The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-10-04
GOVERNOR TO
LEGISLATURE
Message Of vermont's New
Chief Executive.
FAVORS MANY CHANGES
Recommendations Make Openings
for a Large Amount Of New
Legislation.

Montpelier, Oct 4.-Fletcher ID.
Proctor was duly inaugurated COVER
nor OF Vermont this afternoon TO sue.
coed Charles J. Bell. The other new
state officers we're also sworn 10 and
took charge OF their respective
stations. They are Lieutenant Cover.
nor, George II. Prouty OF Newport;
treasurer, Edsard II. Deavitt OF Mont.
pelier Secretary OF State Frederick
G. Fleetwood, State Auditor. Horace
f. Graham and Attorney General
Clarke G. Fits succeed themselves.
Retiring Governor Bell read his
message 10 the joint assembly this
forenoon and Governor Proctor after
receiving the oath read his message
this afternoon. Governor Bells mes
sage was not very long and contained
something's OF interest. He declared
himself In favor OF restricting the use
OF automobiles on narrow roads and
Is opposed TO the abolition OF capital
punishment. He favors the present
caucus law with a few amendments.
lie urges improved highways and
thinks the several state institutions are
now pretty we'll managed.
Gov Proctor's message makes a doc
ument OF 20 pages and covers state
matters in an interesting and forcible
shape. lie recommends reorganlza.
ton for the state system OF courts and
urges changes In the lower courts, fav.
orable To economy and better admins.
tration of justice. He urges tie elm
nation of the fee system as far as DOS
sible without an unnecessary and dis.
proportionate expense for salaries. 1
he saws that more attention should
be paid TO public schools. Sixty years
ago Vermont was second 10 freedom
from illiteracy; now she is twenty
seventh. In the larger towns the
schools have improved but in the rur-
al sections they have not.
He recommended changes In the
laws relative to the trustee process in
order TO protect the workingmen from
being deprived Of the necessaries OF
life.
de favored the retention OF the eau
Gus law with changes to MAKE the reg
istration simpler and less offensive to
voters.
lie advises an improvement in the
states system OF accounting and aud
iting. The small increase In expense
would more than be Offset by the mon.
ey saved.
de recommends revision OF the
general corporation laws.
He recommends more uniformity in
village charters. He says that rail-
road companies are not paying their
share OF the taxes aud favors an In.
crease. He calls attention to the fact
that savings deposits in national banks
are not taxed and says they should be.
de advises the appointment of a com.
mission to study the whole system of
state taxation 10 try to devise
remedy for double taxation.
He says that government aid III
highway building is wrong in princi
pie and he is opposed to bonding the
state for building roads but THINKS
there might be county supervisors to
look after the expenditure of highway
money. He advises a special state
appropriation to help those towns that
levy a special tax for permanent road
work.
He recommends an annual license
tax for automobiles and the restricting
OF their use on narrow hill roads and
would provide more we're penalties
for careless and fast driving of auto
mobiles.
He urges the gradual elimination of
grade crossings with fair division of
expense between railroads and towns.
In closing he urges the legislature
70 get down to work at once, to avoid
hasty action, and to see that appropri-
atoms are not SO large as to compel q
state tax.
Yesterday afternoon committees
were appointed to canvass state and
county votes. The Bennington county
members of the committee on state
vote are Archibald of Manchester,
Drysdale of Bennington and Earring.
ton of Searsburg.
Speaker Cheney will probably not
announce hiscommittees until Monday
In the Senate the committees are
named by committee of which Sena.
tor Holden is member. Senator
Roberts is member of the joint COM
mittee to canvass the vote for state
officers. y