The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-27
EXPENDED MONEY
IN BEHALF OF
Mr.. BURKE
Chairman E. S. Harris Answers
fx-MayOr's Inquiries
HEADQUARTERS WAS HERE
Thousands of Letters Sent Out and
other Expenses Of Democratic
Campaign Had to be Met

EulLOr Oh me DduucI - llOllSS III
The Banner of April 18th a query to
our Democratic Town committee
from ]. f. Burke OF Burlington, in
regard to certain funds that came
into my hands as chairman of the
state committee lnasmuch as this
query was printed with the evident
intention to create an impression in
the minds of the democrats of Ben
nington that / had received funds
for the town committee, and | had
not turned the same over 70 them,
thought best to answer the same, al
though il is not the policy of the
state committee, or myself to enter
into a newspaper controversy of this
kind, as the party organization Is
amply able to look after these mat
ters.
Mr. Burke could have gotten the
correct information from me, had he
so desired, without taking up space
in The Banner, and it would have
been the same valuable information
that he received through Homer A.
Lyons, as chairman of our town com
mittee and that is, that there was
none of the 5000 received by me,
turned over to the town committee
of Bennington, or to any other of the
town committees OF the 246 towns
in Vermont. which ! would have as
much right to do as to turn 1t over
to the Bennington town committee.
The money was sent to me for the
purpose of paying expenses Of Dem
ocratic state headquarters for the
campaign OF 1908, and was expended
with other moneys received. in send
ing out thousands Of circular letters,
telephone, telegraph, for stenograph-
ers, etc, in the interests Of the can
didates for state Offices OF which Mr..
Burke was at the head, and for no
other purpose.
In regard to the 800 which he also
asks about which Mr. Gleason, the
/ treasurer of the committee sent me,
] presume he means the campaign of
1910, as Mr. Gleason was not treasur-
er in 1908 The money sent me by
Mr.. Gleason in 1910 was to pay bills
Of the same nature as in 1908. In
this campaign We had less funds but
achieved greater results than in 1908
for reasons best known to the voters
of Vermont. Homer A. Lyons is
right in saying that no moneys have
ever been turned over from the state
committee to the town committee.
and any other town in the state can
say the same thing as far as have
any knowledge.
utata COMMITTEE. 20 rafpn ,,nnnnv.
for state campaign must depend
largely upon the county committees,
and they in turn on the funds. But
this inquiry II seems was intended
to convey the impression that |
should have taken the funds sent to
pay the bills for three months main.
tenance of state headquarters, to
the Democratic town committee of
Bennington to carry on our local
campaign and elect local candidates
The town committees to my knowl
edge have never raised any funds for
the state committee, to assist in a
state campaign II so, perhaps
have not been informed in regards 10
it,
The expenses incurred by me at
headquarters have been on orders OF
the state committee, and in most in
stances the funds were paid out be
fore being received, and in one OF
two instances there has been a bal
ance that has never been received.
The whole controversy seems tc
have arisen from a pitiful Ignorance
of the management of party affairs
or with n deliberate intention OF mis-
leading the Democratic voters Of tn,
town and state.
| presume that II this large amount
contributed had been properly ex
pended, we could have elected Mr.
Burke governor OF Vermont In 1908
II. s. Harris.