The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-08-09
Gov. Fletcher and the Public Service
Commission.

could to defeat him. q Nevertheless
when, in our opinion, the Governor
Is right in a course of action pursued
we shall support him as Loyalty as
we know how. We believe he is
right In his controversy with the ex-
chairman OF the public service com
mission, and we therefore unhestita
tingfy commend his course OF act
ion.
The telephone monopoly is one of
the worst with which this generation
las to deal The existing rates are
altogether too high. The methods
employed by 1t in crushing our con.
petition cannot be too severely cen
eured. The conditions existing can
not be too quickly changed for the
better, Tho { L TInent llas been
working for a long time To bring
abJlit u change for the belehe of the
people TO thai end he appointed a
special committee of investigation
The committee reported that a
twenty per cen. reduction in rates
ought to be made. This report was
delivered to the chairman Of the pub
lie service commission, and the COM
UllSSlOH Wdb dShcu w ldhC dCilbu
Then followed period of procrasti-
nation. Nothing was done. Finally
the chairman was removed and an
other member resigned.
But failure to act in the telephone
matter was not the only reason for
the executive action Nc one who has
not held executive or legislative Of
flee in this state can understand the
far reaching influence of these fore
es which prey upon the public, or the
extent to which they will go 10 gain
their ends. The governor has gain
ed knowledge OF these influences
since he has been in office. He has
gained an Insight into affairs in this
state and has been surprised again
and again at The things he has dis
covered He has gained most yaln
able Information as 10 the under
world OF politics in little old Yer
mont"
The forces that prey never sleep
They are ever watchnl to project
every advantage and 10 gain others
To illustrate: The people of the
iaie are 20 vote next March in the
matter OF direct primaries. We
must have an extra session of the
legislature to make our laws conform
to the recent constitutional changes.
state and national. Knowing well
that the people will vote for direct
primaries, and say ''put an end to
the system which enables a few po-
litlcians TO select our officials for
us, and that a legislature will heed
the voice OF the people. the politi-
clans, the corporation attorneys and
that class which President Wilson
aptly describes as their puppets"
are bringing every influence TO bear
upon Governor Fletcher to get him
TO cali the extra session before the
vote is taken. These corporation
attorneys hope, and with them it has
become a faint hope, that the pres
ent agitation for reform aud progress.
fsiye legislation will lose its force be.
fore new Legislature comes in, and
!. they are taking every chance to win.
Thus far the Governor has resisted
every influence brought to bear upon
him and has expressed his determi-
nation To do his duty even as he sees
Ii.
And so the Governor has felt these
Influences, has obse;v we'd the devious
paths of approach to the executive
chamber. and has come TO the con
clusion that only c,rcng men should
be selected 10 protect tile interests
81 the people. The Governor has
come face to face with the question
whether he will do what he consei
entionsly believes to be right or
quietly yield to the wellmarshaled
forces of our invisible government.
IN tine matter of the public service
commission he has chosen the right
course. He has chosen well.
We do not for moment intimate
that the retiring members have not
been honest in their official acts.
But honest men are not always
strong enough TO resist the subtle
Influences or the invisible govern
ment.
he Governor has not been given
he suppoi, by the newspapers which
his aciion merits. This lack cf sup
port rs illustrative CT the situation in
he state. A comparative feN con
eined the full report OF the Cover
ncr'c special commission. Nearly
every one had the full text of Al.
torney Jones reply for the ,elephene
companies Most likely this was
plate matter paid for by The mono
poly and furnished free TO the news
papers. Thus the avenues Of inior
nation was controlled. and the PEG
! pie given only garbled version OF
the situation. And .hen. too. the
claim was quickly made that Cover
nor Fletcher asked the commission
to make reduction in rates without
giving the companies Interested an
opportunity TO be heard. Not so.
The Governor did no, ask that the
matter be preiudged. He did ask
for action. He did not get ii. The
failure TO act was the last stray
That with other things which had
come 10 hiF attention warranted the
Governor in his action. We did not
think him sufficiently foot loose from
the machine TO take the aelion he
did. We did not think he had the
courage to offer an affront to the
machine. He evidently had that
courage, and the people. irrespec.
tive of party. should stand by him.
Wilmington Times.