Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1908-07-03

, 4OOOe
earnest effort to do what it has promised has
made the party platform meaningiul
We therefore here make to the voters our
promise for the future.
Education.
The Republican party regards the education
of the young as the most important function
Of government. We have ever strven to
make state among the foremost in this
prime work. Our changing population de-
mands even more effort to maintain and i'm
prove our standards. Therefore, to meet the
needs apparent we pledge our support to fur.
Their and larger appropriations for our general
school fund; to wider and more efficient SUI
pervison OF our common schools to measures
providing for better qualified and better paid
teachers for our rural schools and to the es-
Enlistment, whenever practicable, OF classes
for industrial and manual training, and do
nestle science.
Taxation.
We appreciate that the proper and equitable
assessment upon property for the support Of
government is ever troublesome, and that no
system yet devised is wholly just.
We pledge the earnest and faithful work Of
our party to the solution of the problems Of
taxation they arise. We shall seek such
remedy for double taxation, wherever and how
ever il exists, as will equalize the burden. But
we believe that evasion Of taxes is the greater
evil, and that our first duty is to see to it
that all taxable property pays its fair share.
We demand the enactment of such laws as
will make the duty to pay the lawful tax a
debt which may be collected whenever the evil
dence shall appear, and that the completion Of
the grand list shall in no case bar the right
of the state town to recover what the tax
payer ought to pay
Judicial Procedure.
We recognize that changing conditions and
the development of society have made the
jurisdictional lines between our various courts
out OF harmony with the times. Our higher
courts are burdened with trivial causes with
the resulting hardship to the parties and great
expense to the commonwealth. We urge such
changes as the legislature has the power to
make to simplify and expedite legal procedure
and to make the administration of justice more
speedy.
And, as the time approaches when the con-
stitution may be changed ask the people
of the state to thoughtfuly consider whether
it would not be well to amend the organic
law that the legislature may be given a wider
scope in the enactment of these reforms.
Working Men.
The government of this state under our
party, has always been ready to adopt such
measures for the protection and help of the
working men as are fair and Just. 1t has sup
ported brought TO pass and enforced the
weekly payment law. 1t has taken adj
vanced stand for the protection OF child labor.
In accordance with the best judgment of
the present day, we recommend the passage of
such legislation will put the public under
the same liability to working men in its SER
vice as obtains in the case of private EN-
ployers. We pledge our support for the pas
sage of liability law which will accomplish
that purpose.
And we favor an absolute exemption from
attachment by trustee process of wages to the
amount of So
We also recommend to the legislature an
equitable employers liability law, drawn along
the lines of the national law, thus insuring the
working men of Vermont the same measure
of protection now given by Federal law to men
engaged in interstate commerce.
Forestry.
We urge more careful attention to the great
question of forest preservation We urge our
senators and representatives in Congress to use
every lawful means in their power toward the
| establishment of a White Mountain forest re-
serve.
We believe that larger appropriations should
| be made for the nursery for forest seedlings,
| the lines of intelligent forestry, and that be-
| ginning should be made in a state forest re.
/ serve.
Public Service Corporations.
We favor the placing of all public service
corporations, including telephone, electric light
| and gas companies, under government super
vision.
Natural Resources.
We believe that the state should lend it.
| aid in the investigation of our natural re
sources. We recommend legislation to pro
| vide for a careful and authentic investigation
| OF our unused water powers and SuCn tuTtne
legislative action as will properly aid in thei
development.
Highways.
We pledge our continued efforts in the i'm
provement of the public roads, in the metho
| of their construction, and in the manner o
their repair. We pledge our support to tn
continuance of the state highway tax, and t
further appropriations from the general fund
Of the state for the building Of permanen
| highways.
Temperance.
Our present liquor law has worked so wei
in the application of the local option prin
ciple, that in only one-eighth of our towns ant
cities is the sale of intoxicating liquor lie
gaized. We rejoice that the great majorit
continue in their devotion to the sound prin
cpes of temperance. We demand sue
changes in the present law will prevent
community voting Eyes" from multiplying tn
vote of an adjoining community by granting
license to be exercised the borders of
no-license town city. We ask that vet
power on the granting of license be lodge
with some higher authority than the local Il
cense commissioners; and that appeal ma
be taken to such higher authority, under prope
restrictions and regulations. We demand sue
further amendment as will prohibit the sal
of liquor by licensees of the second class t
persons other than for their own or tina
of their families.
| With such amendments we recommend tn