St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-08-14
"A. M FLETCHER HERE
Republican Candidate for Governor
Answers the Charges Made by
fhe Democratic Candidate

Allen NJ. Fletcher of Cavendish
republican candidate for governor
i, came to town on the evening .trail
Sunday and Monday forenoon spen
the time calling on his friends il
the village. He came to attend the
meeting of the town committeemer
from Caledonia county and local pol
iticans at the court house Monday
afternoon at one o'clock. Above 81
men gathered in the court room tC
confer regarding political conditions
The meeting was called to order by
Harry Blodgett, member of the
state republican committee, who
stated the purpose of the meeting
and said that Mr.. Fletcher was pres
ent and the men present would be
glad to hear from him.
Mr.. Fletche said he should speak
only of the paramount issues of the
campaign and said that what he con-
sidered the paramount issue of the
day is the question of taxation. In
this he said Mr.. Howe was befog-
ging the jury as lawyers always do
when there is no real issue. He says
the taxation of corporations under
the present plan is fundamentally
wrong but here he is mistaken. There
has been no direct state tax for the
support of the state government
since the year 1902. During that
period the expenses of the state gov
ernment have doubled. They have
been paid by increasing the taxation
of corporations sufficiently to furnish
the funds. That fact is a complete
refutation of the charge that Yer
mont is controlled by the corporate
interests. The corporations are pay
ing the running expenses of the state
but Mr.. Howe would do away with
that and have the individual join
with the corporations in paying it by
taxing the corporation the same as
the individual. If the law should
be changed so the corporations would
be taxed the same as the individual
many of the corporations would es-
cape paying any taxes because they
owe such large sums, and the indidu-
al would have to pay the taxes to
make up the deficiency.
The serious taxation problem of
Vermont is along the lines of intel
Iigent work to encourage the use OF
Vermont money in the developing
of Vermont resources. The charge
that the loaning of money in this
state is controlled by a money trust
is untrue but legislation to encour-
age the loaning of Vermont money
within the state will do more than
ANYTHING else to develop The state. In
New Hampshire money loaned on
New Hampshire real estate at five
per cent or less is exempt from tax
alton. This law has aided wonder
fully in the development of New
Hampshire and has afforded material
relief from double taxation. Such
law will help Vermont more than
any one thing and if you can't get
it through the republican party you
cannot get it at all. This law should
be free from any fiat rate on intan-
gibles because n lower rate On in
tangibles is dangerously near class
legislation.
In tackling the question of raising
revenues for the support of the gov
ernment Mr.. Howe has taken ques-
tion that has been under dispute for
thousands of years. and he is not able
to settle it satisfactorily now. His
charge that the state is ruled by the
CORPORATIONS is not true and we point
to the fact that we have doubled the
taxation of corporations in the last
ten years without increasing the IN
dividuaIs state tax single cent to
prove it. The republican party will
give Vermont what New Hampshire
already has and that will uplift the
industry Of the state and not tear it
down.
Reports wers called for from the
representatives of the various towns
in the county. They nearly. all re-
issues but thought they would be
able to give the state republican tick
ct a substantial majority.