St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-12-10
GOV. FLETCHER HERE
Spoke AT Universalist Church On
Courts, Regulation of COrpO-
ratiOns and Primaries.

Gov Allen NJ. Fletcher was the
speaker at the first of a series of Sun
day evening meetings to be held
through December at the UniversaJist
church and despite the unfavorable
weather there was a large audience
present to hear him When he was in
troduced by the pastor, Rev. C. l..
Eaton, the whole congregation rose
to show him respect. The governor
confined himself entirely to politi-
cal subjects and discussed the
courts, the regulation of public SER
vice corporations and the primaries.
He said the state is passing
through a quiet and peaceful revoI-
ution within constitutional limits
and he felt that it was much better
to keep that revolution going than
to oppose it and drive the changes
into more radical and dangerous
courses. Justice ought to be easy
to attain, to be common property.
But is it easily to be gained under
our present form of procedure?
Cases go to the supreme court and
are remanded upon some technical
ity that leaves the lawyer and the
public ignorant of what the law real
ly is. Then if the plaintiff hasn't
money he is ready to settle upon
most any terms. This has much to
do with the present spirit of unrest
and that spirit is a menace. We
need reform and he hoped We would
have it. He quoted the expression
of the chief justice of the Vermont
Supreme Court that he was in favor
of a shorter cut to justice and the
lihnro liV0fiOn of tho rfIlnC nv tho
superior judges as evidence such re.
form is coming. He believed in
placing strong, able bodied men in
the prime of life and able to give
real service on the bench. Merit
and fitness should control in cleo
ton of judges. He favored a law
that would allow a judge to
retire upon a pension after 20 years
service especially if he was 20 years
old.
In an effort to expedite proceed
ings the legislature of 1906 created
a public service commission for the
purpose of controlling public service
corporations. These corporations
having greater privileges than the
individual should willingly submit
to pubic control. He then refer
red to the present investigation of
the telephone companies IN the state
and said the executive was deter
mined there should be a presenta-
tion of facts and that is all the
state has asked. There should be
no hiding of the facts. The light
of day should be let in and then the
state can act fairly in the matter.
We are proceeding in a straightfor-
ward way and brushing away the
cobwebs of legal procedure.
Perhaps the state has more laws
than it needs. 1t really needs a bet
ter enforcement of the laws it has
without regard to whom it hits.
This quiet revolution will reach the
election laws of the state in the form
of a direct primary. He spoke for
and voted for a direct primary in
1910 and he should do so row if he
was a member of the legislature.
officials. Vermont can adopt with
We should make it easy for the peo-
pie to control the choice of public
more safety than any other state a
primary law. Under it every man,
if he sees fit, can express his direct
choice for officers. There is moth
ing unsafe in bringing out the popu-
lar vote. 1t is safe to trust the
people