The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-05-29
Prouty's Position.
He Stands Firm For The Corporation Act"
Which Two Vermont Railroads Refuse To
obey Justice To All, Favors TO None The
Motto OF HIS Campaign.

The daily papers Of the state have given
10 their readers the news that the state
of Vermont, through the attorney general,
has brought suit against the Central Yer
mont Railway Company and the Rutland
Railway Company TO recover taxes which
these corporations have refused TO pay I'M
der the law created by the legislature at
the session of 1860. This suit Is brought
under what is known as the Corporation
Act and when the bill was before the
legislature there was an active lobby at
the CAPITOL that as compared with any
previous third house" was as a mountain
TO a mole hill The brainy corporation
lawyers were there night and day-the
legal counsel OF the two railroads that
have failed 10 comply with the law they
then fought so vigorously and vieiously.
The act-now a law and violated by
the two greatest railroad corporations In
the state-was introduced in the house
and the corporation attorneys did their
most to prevent its passage. 1t was Ia
vored by Governor Proctor and the rep
resentatiyes stood by the bill and the. gov
ernor in great number, passing 1t by
tremendous majority. This was great
disappointment to the representatives OF
the railroads-men who in the past had
dominated legislation and moulded 1t
about as they desired.
Their guns were then turned upon the
senate and here they found Lieutenant
Governor Prouty just as dominant a FAC
tor in his desire that the bill become a
law as was the governor. 1t was pull, a
steady pull and a pull altogether by the
working pair-Proctor and 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 seen!
1t was on this measure that Lieutenant
Governor Prouty showed his energy toI
work, his influence among men, his tire
less endeavor to perform what he con-
sidered his duty to the people OF the state
The senate passed the bill. The govern
or placed his signature upon 1t ana II was
a law.
soured the railroad officials against him.
They have never sweetened IN the least
probably never will.
1t is largely because he was instrumen,
tai in creating this Corporation Act
that the Central Vermont and Rutland
Railway corporations are out today, asl
their legal representatives assert, TO triih
Prouty and trim him good and hard.
Therefore, they must have candidate.
Not Prouty, most assuredly.
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 I'M
der retainer by these corporations. But
this is merely an evasion OF the true con
dition of things as applied to himself.
Certainly he is not under retainer by
the railroads while candidate Tor gov
ernor. That isn't the main point, There
is no doubt about the position OF Candl-
date Prouty on the question OF corpora
ton supervision by the state.
There is a serious and mighty question
regarding what the position of Candidate
Stanton will be in case he should be made
the executive.
Prouty has made record. He has de
,lared time and time again that upon that
record he will continue to stand. =,
The situation of the railroads is like
his: They claim that the one per cent
lax on the appraised valuation OF their
trackage is excessive.
Is it? !, -:
ness men of Vermont have to pay fully
30 per cent more than the railroads I'M
Ter the new act which they refuse to
comply with. The act of the two rail-
,oads in refusing to pay their tax may
,e good citizenship from the viewpoint of
he railroad corporations, but it is not
rood citizenship as viewed by the true and
oval citizen. =,
The railroads are trying their strength
n this governorship contest and they are
training mind and muscle to the utmost.
70 win with the nomination of Stanton
means their domination in matters legls-
ative.
It further means that the men upon
he farm and the men in all commercial
ines of industry will have a greater tax
o pay than under the act which the rail-
Dads are now fighting.
Summed up briefly the situation Is TINS;
With Prouty as governor the railroad
must bow to the dictates OF
he law-the law they now detest and are
ghting in the courts.
Their hope is Stanton.
They are theoretically seeking his nom
nation. >,
The farmers and business men all over
he state are with Prouty. They have
eason.
The Prouty campaign will be waged on
he policy Of fairness to all, favors to
one: a Just tax levied on all property,
abroad as well as other holdings; laws to
unish the violator of laws; prosperity for
he people-a greater and grander Yer