The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-23
Republican Achievements.

uOtS ilOL u6StlNt W bt NOlAlhuCh III
power. The Democratic platform
goes so far as to declare that the Re
publicna party has failed in almost
every respect to discharge its trust.
Vermont Republicans are entirely
willing to accept the challenge and
make an accounting, for the record OF
deeds accomplished makes remark
able story OF achievement, one OF
which the founders of this Green
Mountain commonwealth would have
been proud if they could have lived
to see it. 1t is impossible in the
limits of single editorial to enumer-
ate all the important legislative en-
actments secured by the Republican
party, but some of the more import
ant are given herewith;
1t has placed under the control Of
a Public Service Commission with eX-
tensive powers all railroads. telegraph
and telephone lines, express comp2-
MES, gas and electric light plants
has eliminated railroad rebating, alb
olished the giving of free passes az
provided for the gradual elimination
of grade crossings.
II lldS lnduE VI dltN q ~ oANiiA Va
corporation taxes which this year
raised more than $l,000,000 of rev
enue, and has made a direct state tax
unnecessary for ordinary purposes;
has given the State Tax Commission
er large powers. authorizing him to
hold schools for listers which aids
materially in an equitable system of
appraisal of property; and has pass
ed a collateral Inheritance tax law.
1t has given the State Board of
Health large powers to protect the
public from the spread of contagious
diseases: has given it oversight over
public water supplies; has provided
for an inspection of milk supplies;
has established a state laboratory Of
hygiene and provided for the free
distribution through physicians Of
anti-toxin for diphtheria; has enact
ed pure food and drugs act; and
has established an annual school for
health officers.
1t has established a public school
system that places Vermont in the
first rank in school attendance and
made il the freest from illiteracy
among the New England states; it
has provided free text books for the
public schools; has established a sys-
tenn of expert district supervision
with abundant state aid; it has pro
vided free high school instruction for
all advanced pupils; it has provided
state aid for normal training; 1t has
provided teacher training courses for
the benefit of the rural schools; II
has raised the standard of the Nor
NAL schools; it has provided for free
transportation of pupils to central
schools; it has established a perman-
ent school fund.
1t no established a system OF
state highway improvement with lib
eral state aid that is rapidly trans
forming the main roads OF Vermont
from a wretched condition to one OF
the most practical and satisfactory
systems in the country; and has tax
ed automobiles to help establish a
permanent road.
Ii has established a State School
of Agriculture; has protected dairy
products from imitation; has provided
for the eradication Of bovine tuber-
culosis with compensation for slaugh-
tered animals has given the State
Commissioner of Agriculture author
ity to exterminate the brown tail and
gypsy moth, the San Jose scale and
other dangerous insect pests and TO
eradicate disease among bees; has
established a State Fair Commission
and appropriated money to aid agri-
cultural fairs; and has erected Nor
rill Hall for the State Agricultural
College.
1t has established the Office Of
forests and a nursery for forest seed
lings, and has provided against the
spread of forest fires.
It has established a state library
commission, given free aid to small
Libraries and provided for travelling
libraries for small communities.
1t has provided aid for the educa-
ton of deaf, dumb, blind and feeble
minded children of INDECENT parents
and aided in building a state institu-
ton for the care of some of these I'M
fortunates.
II has provided for more humane
treatment VI HilHoutlSs lOOhiME ioMdIu
reform rather than punishment: has
established maximum and minimum
system of penalties; and has provid-
ed for probation commission and a
system of release OF prisoners on
probation.
II has enacted laws forbidding
child labor and providing for compu-
sorry school attendance.
II has provided for a state system
of inspection Of weights and mea-
suTes
1t has enacted a law compelling
corporations to pay their employees
weekly and has made a beginning
toward a system of compensation for
workmen injured during employment
1t has established a State Publicity
Bureau.
/ has provided for the protection
of fish and game and for the stock
ing of Vermont waters with fish.
II has provided for secret voting at
elections and for the use Of a check
list in caucuses.
Ii has taken steps to investigate
the water resources of the safe.
II has enacted law to suppress .he
white slave traffic