr.. Clements
sole claim to fame as an originator Of
legislat ton, barring one measure that will
| be referred to later II the State vas
| founderng deep IN the slough of de-
spond, rs he now claims. Mr. Clement
didn't appear greatly concerned then.
He had time to fritter away on brds'
egg legislation. He was watchful Of
railroad matters. being at that time
president Of the Rutland system. hut he
didn't burn the midnight oil to save the
State from these dreadful ills Of which
We now hear so much. No perfected
plan for State highways cano from him
He let the problem Of double taxation
lalone. He originated nothing OF note,
lsavc the detestablo New Jersey corpora
ton plan. which met the fate II deserved
Mr.. Clement proposed one thing only,
besides the license law, that he can
and does-now look back upon with SWELL
ing chest. He had referred 70 a special
committee consisting Of Senators Gle
ment. Cudworth and Dunnett that part
lof retiring Governor Smiths message
which related to n better system Of State
accounting. the committee being instruct
ed to propose methods by which increased
efficiency could he secured and expenses
reduced Ills committee evidently didn't
hurry about its task, and II was very
late IN the session before II reported hv
bill. November q. and the bill was not
taken UP In the Senate until November
!, q the last day of the session. I. was
then passed and sent over 70 the House
in the closing hours. Being measure
of great Importance. making many ,radi-
cal changes in etlods etc, II deserved
careful attention, which II could not then
receive, however full of merit. In the
House, oetng referred to the proper com
mttoe. II as urfavorahly reported and
killed. as might have been expected. Mr.
Clement should have got his measure in |
earlier. IL he wished to see it pass TheI
bill was considered faulty in many rel
spects. and to have whipped il intoI
proper shape was impossible in the hrietI
time At hand Nobody was % blame ox-I
cept Mr.. Clement or his special commit
tee, and he cannot make political capt
tai now over H. when the facts areI
! known.
Some other things that Mr. Clement did
: in the Senate are worth noting. in view
Of his n OH ,,ip Of ba a'yX
rights. The House had passed a bill In |
crea sing the taxes of corpora tons which
would have made a State tax unneces-
sary. Mr.. Clements finance committed
reported this adversely and II was killed
, Result: direct tax had to be raised from
1900 to 1902
Mr.. Clement voted with the minority
, against the reorganization plap of the
Central Vermont railroad. by which tho
company was required to provide for
certain outstanding Indebtedness.
Mr. Clement voted against the bill I'd
prevent railroad accidents at the VIII
nooski depot
Mr. Clement voted against the bill low
| ering the amount in trustee process
Mr. Clement voted with the minority
| against the adverse report on a bill limit
ing the time within which action against
. officers and stockholders of a corporation
might be brought.
Mr. Clement voted against the election
= OF railroad commissioners. instead o
: their appointment by the governor.
Mr.. Clement voted against the bill for
, bidding the sale of cigareUes to minors
l Here, in brief, is the story of Mr. Gle
: ment in the Senate of 1900 Does it justify
} his claim TO statesmanshipo