The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-04
PRoUTY ON THE LEGISLATURE
Says II Is an Extremely Intelligent
Body Of Men.

Gov G. II. Prouty gave before the
Mems club of Newport Tuesday even
ing an address which is of general in
terest in that it refers to the legisla-
ture and matters now pending in that
body He doubted if very many knew
about things happening in the legisla-
ture except through the newspapers.
He referred to sarcastic editorials by
three state papers calling the legisla-
tors a collection of "slant-eyed hay
seeds Mr.. Prouty said that if they
were, it was the most intelligent leg
islature that had met for some time
and showed it i'm refusing to be led
by any set of leaders. While the
last legislature accomplished a large
amount of work, not one law passed
affected anybody's pocketbook.
Referring TO lobbying he stated that
the biggest piece of lobbying was done
when the grade crossing bill was pass
ed.
In calling attention to the public
utilities bill, the governor said that
he had done what he could for the bill
because he Thought II was right and
thought il would be passed with
amendments. The bill, he said, was
along the same lines of the railroad
commission bill and that commission
has shown what 1t can do by proper
supervision. This commission has
met the railroads and shown them that
IL means to treat them fair and has
thus gained their confidence. Why
cannot we correct other utilities in the
same way as it will be the same COM
mission who will have the matter in
charge
The governor referred to his plat
form before the convention and his
speech of acceptance and also the plat
form Of the party in which the plank
of supervision of public corporation
was included and said: when make
promise politically or anyway | try
and carry II out" He stated that he
did not have anything to do with
| drawing the bill and did not see II
until Mr. Barber showed it to him and
asked him for his opinion. He told
Mr.. Barber that he did not feel com
petent to say whether it was good
bill or a bad one and asked for a copy
which he sent to Mr.. Redmond ask.
ing for his opinion and received Mr.
Redmond's criticism He then called
Mr.. Redmond to Montpelier and had
a consultation with Messrs. Barber
Redmond, Williams and Gibson which
resulted in the bill as il was origin
ally presented
| H., 60 ha y
pose of driving out telephone com
pany but 10 regulate it. Take for in
stance a-town with two companies
Would it not be better to have onl!
one at a reasonable rate than to have
to pay for two?
Mr.. Prouty made complaint to the
telegraph company at the service the!
were giving at Newport and was tolC
that no change would be made. Thi:
he said ought to be regulated.
Mr.. Prouty threw a little light OF
the fact that the New England Tele
phone company was not opposing th'
bill by saying that he told the presi
dent of the company in Boston not t
send Mr. Stickney up to the capito
to fight the measure as they would
have to accept 1t anyway and it would
be better to do so gracefully than I'm
der pressure. And he received tn
assurance OF the president as we'll a
other officers that they were not OF
posed to fair supervision. Mr.. Prou
ty said that the charge that the bill
was drawn up at 101 Milk street, Bos
ton. was an absolute falsehood.
Mr.. Prouty answered many ques
lions at the close of his address whicl
gave a great deal Of light on the sui
ject During this part of the even
ing he paid high tribute to Commits
sioner Redmond and his fellow con
missioners