The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-19
The Practical Questions Facing Yer
mont Voters.

While national issues will enter in
to the campaign in Vermont involv-
ing the election of State officers, 1t
! will be well for the voters of this
commonwealth to bear well in mind
that the question whether a man will
make a good governor does not de-
pend upon his belief as to the degree
of protection to be afforded American
products by the tariff, or upon his
solution of the problem of the con-
troll of combinations.
So far as the choice of state eX-
ecutive is concerned, the voters OF
Vermont should ask themselves this
very practical question: IF the
commonwealth simply represented
big business concern in search of
manager what sort of man would
we select for the position?"
Would we select man for mana
ger who had served in a somewhat
similar capacity and who had demon
strated his possession of ability in
this particular direction, or would we
select a preacher of the gospel, or a
man who had shown himself to be a
bright lawyer, but had never mani
tested particular ability in an ad-
ministrative direction or a jack of
all trades who could point to no evil
dence of executive capacity?
The chances are that every voter
would insist under such circum-
stances upon selecting the man who
had shown the qualifications that
would enable him to give them a
better administration than any other
man in sight.
There are host of deserving min
listers of the gospel in Vermont, but
very few of their number would as
sumo that they could take a big bus
mess concern at a moments notice
and run it successfully. The same
thing is true of the lawyers of the
state, though in a lesser degree. In
this age it requires a man Of consid-
cradle business experience to run a
big business concern successfully,
and certainly the directors of no
corporation would dream for a mo-
ment of putting in a responsible po-
sition at its head a man who had
shown no capacity for his work in a
somewhat similar position at least.
Now as a matter of fact the states
affairs are much like those of a great
business concern. A governor knows
that the taxpayers will insist that
he make both ends meet financially.
Nkrbsla ba l. 20 hava
tain amount of sentiment he must
decide questions that come to him
without any consideration of senti-
ment swaying him, but guided by
hard-headed common sense. He must
formulate business policies for the
state. recommend sound business
measures to the legislature and use
his influence to prevent unwise acts
from being placed upon the statutes,
particularly those that will unfavor-
ably affect the credit and financial
standing of the state.
Mr.. Fletcher has devoted many
years TO business, and his experience
in that connection has admirably
qualified him to handle large affairs,
like the business interests OF the
commonwealth. He has devoted a
long period to the investigation and
study of the interests Of Vermont
and he is thoroughly acquainted with
its institutions and the needs there
Of.
Looking at the matter from this
standpoint alone we believe any big
business concern. looking for a man
ager. would find no difficulty in
reaching the conclusion that Mr..
Fletcher is far better qualified than
any one of his rivals to perform the
duties of the governorship efficiently
and well.
But there are various directions
outside of those named in which pro
gress is being demanded by the PEG
pie of Vermont and there are still
others in which they have manifest
ed readiness TO be led in accord
ance with the platform declaration:
Of Mr.. Fletcher.
The Republican candidate for the
governorship announced nearly {
year ago that he proposed, IL elected
governor. to try to cooperate Will
our farmers in inaugurating loca
object lessons in improved farming
which would enable our land owners
to realize a larger income from their
investments and their labors. To
this end he would cooperate with
the federal authorities and the state
university's college OF agriculture.
Mr.. Fletcher also announced that
he proposed to promote measures for
the development of water power in
different parts OF Vermont. for the
benefit of our own people. through
the selection Of available spots with
the aid Of engineers. and the provis-
ion Of artificial lakes which will be
come resorts as well as storage res
ervoirs Of white coal for the develop
ment Of Industries.
Mr.. Fletcher was one Of the pio-
neers in the movement TO introduce
scientific forestry into Vermont. and
he hopes to see further progress
made in the reclOthing Of our naked
hills as well as in the modern lum-
bering forests so that our timber sup
ply NAV be conserved and the
sources Of our mountain streams
kept from drying up.
IN the matter Of attracting new