St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-07-06
The Tariff,

| business will be suspended, and when
| the tariff bill is completed it is rares.-
satisfactory. it being combination
| of trades each section of the coun-
try endeavoring to protect some local
| industry and not caring, apparently,
for what would inure to the general
| good.
Could we have a commission wholly
non-partisan, which could devote it's
| whole attention to tariff necessities,
| l am confident it would inure greatly
| to the general good of our country.
This discussion could be continued
| almost without limit, but time for
| bids.
| Reciprocal trade with Canada could
| very naturally be considered by this
non-partisan commission.
Constitutional Amendments.
/ AS to changes in our state consti-
| ton since the adjournment of the last
] session of our legislature, compe-
/ tent commission was appointed to
! fully consider this subject. They
| have reported and suggest eight
which should have the most serious
consideration by your next legisla-
ture. 1 can but feel that most if not
| all the changes will receive favorable
consideration; they certainly will re-
| ceive my hearty support.
Taxation.
The subject of taxation has been
receiving most careful attention by
the two last sessions of the legislature,
| and by the public press, for the last
| four years or more, but thus far with
out satisfactory results, and still all
| admit that our present system is rad
| ically wrong and some change is
greatly needed. If we fail to work
| out some scheme that our legislature
| is willing to adopt, why can we not
| benefit by the experience of some
| other state, whose physical conditions
and necessities are similar to ours,
| and try their system for two years?
We should attempt some reform along
| the lines suggested, and 1 earnestly
request the public press to assist.
A more careful attention to their
duties by the listers has been working
toward the desired end.
Primary Elections.
The plank in your platform relating
to primary elections is in harmony
with the tendency of political thought
in many states, and in whatever way
the primaries may be made to become
more exact expressions of the peoples
will, under simple procedure, such
ways are proper subjects for legis-
latiVe consideration AS to the pub
LEGATION of campaign expenses by can
didates, 1 am in favor of laws to that
effect that shall apply to all elective
offices under our constitution.
Labor
Our party was on record two years
ago as favOring the employers liability
act and the ten-dollar exemption bill,
both of which died in the last legis-
lature. This was a mistake. If we
made the promise, it should have been
kept. Again, these two bills will be
presented at our next legislature and
[ sincerely hope they may have favor
able consideration.
But there is another labor question,
so-called, which I trust will receive
earnest attention by our next Iegis-
lature and that is, some form of arbi-
tration in labor difficulties, and my
suggestion would be something along
the lines of the Canadian bill, which,
so far as [ can learn, has worked most
satisfactorily in that country.
My suggestion, in brief. would be
that each party to a threatened diff
Guilty appoint one arbitrator and these
two appoint a third, and then, that
this commission make a full investi-
cation of the grievances and report
at the earliest moment possible. The
employees, in the meantime, shall
continue at their service and that the
recommendation of this board shall
not be compulsory to either party to
the issue. Should either refuse to
adopt the recommendation of this
board of arbitration, however. it is
expected that public sentiment will
effect the desired result. [ earnestly
believe that some legislation along
this line would inure greatly to the
mining and manufacturing industries
of our state and to the Iaborers as
well.
Highways.
The subject of better highways has
been thoroughly discussed for the last
few years. We are all agreed that
better roads are needed and 1 feel
that we are sure to be thus favored
at an early date. 1 would urge most
earnestly that the inter-u ban high
ways be constructed by the state and
as rapid as circumstances will per-
of
the state issuing bonds for this pur-
pose. Let US meet our obligations
as we contract them and not leave a
bonded debt for posterity to care for.
[ believe that better roads and schools
are more deserving of attention than
some of the purposes for which our
legislature has made large apprOpria-
lions during the past few years.
Education.
[ wish to congratulate your COM
mittee on their wise recommendation
as to our school system, and / wish
to go on record as cOncurring in the
same most heartily
The arguments are all on one side.
We want better and more practical
schools and no reasonable expense
should be withheld to obtain them.
Conservation of Natural Resources.
The conservation of natural re
sources is another vital subject. Time
will not permit me to say what [
| would desire along this line. 1t has
been my privilege to visit some coun-
tries in the far East and to see noun
tain ridges of brown stone and sand
hOrrib BILE in appearance and still more
so in other respects, and when you
realize that these huge masses of
stone and sand We're once mantled
with beautiful and sacred groves as
they were called, grasses and flowers.
one can readily realize the banefuI
results of stripping our hills and
mountains of their foliage. There is
but one side to this question. Our
forests should be preserved.
Liquor Laws.
AS regards liquor legislation I am
free to say that 1 believe the traffic
in intoxicants should be subject to
every practical regulation and re-
striction, and [ further declare that
if [ am chosen governor of Vermont,
no genuinely temperance measure