The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-23
HON. CLARKE Fits
GAVE FINE TALK
ON YER MONT
Tuesday Evening at Second Con-
gregatiOnaI Church
VERMONT is PROGRESSIVE
Mr.. Fits Subject was "some Things
Which are and Some Which are
Not the Trouble with VT"

Before the men of the Congrega-
tional church Friday evening, Hon.
Clarke c. Fits of Brattleboro deliy-
cred one of the most valuable and
stirring addresses heard in Benning-
ton in a long time and one that should
have an inspiring effect on every man
who heard II.
Mr.. Fits subject was Some Things
Which are and Some Which are not
the Trouble in Vermont He scout
ed the idea that the troubles OF Yer
mont are political or that they can
be overcome by any political remedy
Vermonts troubles, he declared, are
due to stagnaton of industrial lie
especially in the rural communities
the weakness of so many towns due
10 decrease of population, the failure
to invest Vermont money at home
to build up the business and prosper
ity of this state.
Mr.. Fits painted in glowing terms
the record OF Vermont in matters OF
political and governmental progress.
Vermont was the first state to pro
vide for the best system OF taxing
railroads on their earnings and to col
lect the tax by a system at once ct
fective, and at the same time constl'
tutional This system has now been
adopted by most OF the other states.
Vermont was the first state 70 work
out a successful system Of making
the big interstate corporations res
ponsible for their actions in this state
Several other states have now taken
up the Vermont system while others
are cropping around in the dark and
have not yet found out that a sue
cessful plan has been found back NJ
here in Vermont.
Vermont was the first state to have
a successful public service commits
sion law with power over all public
service corporations. So-called pro
gressive states have had to borrow
their ideas on this subject from Yer
mont.
Vermont was the FIRST state to take
up the gradual elimination OF grade
crossings under the direction OF tho
state. Some of our big and wealthy
neighboring states have not yet found
out how TO do it.
Vermont was the first state to de
wise an incorporation law that gives
the investor in a corporation the
right and the power to find out just
what security there is back Of the
investment
Vermont was the first state to en-
act a law that does away with IN,
bucket shops The law is only few
lines in length but it is effective ant
the states that call themselves pro
gressive. have had to borrow the ide;
from Vermont
These, said Mr.. Fits. are only ,
few OF the things that prove Yer
mont to be one of the most progress
sive states In the union. and the,
have been reached without the aid o
primary elections. representation OF
population basis, and a whole 10
OF alleged cures that are much ad
vertised and talked about
But Vermont has some very rea
troubles that are not pleasant to tail
about, but which must be met an
overcome a large number OF on
rural communities which have los
in population. have fallen into deca
in many respects. They are produ,
ing weakened children. who are nc
keeping up to the Vermont STANDARD
The crimes which are startling on
state are committed by our degene
J. ate native stock
Mr.. Fits stated that while he wa
, attorney general. he prosecuted /
, ! homicides, and that IL OF them weI
! committed by native Vermonters
q the weakened stock. Sixty-nve pt
cent OF the serious crimes In the stat
, and nearly all OF the viler crime
such as rape, incest etc, are con
:, mittod by native Vermont stock. Du
!. ing the past few years there has bee
an Increase of as per cent In the nur
G her of insane. and largely from Il
/, native Nermonters.
a These conditions demand our III
/, force as a state and people to me-
! and overcome. One or the essentia
p Is industrial development Give n
n people, and especially the young pc
II pie, something to do. and they vi
not spend their time in idleness M
q. vile conversation that lead to vi
d crimes. Vermont money. or more
a. IL, should be invested at home al
n not sent out Of Vermont to build
? other communities. Only quart
10 OF Vermont money in Vermont ga
"A ings banks Ia invested In Vermont
n Churches and civic associatlo
i. must do their part Vermont wat
power and other Vermont resourc
must be developed. The skeptlc W
says, You can't do nothin', and
you do II won't amount 10 nothin.
must be driven into the backgroun,
Mr.. Fits address was proceed
by an excellent supper, served by {
women OF the church. followed
"a. brief post prandlal exercises, wi