St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-06-29

the way to such further changes in
the statute as such experience proves
to be just and necessary.
The Political Primaries.
Without committing the state to
an experiment with theories thai
may involve a cumbersome and ex-
pensive machinery out of all proper
uon to the practical benefits to be
derived from its operation, we never
theless believe that some amendment
of the existing caucus law along the
line of the principle of the direct
| primary system should be undertak en-
by the next General Assembly And
we further recommend such legisla-
ton as shall compel candidates for
party nominations and political offices
to make public an itemized account
| of their campaign expenses and such
| other notifications of the existing
| statute regarding corrupt practices in
| political campaigns and elections as
| shall tend more certainly to secure
the free choice of the peoples SER
| wants in the government and make
| the manner and method of that choice
| clear of any features repugnant to
| the enlightened sense of a democratic
people.
| Labor.
In accord with the best judgment
| of the present day, we recommend
| the paSSag e of such legislation as will
| put the public under the same liability
| to working men in it's service as OBJ
| tains in the case of private employers.
We pledge our support for the pass
age of a liability law which will ac-
complish that purpose. We also re-
commend to the Legislature an equit-
able employers liability law. Farm
ing and the professions are granted
special exemptions from attachment
on the theory that the bare necessities
of life shall not be sued away from
these men and their dependent
ones. The wage Garner and his de-
pondent ones are entitled to a share
in this wise and humane law. There
fore, we recommend the enactment
of a law saving from attachment
wages sufficient TO obtain the neces-
sites of life, which shall be an amount
of not less than ten dollars.
Highways.
We are persuaded that the time has
come when Vermont must take it's
own proper part and place with
neighboring states in the construction
of trunk line railways that are to
be the means eventually of linking
together all the communities of this
great continental nation We favor
such enlargement of the scope of the
present highway law as will enable
the state to undertake this public !
service in the most practicable man
ner. We believe that Vermont has no
more urgent material need than the !
development of a system of first class
interurban highways and that the |
work should proceed under the auth |
GRITTY and direction and at the expense |
of the state.
Education.
Mindful of the substantial and in |
spring support Of the cause of free
public education that has ever been
characteristic of VermOnterS, we re-
gard with pride the advance made by !
the public schools of the state under
the beneficent aid of wise laws re-
Gently enacted by the republican party
in the Legislature. We believe that /
the popular education provided by the
government should always have for
its chief object the fitting of youth
for the practical duties of everyday
life and eQuipping them for self-sup
port. To this end we urge that the
state encourage by all generous means
the maintenance of courses in elemen-
tary agriculture, manual training,
and domestic science in the public
schools. We also urge that it afford
larger opportunities for training
teachers for service in the educa-
tional institutions of Vermont.
Weights and Measures.
We earnestly recommend to the
General Assembly such amendment
of existing laws as will not only make
the standard of weights and measures
in use in Vermont uniform with the
standard maintained by the national
government, but that will invoke Suf- !
fcient police power to protect the peo-
pie of this state from the frauds and
deceits in merchandising and trade
caused by short weights, understood
measures and packages, and similar
dishonest devices.
Conservation of Natural Resources.
We note with satisfaction the in
and increasing popular in
tereSt in the vital subject of the con-
of national resources under
wise republican government in the
nation and in our own state. This is
perhaps the gIaVeSt and most threat
aning problem of our material life at
this time. Vermont should offer lib
7ral provisions under the tax law and
otherwise as an inducement to forest
planting and forest culture and at the
same time should so regulate the
utilization of forests as
pest to protect the public in
-erests dependent upon them. We
believe that the present policy here in
Iermont should be ampIified to extend
the state opportunities for
state forest reserves and the localized |
object lessons in practical forestry |
hey afford, and that laws should be
enacted tending 50 to husband the
natural water power and encourage
md safeguard its development as to
promote the widest possible distribu- |
ion of the resultant economic bene-
Its among our own people in prefer
ence TO an outside ownership that
iAcy SIMPLY seek 70 QlN6Tl power orig
mating in Vermont to uses beyond it's
)OrderS.
The Liquor Law.
Abating no part of our frequently |
belief that the manifold
nd widespread evils resulting from
in the use of alcoholic
liquors demand that the traffic in |
trong drink shall be restricted by the
most salutary laws vigorously admin
stored. We believe the local option
should be retained as the
asis and policy of the law until in
he process of time and Improvement
f all governmental institutions some
etter law may be devised and sub
tituted.
Public Servants
We cordially record our apprecia-