The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-02-25
FRANK 3. HOVE, Editor and Publisher
Archibald's Objections.

Manchester in which he appears as |
spokesman for the north shire in OBJ
jecting to the south shire having de-
cent and respectable county build
ings
His first proposal is rather amusing
to any body that knows the situation,
namely that the county acquire land
adjoining the present courthouse for
extension in order to take the Jail out
OF the cellar Which would Mr.
Archibald have the county condemn
the Putnam house property OF the
Drysdale store? Either would cost
more than the proposed plan, with a
makeshift result
Secondly nobody has ever claimed
that the courtroom is too small. The
courtroom is too large and is
sample of the botch that the commit
tee of forty years ago foisted ON the
county.
Mr.. Archibald's fears as to what
would become OF the old building are
ungrounded Opened up through
from front to back, as it cannot be
now, it would make a highly desir-
able store property. 1t is not custo-
mary to confine from dozen to
twenty persons in the basement of a
store for months at a time.
Mr. Archibald says that some towns
are already burdened with taxes. 1t
is true that we all think that we pay
all the taxes we ought TO but this
argument is merely designed to scare
people because a five cent tax be.
ginning in 1911 is not enough to bur
den anybody. No taxpayer in the
county will realize any difference in
his taxes. The county owes it to
itself to provide decently for the un-
fortunates in its charge and for the
persons charged with their control
and the administration of justice.
Mr.. Archibald further says THE
provision in the bill that was passed
| by the legislature limiting the ex-
penditure to a fixed sum, as you
must know, is of no binding force
whatever" This provision of the
bill was written by Hon. John II. Sen
ter of Montpelier one of the best law
yers in the state and he declared it
to be binding and effective in for
bidding the committee to make any
contracts unless they can make all
contracts inside the limit. We do not
wish to make any invidious compare
sons but the public can easily judge
for itself which opinion is worth
most, that of Mr.. Senter, who is dis
interested, OF that OF Mr.. Archibald
who is interested and prejudiced.
On the whole isn't 1t plain that Mr.
Archibald's little fling is merely an
attempt to fool the voters? His word
aout the state tax is in the same
class. Which opinion is most likely
to be correct, the state treasurer with
all the opportunity of knowing Oh
Mr.. Archibald who makes a wild
statement to scare the voters.
His statement about the Jail beinl
good enough for criminals and the
courthouse good enough for lawyers
is another bit of bunko language
Persons confined in jail are not al
criminals. Many of them are merel!
unfortunate and some of them are in
nocent suspects. Persons thought t
be insane are confined there pending
a hearing, and a new law gives these
unfortunates theSright to a jury tria
on the question of their sanity, which
means that the period of their con
dnement will be longer. Remember
that there is no egress in case of fire
and that all would doubtless perish
miserably.
Fortunately for the county perhaps
some people beside the lawyers use
the courthouse. There are all the
jurors and witnesses, the sheriff anC
his deputies, the side judges and the
people who have cases to be tried
There is the jailor and his family
There are the county clerk and judge
of probate and their clerks and thu
people who. have business in theil
departments. In probate court
sooner or later, all of us come in be
half Of ourselves or our relatives
MrArchibalds attempt to throw dus
and obscure the real issue is no
worthy of him.
There is little new to be said Of
this question. The building is absc
lutely unfit for the purposes TO
which Il is used. For many year
grand iurys composed of men fror
every town in the county have e'
amined the building and condemne
It. 1t is in fact indicated by the gran
jury and condemned by the board c
Health Haven't the VOTERS of BeI