The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-01
Fighting Progress.

flgnting Progress,
Through some strange coincidence
so-called history OF the recent rail
road fight by General Manager G.. c.
Jones of the Central Vermont appear
ed in the st. Adams Messenger the
day before the special town meeting
i'm BrattlebOro to take action looking
toward suspension OF the work
which that railroad has started under
the public service commission order
of last fall--work which is intended
we believe, TO prevent the Boston &
Maine from coming into Brattleboro
from the south on this side of the
river. Handbills bearing reprint OF
MIR. Jones history" we're circulated
in Brattleboro Tuesday afternoon,
and their effect on local sentiment
was about the same as that OF gal
lon or two of kerosene poured on a
bonfire The vote on the railroad
question Tuesday evening is unmis-
taxable evidence that the people OF
Brattleboro have no confidence in
railroad corporation that resists leg
itimate competition under the flimsy
pretence OF protecting its terminal
facilities. IL is too bad that such a
feeling of distrust should exist but
the Central Vermont officials have on
ly themselves to blame because 1t
does exist Their course throughout
the railroad fight has been in direct
opposition to the best interests Of
Vermont and the town of Brattleboro.
There is little need for comment on
the Jones history In the main 1t
is a highly colored review Of a chain
OF circumstances with which Brattle-
boro people are all too familiar. 1t
contains one statement, however
which demands correction When
Mr.. Jones says that the Central Yer
mont officials submitted to the local
railroad committee proposition
whereby that road agreed to make
all Of the local improvements contem-
plated by the Boston and Maine and
TO give the Boston and Maine the
right to use these facilities jointly
with full rights OF competition. and
that this proposition was promptly
declined he Is mistaken to say the
least. All three members Of the local
committee say positively that no such
proposition ever came to them. AT
one time they were asked what they
would think OF such a proposition II
IL should be made, and their reply
was in effect that they could tell bet
ter when they received II. A day or
two later they met the Central Yer
mont officials in the expectation that
such proposition might be offered
but II was not forthcoming at that
time or at any time later.
Since the very beginning Of the IA
nous railroad conflict which culmin-
ated so UNANIMOUSLY Brattleboro has
shown a disposition to deal with the
Question fairly. The activity Of its
citizens in behalf OF the Boston and
Maine proposition to build q compel.
ing line from Brattleboro to South
Vernon was inspired by no desire to
harm the Central Vermont but by an
honest wish 10 secure for this town
as we'll as for the entire east side OF
Vermont the manifold benefits that
follow increased and improved rail
road service. The local railroad com
mlttce was jealous in It's efforts to
secure adequate protection for the
Central Vermont terminal facilities
here and the bin that passed the
house u representatives provided am
ply for such protection But when
he Central Vermont officials contin
uod active opposition TO the bin IN
spite OF all these safeguards which
the local committee helped to get. Il
became apparent that the roads
main purpose was TO prevent, by hool
or crook, anything that resemble'
actual competition.
All the talk which the Central Yer
mont newspapers are making abou
the wide six.siate New England pol
icy involved IN the action OF the sen
tie and the vote OF thanks which New
England owes that august body Il
p pure huncombe for the very plain an,
b simple reason that the authorit!
! which the senate was asked to giv'
he Boston and Maine road would no
. In any way throttle" the Contra
7 Vermont or Interfere In the sllghtes
} degree with the carrying out OF an!
extension which II may have In con
temptation This statement is n sol
Il. stubborn fact--a fact which prac
tically every member of the hous
md senate railroad committees witt
Wis ted Rrattloboro recognized, fac
which the majority OF the Vernon
house Of. representatives recognized
fact which nineteen Vermont sena
tors absolutely ignored when they vC
ted against the proposition In tn
case OF at least six OF the nineteen.
David h Porter OF ST. Johnsbury.
Sumner r. Darling Of Hardwick.
Porter II. Dale OF Brighton.
Mertick NJ. Tapln OF Barton.
Frank G. Archibald OF Manchester
Henry 4. Cushmnn OF Bennington.
. The Reiormor believes that they vo
ted not only against the best inter
osts Of the state OF Vermont but con
irary TO the wishes OF the large ma
iority OF their constituents -Brattle
4 boro Rcformer