Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-06-07


party organization. 1t is these gentle
men and their successors who are re-
sponsible for the great innovations now
necessary to curb their threatening
attitude toward our political institu
tions.
They must bear the responsibility for
the rapid changes already made, and
other changes pending which are to
still more profoundly affect the political
institutions of the state.
1t is these men who have made neces-
sary the initiative and referendum. 1t
is these men who have made certain
the recall of elective officers, including
judges. 1t is these men who have de-
prived the Legislature of all respect
and threaten to make of it an impotent
shadow of what our fathers intended.
1t is these men who have impoverished
the public service of the State by crush
ing and excluding from chance for hon
orable public service Independent
mined men. lis these men who have
made the honor of men commodity of
common traffic, and at times have even
made the State capitol shameless and
disgraced marketplace, where loyalty
to oaths of office and the welfare of the
State have been exchanged for SER
vile, cringing dependency to private
masters.
1t is these men who have made the
Republican party, when placed in power
of the State government, a party, of
puppet men enacting puppet laws. 1t
is these men who, by their sinister
pervading power, have kept our State
laws in the back eddies of frontier
age, and ignored the need for progress
sive legislation with which enlightened
States are meeting changed social and
economic conditions.
1t is our first duty as Republicans in
the fight ahead to drive these men from
the councils of the party, and when
that is accomplished, if power to do so
is given us, to permanently bar them
out so far as we can by certain statutory
enactments directly formulated to that
end. In this connection we propose:
l. An amendment to the present
primary law by which party assemblies
or conventions shall be abolished.
2. A stringent, comprehensive, cor
rupt practices act.
8. The non-partisan election of all
Judges, candidates for these judicial
offices to appear on the ballot without
party designation and their election to
occur at times independent of other po-
litical campaigns.
We have failed to obtain high ideals
of character, equipment and independ
ence in judicial offices. 1t is a gair
toward better conditions if we take thi:
first step and force an undivided public
attention at the time of selection Of
judges and free these men from party
allegiance and natural party obliga
tions.
4. A public utilities law infexiblN
but justly enforced. Under this law {
commission should have such powers
and
A public utilities commission veste(
with comprehensive powers to regulate
public service and transportation cor
porations, included among which shoult
be:
(a) The power to limit capitalization
, and bonded indebtedness.
(b) Power to regulate rates and ser
vice.
(c) Power to prohibit passes franks
, rebates and all gratuities.
5. The recall of all elective official
and members of important commission
who hold Office by appointment.
6. A presidential preference primar
: law.
7. The reapportionment of legisla
tive districts in the State based upon a.
r equitable distribution of population.
! 8. Another subject urgently demand
4 ing just settlement is the question o
injuries and death suffered by workme
in their employment. Existing conc
= tons with regard to employers liabilit
= and compensation for workmen's in
4 jury are so unjust that there should b
: remedial action. Theodore Roosevelt
S aptly states the case as follows:
v "In what is called the employers
f liability legislation, other industris
= countries have accepted the principl
that the industries must bear the none
r tary burden of its human sacrifices an
S that the employee injured shall have
e fixed and definite sum. Proper legisls
e ton directed to this result should b
: promptly enacted.
t Finally, it is imperative that W
Y make determined effort to secure
t legislature in both branches whic
d shall approve the spirit of the program