The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-03-09

I
PAYERS to pay.
No POS. To provide for the eele-
brauon of the 30Oth anniversary OF
the discovery of Lake Champlain. 1t
is wise thing for state to Oecas-
ionally indulge in a self advertising
celebration like this to develop pat
riotic sentiment and this is the first
time in Vermont since 1891
No. 2l9. To provide for the inves-
tigation of the water resources of the
state.
Also complete new charters for the
cities of Burlington and Rutland de-
signed to improve the local govern |
ment OF Nermont's two largest cities |
The foregoing is by no means a
complete account of the good work of |
the recent legislature. They are
merely the ones of the greatest public |
interest There are scores Of others
Of lesser interest but actual value as
well as some which cannot be defend
ed.
The printed copies Of the acts of
the session have now been pretty gem
orally circulated among the voters of
the state but comparatively few will
ever take the trouble to read them.
The same is also true of the newspap-
er editors We doubt If many of
those editors who have so violently
assailed the recent legislature have
actually read the acts through which
that legislature can best be judged.
Reckless and flamboyant criticism
has misled the people into wrong
Judgment Of the recent session. The
Banner is accused Of being an apollo
gist for the legislature. 1t is not. It
recognizes the fact that it is open to
censure in some respects. Through
two or three of the most asinine
errors of commission and omission it
obscured a record of actual good ac-
complished second to none in the his
tory of the state. For these short
comings, foolish or wicked, according
to the standpoint of the critic. It is
proper to apply the lash for the sake
of the lesson II will be to future leg
islatures, but the wholesale condem-
nation that has been heaped upon the
Legislature, partially in honest ignor-
ance OF the real truth and partially
through reckless sensationalism
and desire to discredit the Republican
party leaders of the state is in our
opinion. a lamentable feature of the
present situation in Vermont
The detractors of the last legisla-
ture are fond Of holding up the legis-
lature OF 1906 as a paragon of virtue
in performance. What are the facts?
Here is a list of the more important
acts of the legislature of 1906;
Freeing deposits in savings banks
from taxation except that paid to the
state This was expected to provide
money that could be borrowed on
real estate mortgage at five per cent
but failed to work out that way
| Providing a system for the expert
supervision of schools A splendid
advance in school legislation.
A child laOr and truancy law that
is highly creditable to the state and
to the legislature that enacted IT,
Providing for a permanent school
fund, largely through taking awaythe
United States deposit money from
towns, many of which could not
afford to pay.
New supreme and superior court
system. A system more satisfactory
than the old one, but which is costing
the state $4,000 year more than the
one that preceded It.
Increasing the powers of the state
highway commissioner and extending
the usefulness of the department.
The weekly payment law, the best
act of the legislature OF 1906
Enlarging the powers OF the rail-
road commission.
Providing for a gradual reduction
of the number of grade crossings.
Improving, amending and extending
the pure food and drug law.
The diseased meat law.
TO prevent bucket shop gambling
To compel prisoners in county jails
to work
Also an act to compel corporations.
to show their books.
Likewise a new charter for the city
of burlington that did not prove sat
is factory and had to be replaced by
another at the last session.
This record of the session of 1906
is most creditable one but It had its
faults and failures as did that OF 1905
and as will have all that follow it.
Censme the legislature of 1908 if
you must, but do not be SO unfair and
untruthful as to deny that it did many
creditable things.