The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-02-03
ruE nArLRnAp rANGLE.

OF the peouie OF Vermont as expressed by
their representatives and in direct OPPOSE
ton 10 The best interests OF the state, the
senate Saturday refused 10 grant the Yer.
mont Valley railroad corporation author
ity to extend It's line from Brattlehorn to
South Vernon. By a vote OF 10 10 II it
went on record as opposed to lessenng
one iota the profitable monopoly which
the Central Vermont now enjoys through
its absolute control of the Brattlehoro
terminal The action was amazing even
when taken by body that has shown
such complete disregard Of public opln'
ion as the Vermont senate Of 1910, and
was as inconsistent as il was amazing,
The proposition embodied IN the bill which
the senate 80 uthlcssly slaughtered was
absolutely fair It gave the Vermont
Valley road the right TO construct dou'
bic track through the yard Of the Cen
trail Vermont in this town, hut it pro.
vided absolutely for the protection Of the
latter road's terminal facilities and held
the Vermont Valley to plan winch
would in no way prevent the Central Yer
mont from building a double track for the
purpose Of connecting with any extension
it might build from the north. Under
pretense OF being unwilling to establish
the dangerous precedent OF allowing one
railroad corporation to take from an
other property already dedicated to pub
lie use the senate voted down the request
of the Vermont Valley. The word pre-
tense il used advisedly, for had the SEN
ate been sincere in the matter it never
would have passed the Southern Yer,
mont railway bill which gives the Cen
tral Vermont company almost exactly the
same authority as that denied the Vermont
Valley. And then, in further proof OF IT'S
inconsistency and its contempt for the
merits of the question at issue, this same
senate in executive session refused to give
favorable consideration to a compromise
plan which wonld allow the Vermont
Valley to enter Brattleboro from the
south without taking a single foot OF and
now used by the Central Vermont for rail-
road purposes In the light Of these cir,
cumstances is it any wonder that the peo-
Die Of Brattleboro and other towns on the
east side of Vermont give vent to their
indignation when they read of the high
minded motives which prompted this as
founding course?
However, little is TO be gained at the
present time from bemoaning the fate OIL
the railroad measure. It's Caesarean death
il lamentable and serves as striking
illustration of the weakness of the
states present method of choosing
senator's, but no amount of weep
ing or gnashing OF teeth will help solve
the problem which now confronts Brattie-
boro. Tt il the evident intention of the
Boston & Maine to construct its line be-
tween South Vernon and this town on the
New Hampshire side Of the river. Tt is i
going ahead with this proposition on the
assumption that it cannot come in toll
Brattleboro from the south without special
Legislative authority, but if it could be
demonstrated to the Boston & Name
officials that an entry from the south is
possible under the general law we have
no doubt that they would be willing to
change their plans once more. 1t is OF
vital concern to Brattleboro that this
question be investigated thoroughly, for if
there is any possible arrangement whereby
the Boston & Maine tracks can be kept
on this side Of the river Brattlehoro stands
ready to do all within its power to bring
it about
In the meantime the town should take
such action as will hold up the order Of
the public service commission until the
local railroad situation becomes less OBJ
scure We do not believe the town will
gain anything by at once requesting the
to vacate this order perna-
nently, and there is the possibility that
such a course would prove mistake. But
if the order is suspended until such time
as Brattleboro asks to have it put in eff
feet again the Central Vermont will be
from going ahead with any
work that might interfere with some Bos-
ton & Maine plan, and the people of the
town will be in a position to take advant-
age of any development that the future
may bring forth,