The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-06
FRANK E. HOWE. Editor and puh'r.
rowN MserINo TOMORROW

nB DAY all over vermont anu Wnlle
here appears no great interest here
n Bennington, this lack Of interest
should impel every good citizen to be
IN hand when the meeting opens at
o'clock in the morning, for 1t is
hen that the articles in the warning
are to be acted on, and the more vo-
.ers present the less likelihood OF ser
ous mistakes.
The one thing that The Banner es-
teens OF greatest Importance is to
make some plan or start toward
the bonded debt of the town
soon to become due and part Of
which it is said can be taken up at
any time.
This bonded debt of one hundred
thousand dollars, is through no fault
of the present generation 1t was
contracted nearly fifty years ago un-
der circumstances that are said by
some OF the older residents to have
been at least suspicious, but that was
not the worst of it. After the debt
was once saddled on the town where
it couldn't be gotten rid Of, instead Of
going to work and meeting the obli-
CATION the town by foolish misman-
agement, through electing incompet-
ent men to Office, and through fruit
less litigation, spent the money which
should have gone to pay the debt,
without any considerable benefit to
the town.
We are told that the interest on and
litigation, etc, over this debt has al
ready cost the town some
three hundred thousand dollars.
Most of us who are now
voters and taxpayers in Bennington
know nothing about these old things
except by hearsay and most stories
are distorted by much repetition, but
is it no dream that we have a bonded
debt of one hundred thousand dol
lars to meet and no sinking fund to
meet it with. We owe II to our
selves and the good Of our town to
face the problem and pay the bill in
stead of making the same mistake
that our predecessors have made.
There are other important things
to come before the town meeting.
The Godfrey bequest, the choice OF
road commissioners, and the proposed
armory appropriation have already
been discussed in these columns. The
article to see II the town will vote
to have medical inspection Of the
schools should, in our opinion. be dis
missed. The idea may be all right
but the town ought not to blindly ac-
cept any regulations from the state
board OF health. After the regula-
tons are issued and the town has a
chance to study them, then we may
want to accept them but at the pres
ent stage il would be buying pig
in bag
The Banner does not believe In par
ty politics in purely local elections
and urges support OF no candidate be-
cause OF the party to which he be-
longs, but it does urge the voters to
use ordinary horse sense in marking
their ballots. Look at the names
proposed for an office and vote for the
man whom you would choose to look
after your own business matters, fol-
the town business is important 70
every person In town. Don't allow
any politician or any little boss who
Is trying to build up an organization
for his own benefit, tell you how &c
vote.
The election OF listers is more i'm
portant this year than the choice o.
a selectman for the new laws hav,
put a great deal OF additional powel
and responsibility into the hands o
the listers. More than ever men o
good business Judgment and business
Experience are needed TO carry on
the provisions OF the tax laws.
The license issue in Bennington Il
not very prominent and the town vii
doubtless vote for license as usual
though n still hunt on the other sid
might easily carry the town no Thu
opinion OF The Banner on this cues
ton Is the same as heretofore. |
would be poor judgment for the tow
to vote no unless the no voters ar
prepared to back up their votes. Il
the past alleged no.license In Ben
nington has meant from 20 to 40 opel
saloons, open "a hours a day and sew
en- days a week. which would be
mighty poor swap from the presen
Limitation OF number and hours. |
takes public sentiment as we'll as Law
to make no-lioense effective.
For the rural towns Of Benning
ton county no license is altogethe
the wlsest They have no police fore
to enforce regulations and In a rura
town a saloon becomes a club room
and loahng place that Il does not in
city or large village where there ar
other clubs, theatres. reading room
and places Of resort
We suppose there waa some goo
reason why the law supplements wer
furnished some papers more than
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