The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-05-28
pRouTY's POSITION.
He STANDS FIRM for The "Corpora-
ton Act" which Two Vermont
Railroads Refuse 10 ohsy jus
tee 10 All. ravors 10 None, The
Motto Of HIS Campaign


Motto Of HIS Campaign
The daily papers u the state have
gwen to their readers DE news that
The STATE u Vermont. ihDugh The a.
iorney general. hss brought suii aeainsi
the Central Vermont Railway Company
aud the Rnlland Railway Company 10
recover taxes which these corporations
have refused 10 pay under the Law
created by the legislature al the session
Il lsE-07. This suii is brought un'ler
shat i knoan a. the Corporation
( Acii aud when the blll was before the
legislature there was an active lobby
a, the Capitol that a compared with
any previous third house" was as a
mountain 10 mole bill. The brainy
corporation lawyers were there night
and day The legal counsel Of the Two
railroads that have failed to comply
with the law they then fought so Wig
orously and yiciously.
The act now law and violated by
the two greatest railroad corporations
in the state was introduced IN the
house and the corporation attorneys
did their most 10 prevent is passage.
/ Ii was favored by Gov. Proctor and
The representatives stood by the bill
aud the governor in great number,
passing il by a tremendous majority,
This was a great disappointment to the
representatives Of the railroads-men
who in the past had dominated legisla-
ton and moulded il about as they de.
sired
Their guns were then turned upon
the senate and here they found Leu
tenat- Governor Prouty just as doml-
nant factor in his desire that the bill
become law ms was the governor. II
was pull, steady pull and pull al.
together by the working pair-Proctor
aud Prouty, The senators were no
easier to handle than had been the
members Of the house They were
| fewer in numbers and therefore could
be seen oftener by the railroads OPP.
ponents of the bill. And they were
seenl
II was on this measure that ldeuteu
ant Governor Prouty showed his en-
ergy to work, his influence among men,
his tireless cndeayor to perform what
he considered his duty to the people of
the state.
The senate passed the bill The
governor placed his signature upon it
and il was law
This act of Lieutenant Governor
Prouty soured the railroad officials
against him. They have never sweet
ened in the least probably never will.
II is largely because he was instru-
mental in creating this Corporation
Act' that the Central Vermont and
Rutland Railway corporation are ont
today, AS their legal representatives as
sert, 10 trim Prouty and trim him
good and hard. F."
Therefore, they mnst have Il candl-
date Who is the mani
Not Prouty. most assnredly.
Is it Stanton'
None other, for he is the only other
one.
Stanton has asserted, and he may as
sert again and again, that he is not un-
der retainer by these corporations.
But this is merely an evasion of the
true condition OF things as applied to
himself. Certainly he is not under a
retainer by the railroads while a candi-
date for governor. That isn't the main
point. There is no doubt about the
position of Candidate Prouty on the
question of corporation supervision by
| the state.
There is Il serious and mighty ques-
ton regarding what the position of
Candidate Stanton will be in case he
should be made the executive.
Prouty has made record. He has
declared time and time again that upon
that record he will continue to stand.
The situation of the railroads is like
this: They claim that the one per cent.
tax on the appraised valuation Of their
trackage is excessive.
Is III
Let's see: The farmers and the bus
mess men ofVermont have to pay fully
20 per cent. more than the railroads un.
der the new act which they refuse TO
comply with The act of the two rail
roads in refusing to pay their tax may
be good citizenship from the viewpoint
OF the railroad corporations, but it Is
not good citizenship as viewed by the
true and loyal citizen.
The railroads aretrying their strength
in this governorship contest and they
are straining mind and muscle TO the
utmost To win with the nomination
81 Stanton means their domination in
matters legislative.
II further means that the men npon
the farm and the menin all commercial
lines Of industry viii have greater tax
TO pay than under the act which the
railroads are now lighting.
Summed up briefly the situation is
this.
With Pronty ms governor the railroad
corporations must bow 10 the dictates
Of the law-the law they now detest
and are fighting IN the courts.
Their hope is Stanton.
They are energetieally seeking his
nomination.
The farmers and business men all
over the state are with Prouiy. They
have reason.
The Pronty campaign wall be waged
a., ,ha ,.olscv az fairness Ia all fayarS