Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-07-01

1t is also proper to give the Governor if
he is to be a true administrator and eX-
pected to enforce the public policies
of the party as adopted in their
platform, a real veto power, and
to economize the affairs of our
politics by disseminating the double |
election in Presidential years. There |
will also be economy in disseminating
the use of the Legislature in review of
cases involving capital punishment and
in making most corporations subject to
the general law instead of private law,
which has prevailed in the past. The
platform which has been published con-
tains much advanced. and progressive
legislative suggestion and every recon-
mendation, with such notifications and
conditions as the Convention may advise,
should be passed, with special regard
for granting such relief as these planks
in the platform pledge the laboring
classes in the matter of employers
| liability and exemption to the extent of
$40, at least, from trusteeship process.
The policies advocated as to education,
roads, taxation, for forest reserves,
agriculture, temperance, correct
weights and measures are all sound and
the party should not fail in some form
to endorse and advance every one of
these subjects for action by the people.
| We are apt to think of new sugges-
tons as our own but such is not the
case. There was seldom formulated in
Vermont, apart from its original con-
ception of self-government as a Re-
public, any new political theory or
scheme. There was seldom by either of
the two great parties brought forward
single new great theory of practice
which had not been previously suggest
ed by some minority faction outside.
18 years ago the National Peoples
Party, which is now a myth, an
stantially of public support but among
these was one extending the powers of
the people, now covered by the present
demand for direct primaries; another,
asking for graduated income tax,
which subject is at present in debate
third, calling for the postal savings
E bank, law recently passed. fourth,
asking for the initiative and referendum
practices now in use in many States
2 another, asking for the election of Uni.
ted States Senators by direct vote, also
adopted by certain States; sixth, de-
claring that natural resources are the
property of the people, which is the
= existing theory of conservation; {
seventh, demanding an increase in cir
culating medium, and that result ha:
been experienced; and finally their plat
form called for State ownership of rail
roads, telegraphs and telephones, which
condition has not yet been reached, al
. though those properties are subjected
5 to an effective supervision through gov
O eminent rate-making control. Th'
- ease and frequency with which parties
y of the past have shifted their doctrines
o to each other and have assumed thu
9 political theories and platforms of eaci
. other is proof that party doctrine
= represents public necessity and that
party organized to do effective worl
!, may be relied upon to apply the prin
II ciple of popular requirements as con
ditions demand. The Republican party
both of the Nation and the State, ha
always met the duty of the times b,
discharging its problems with loyalty t
the country and in the best interests o
its people 1t is now occupied, bot
here and in the nation, in the considera
ton and discharge of these new an
important problems to which your at
tention has been called. Your dut
consists in bringing in these question
the most patriotic and intelligent SUP
port which you can give and in solvin
them honestly, fearlessly and faitf
fully, without prejudice and withou
favor. By so doing you will insure thi
result, that no harm will come to eithe
the Country or the State.
JOSEPH A. DEBoER.
July 80, 1910.