Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-12

Time for Vermont to Attend 70 lie Own Affairs.
Two the people of Vermont upon their own in
from the outside started progressive
preston favor Of taxation reform well in
the insutng forward in Burlington and other
cities and scattered throughout the State
tongue of the political agaor to have forgotten
all this and have become mbucd with the idea that nothing
all wrong and needed to be told what should do
CARDS our State government
the ability of vermonters to rule ourselves the fact remains
that that September election gone
face to face with the reality that before the national election
carry into effect of the things for which
enuou striving when national issues injected into the
campaign
The Legislature will meet the first Wednesday in Oc
ober which this year falls upon the first day of the month,
and whether will State issues will force themselves
upon attention in spite of national politics
AS result OF the national rucon the attention of
legislators will be absorbed by the necessity of making good
the failure of the people to elect the polls and
other State officers and the first part of the session will be
devoted to that duty largely to the exclusion of
sderaon of the real business of the session.
Under these circumstances ii will require efforts
the part of all members of the Legislature without regard
to party Affiliations to avoid serious interruption in the
mcn for the material development of Vermont which had
gained such gratifying Roadway There danger that the play
ing of politics in the Legislature he allowed to oversadow
the real work of the session which the people of Vermont had
out to accomplish
1t is much to say for example that the upper
most thought in the minds of lawmakers and people alike at the
close of the last session of the Legislature that the first
opportunity would improved good failure
meet the popular demand for the radical revision of laws in
the direction of the equalization of taxation.
The people felt that they had not had fair chance in
connection with the vetoed by the Governor for if
of the members of the Legislature had not home
the suppotion that the entirely safe they would
have sad and passed this of reform and taxation JUS
tce his veto AS it final adjournment followed so
closely the heels of the that not few members did
know what had happened until they heard from their homes
that they had been deprived of their victory.
This ought point moral for the people
general well for lawmakers in particular The in
opposed reform in behalf of the people a whole
will seek to encourage and promote representation which
of Of
ests.
The champions equalization taxation should have bill
by Governor Mead ready
the first day of the session. and they should that
the selected for speaker of the House advance of
his election to appoint committee taxation that is favorable
strict justice for the people, and stand for similar
mittce in the Senate.
Here is where reform and must begin in
ton with taxation well other connection with
which the people of Vermont demanding relief and develop
ment.
Moreover the platforms of practically all the parties in
Vermont have demanded legislation making possible for the
the republican platform speaks especially of brngng easier
conditions to the borrower and of stimulating home industry
This is modification of taxation laws upon which the
people much nsstent the removal of the
called double of money loaned real with
all parties committed in advance this reform specifically
there would seem to be for failure Of the Legislature
the demand.
If should transprc that the republicans both
branches of the Legislature by the majority Indicated
that party will be held wholly responsible for the failure of the
success of of this nature.
AS have already inmatcd it sincere belief that
if the Republican party of Vermont is fair
redeem its campaign pledges in these and other directions and
fails. it will have another chance.
IT, however lawmakers of other political faith filuser and
bringing about division Of party responsibility
then Vermont look for results similar those which in
variaby follow from the playing of divided party politics
Congress- shall wish that the Legislature of 1912 had
been ignore national politics and attend Vermont
affairs.