St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-02-16

PUBIC statement Oh MS views on some
issues likely to be considered in the com )
ing campaign. He says he does not wish
to force his candidacy upon the public,
that he employs no campaign manager,
has no money with which to hire halls,
bands or newspaper space, but after
March 1st he is ready to discuss state
issues with people in any locality where
he is invited. His statement follows:
PARTY PLATFORM.
A party platform is party pledge to
carry out measures favored therein.
The promise of a party should be as
sacred as the promise of a person, The
first business of party convention after
organization should be the reading of
the report of the committee on resolu-
tons before nominations to Office are
made. The standard should precede the
standard bearer. The usual method
postpones the reading of such report
until the other business of the conven-
ton is completed. Consequently such
reading meets with scant attention and
little interest. The adoption of the re-
port is perfunctory. in the nature of
benediction instead of the utterance of
a matured conviction.
DIRECT NOMINATION.
The people should directly select can
didates whom they directly elect. The
caucus and delegate conventions are
largely discredited as representatives of
the popular will. Direct nominations
make candidates. spring from the people.
In state like Vermont, the nomination
is generally equivalent to an election.
Hence, popular interest should be fully
conferred on the first choice of candidates
through direct primaries and this choice
should not be left to the mercenary man.
ipulation of a caucus or the interested
combinations of "the night before the
convention.
CORRUPT Practices ACT.
A corrupt practices act should be pass
ed by the legislature. Such act should
limit the amount which candidates for
office may expend in obtaining both
nomination and election; should define
the purpose of all expenditures; should
compel all candidates to file in the Office
of the secretary of state an itemized
statement under oath of the amount and
nature of all expenses; should provide
that if any false statement is made in
such affidavit that the person making
the same shall be punished as in a case
of perjury.
DISTRICT Courts.
Believing that the pressure of expense
in judicial proceedings comes largely in
the initial stages of litigation, l would
favor the establishment of district courts
with final jurisdiction in civil cases of at
least 5000 and appellate jurisdiction of
at least $500. The nucleus of such a sys-
tenn is found in the municipal courts.
This system would tend to relieve the
congestion of small cases in the superior
court, would hasten trial and decrease
the cost of obtaining justice.
HIGHWAYS.
Good roads decrease the expense of the
farmer in hauling the products OF his
farm, attract travel and increase values.
trunk line system of highways, state
controlled and maintained, would tend
to further develop the state and would
improve the crossroads connecting
with such main lines and such a system
should be established.
SCHOOLS
Greater emphasis should be placed on
the ma terry of the fundamental elements
in education, reading, writing, spelling,
and arithmetic, and increased attention
paid to the teaching of agriculture in
schools and industrial, manual and COM
mercial training.
FOREST RESERVES.
State forest reserves should be created
in each county. Such reserves aside
from the valne of the timber would be
educational centers for the people of the
vicinity where they could learn the
methods and results of good forestry.
TAXATION.
Believing that the faithful administra-
ton of the existing tax law would reveal
wherein changes should be made,
would favor, the eSfa hIiShment of a
state tax commission of which the COM
missioner of state taxes should be chair
man, as recommended by the report of
! the special committee on taxation. Such
a commission would greatly aid in
| making the administration of the pres
emit law uniform throughout the state.
REFERENDUM.
| Direct nominations and referendums
supplement each other. The first pass
upon men, the second act on measures
The state grange have unanimously
passed resolutions favoring referendum
of the act relating to the traffic of intoxi-
eating liquor. While a referendum is
contrary to the theory of our represent
ative form of government, yet when a
wide, general sentiment exists that any
| act vitality affecting the public welfare
should be submitted to popular vote, the
| question whether such act should be
repealed or continued in force should
| after such act has had fair trial be sub
mitted to the people for determination.
At the same time such measure as is pro-
posed as a substitute for the existing
| law should be submitted.
Grace Church Brotherhood.
| LII IL.