The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-05-26
VT, TUESDAY, MAY, 26, 1905
PRoUTY's POSITION
Stands Firm for Corporation Act
Which Railroads Refuse to Obey.


The daily papers of the state have
given to their readers the news that
the state OF Vermont, through the at
torney general, has brought suit
against the Central Vermont Railway
Company and the Rutland Railway
Company TO, recover taxes which
these corporations have refused TO
pay under the law created by the
legislature at the session OF 1906-07.
This suit is brought under what IL
known as the Corporation Act" and
when the bill was before the legis-
lature there was an active lobby at
the Capitol that as compared with
any previous third house" was as a
mountain to mole hill. 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
vigorously and viciously.
The act---now a law and violated by
the two greatest railroad corpora.
tons In the state-was introduced
In the house and the corporation al
torneys did their most 10 prevent It's
passage. II was favored by Gov.
Proctor and the representatives stood
by the bill and the governor In great
majority. This was great disap-
polntment to the representatives of
the railroads--men who In the past
had dominated legislation and
moulded II about as they desired
Their guns were then turned upon
the senate and here they found Lieu
tenant-Governor Prouiy just as donh-
nant factor In his desire that the bill
become a law as was the governor
II was pull, steady pull and a pull
| altogether by the working pair--Proc-
tor and Prouty. The senators were
no easier TO handle than had been
The members Of the house. They
were fewer In number and therefore
could be seen oftener by the rail
roads opponents of the bill. And
they were scent
II was on this measure that Lieu.
tenant Governor Prouty showed his
energy to work, his influence among
men, his tireless endeavor to perform
what he considered his duty TO the
people OF the state.
The senate passed the bill The
| governor placed his signature upon II
and 1t was a 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 corporations are ou,
today, as their legal representatives
assert, to trim Prouty and trim him
good and hard"
Therefore, they must have a candi
date. Who is the man.?
| Not Prouty, most assuredly.
| Is 1t Stanton?
None other, for he is the only othel
one.
Stanton has asserted. and he ma,
assert again and again. that he Il
not under a retainer by these corpora
tons. But this is merely an evasion
Of the true condition of things as ap
piled to himself. Certainly he is no
under retainer by the railroad.
while a candidate for governor. Tha
isn't the main point. There is M
doubt about the position of Candi
date Prouty on the question of corpor
alton supervision by the state.
There Is a serious and mighty ques
ton regarding what the position o
Candidate Stanton will be in case h,
should be made the executive.
Prouty has made a record. He ha
declared time and time again that ur
on that record he will continue to stan,
The situation of the railroads 1
like this: They claim that the on
per cent. tax on the appraised valua
ton of their trackage is excessive.
! Is It?
Let's see: The farmers and tn
business men of Vermont have to pa
fully so per cent more than the raj
roads under the new act which the
refuse to comply with. The act Q
the two railroads In refusing to pa
their tax may be good citizenshi
from the viewpoint of the rairoa
corporations, but 1t is not good cit
zenship as viewed by the true an
loyal citizen.
The railroads are trying thei
strength in this governorship contes
and they are straining mind an
muscle to the utmost To win wit
4 the nomination Of Stanton mean
! their domination in matters legi
) lative.
!. It further means that the men upo
= the farm and the men in all CONNIE
, cial lines Of industry will have
greater tax to pay than under the az
which the railroads are now fighting
!, Summed up briefly the situation
this:
| With Prouty as governor the raj
road corporations must bow to Ii
A dicates of the law-the law they no
o detest and are fighting in the court
Their hope Is Stanton.
They are theoretically seeking h
i nomination.
The farmers and business men q
lover the state are with Prouty. The
!, have reason.
e The Prouty campaign will be wage
on the policy of fairness to all, favo
to none; just tax levied on q
property, railroad as well as 9th,
holdings; laws to punish the violat,
Of laws; prosperity for the people.
= greater and grander Vermont n
, vertising.