The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-05-27
FRANK B. HOWE, Editor and Publisher
Doubtful Political Advertising.

SS06e1h' SSUh'SSt
In the Banner yesterday was printed
some political advertising sent by the
Prouty campaign managers. In this
the charge is specifically made that
Stanton is being backed by the cor
porations and is therefore a corpor-
alton candidate. Along with this Is
the claim that Prouty was chiefly in
strumental in getting the bill for cor
poration control through the senate
SO is entitled to pose as a friend Of
the people.
This appears to be Proutys line Of
attack on the Stanton stronghold and
through 1t the Newport candidate
hopes to recover the ground he has
lost during the past few weeks, but
unless Mr.. Prouty's managers have
something stronger to put forward
than this statement 1t appears to be
basing Its attack on pretty light ma
lterial.
A careful and impartial reading of
the article gives one the impression
that 1t is an adroit attempt to throw
dust In the eyes Of the voters, for
there Is to date no evidence to show
that Stanton is favored by corpora
tions any more than Prouty.
| We never have had but one real
railroad ring In the state Of Vermont
and that the one with It's headquar
ters at st. Adams, built up by Cover
nor John Gregory Smith and his as
sociates. After the death OF John
Gregory Smith, his son, Edward Cur
It's Smith, through the strength yet
left In this old railroad ring and it,
affiliations, got himself elected COVER
nor and attempted to maintain tn,
machine built up by his father but 4
fell to pieces just as such things al
ways do after while. Since ther
each Of the several railroad compan
les doing business In the state ha,
acted independently.
II is stated that the Prouty char
ges of corporation activity in behal
of Stanton apply mainly to the Cen
trail Vermont and yet ex-Gov. Edw.
Smith, former president of the Cen
trail Vermont and one Of the presen
board of directors of that road. an
himself the principal living beneflc
larry Of the railroad influence In Vel
mont politics is enthusiastically SUI
porting Prouty through his newspa
per, the st. Adams Messenger
Standing with Governor Smith in thi
support Of Prouty are several of hi
st. Adams friends formerly active 1
the old railroad ring.
The Rutland Railroad company
now perhaps the leading Vernon
railroad corporation and has probabl
the most at stake in the matter {
railroad legislation. Governor Pro,
! tor is one of the board of directors c
J this road and he is at least tacitl
= supporting Prouty OF the other di
= ectors of the Rutland road resident {
q this state majority are for Prout
and against Stanton, and the sam
:, can be said of the resident attorne,
= for the road.
The leading railroad attorney
Q Vermont and for years one of II
e most active In fostering the interes
C OF the railroad corporations is Jof
&c Young OF Newport, fellow towr
&C man Of Candidate Prouty. We d
&C MT hear of his supporting Stantc
&c Wouldn't you expect him to be +
&c the corporation candidate?"
&c The Boston and Maine, we belle,
&c has no directors residing in Vermo
&c but 1t has numerous attorneys al
&c agents and the leading ones of the
&c are for Prouty and not for Stanto
- 1t appears at this distance as thou
e. the Prouty camp has fired boom
&c ang that will come back more for
DC bly, than It went out.
~ The Banner believes that neither
1c the candidates can be fairly accus
Dc of mduly favoring corporations. BE
are personally honest men and v
- do their best for the interests of {
state. The question is one of cho
and fitness. It looks to the Ban
as though the Prouty managers
becoming desperate at the way
tide has been setting toward Stan
and have dug out this charge In
desperate attempt to stem that Il
We believe they have made mista
that will react to their disadvanta
The voters of Vermont are too I'M
ligent and discriminating to be foo
!, by chaff blown into the air by
popgun of party manager.
III Hhanea fou nnu. A. AA.ex> ~