The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-06-11

failure in his own county, and II so
why should the other counties think
of his candidacy? This tax record
alone bespeaks the futility of his can
didacy Is il fair as il is just treat
ment of those less foylunate in this
worlds goods than he and who can
not by reason of their lack OF mil
lions make arrangements with the
listers in utter disregard OF the spir-
it of the law and OF justice, herself?
Montpelier Argus.
For several weeks the Montpelier
! Argus has been carrying on cam
paign of mud-slinging as against
Windsor county's candidate for the
governorship, Allen NJ Fletcher OF
Cavendish. On this low level OF po-
litical warfare it has been assisted by
coterle of local talent.
The Argus. apparently in the inter |
est of its own idealistic candidate
has devoted time and energy to MT
Fletcher's relation to the grand INST
of his own town, and, by repeated
innuendo has sought to weaken his
candidacy. The contemporary, Feed
ing upon its own mud. has grown boil
der and holder in its attacks. and i'll
a recent issue made the following DIR
ect charge:
"That about the year 1906 certain
, of the Cavendish listers demanded
that Mr.. Fletcher make out an in
ventory of his personal estate for the
purpose OF taxation in said town;
that Mr.. Fletcher deliberately retLs-
ed so to do on the ground that he
= had an arrangement with the town
D that for ten years at least this CON
dtion existed
Some tactics adopted in political
campaigns are so easily seen through
that they deceive nobody and fall Hat
so far as effect is concerned. or so
g thoroughly contemplate as to be oe-
V meath the notice of any self respect
ing candidate: and most of the tao
tics INDUCED in by the Argus belong
in one or the other of these classes.
< The charge is makes, as above quot
) ed. belongs, however, in another and
moreserious class. The charge by
d the Montpelier contemporary we
d brand as an absolute falsehood, with
n out foundation on fact, and intended
to serve a purpose that Is discredita
BILE TO everybody concerned in the
d making of IT, With any sense OF. OF
, inclination to fairness, the Argus
could have convinced itself-if II had
chosen so to do--that the charge II
ID was invited to make was not gospe
N truth, and that tine peculiar sources
y of its information would bear inves
tigaton. The Tribune bases brand
., ing of this charge on information oh
~ tanned from the authorities OF Caven
- dish--a source as open TO the Argr!
&c as TO the Tribune Mr. Fletcher die
not refuse to make out an inventory
IN There was no arrangement between
h. him and the town that WOULD re
H. lease him from duty in the matter o
:. an inventory. In the very nature o
things there could he no such al
~ rangement. MIR. Fletcher could hav
a. no grounds for seeking such an al
~ rangement. The town would have n
)" right to make H.
Another charge made by the Areu
as is
oil, THAT the present year said File
RS cher had made out an inventory an
Ike has a grand list far greater than nj
der the socalled arrangement
Let us see about this. Mr. Tle
in cher, as a citizen Of Cavendish, ha
az always been willing to pay taxes C
a., all his taxable property, and the a
Up sessments made by the listers haS
been made to cover all such taxab
all property. His willingness so to pa
me is proven by the fact that when /
ng. made his return II was for practical
il the same amounts as the assessment
an previously made. The increase In n
inventory OF 1912 is accounted for |
-, the sale of real estate located outsiC
~" OF the State. in the fall of 1911. {
30 which Mr.. Fletcher holds a purchas
Vo money mortgage, this mortgage fir
d" becoming taxable in Cavendish q
VI present year.
~" So far as relates to alleged arrane
I" ment or any difficulty whatever b
oh. tween Mr. Fletcher and the lister
the on which the Argus has harped
sen persistently. II need only be said III
b,e Their that the Tribune has in hand
an. statement signed by all the liste
nes resident in Cavendish save one. d
orc claring that the course OF Allen
Fletcher as TO his list for taxation
Cavendish has been entirely ju,
dis equitable. and satisfactory to the sc
rch eral boards OF listers" The one 81
ing nature missing from this stateme
len is that OF Christopher w. GoodriC
re- and its absence can be satisfactorI
she accounted for in detail II the Arg
DOL, will take the trouble to look the mi
90 ter up. The truth is. there never h
nee been. at any time any trouble or &C
len. troversy between Mr.. Fletcher a
the board of listers or any member
the board.
The animus OF the opposition TO \
Fletcher's candidacy is one or 4
sections OF Windsor county will y
bear analysis In the light of fairn,
and sufficient motive. Three or IA
missionaries OF the vituperativc mi
singing cult have been busy OF Ii
with voice and pen, attempting to
nerate prejudice and antagonlsm In
, C. territory where the broader view
$40 things political might sensibly. wi
.5g1 ly and safely prevail. and Il is an
.553 teresting commentary on the succ,
.524 Of these distributors of tracts q
ass tongueproduct that so comparativ,
.449 few have been persuaded by the
.s41 This may brand of the articles vic
sO4 This may be politics" n SO, Il Il
Tork pretty cheap brand OF the article a
nj will not count for much with
,hIa thinking people OF the county and
State.-Ludlow Tribune.