The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-05
Fletcher and Vermont

when Allen NJ FLETCHER was eject
ed governor OF Vermont Il was gem
orally assumed that, being very
wealthy man and having large cor
poration interests, he would be friend
~ to "big business He has proved
to be the most aggressive opponea.
Of corporations in years, and by Ills
official conduct has doubtless serioCs-
~ injured his chances for further 70
litical preferment.
He gave society a great jolt at the
beginning Of his term by abandoning
he time-honored and expensive gov
ernor's ball and dividing several
thousand dollars saved among three
charitable Institutions.
The first administration measure
was to exempt from taxation money
leaned at low rate of interest.
This was intended to remedy the
evil OF double taxation on mort
gagged property and, by encouraging
individual loans, to break the mono
poly Of the banks.
a blue sky" law followed not so
drastic as Michigan's but intended TO
accomplish the same purpose. II has
still to be tested before the supreme
court
Since 1872 railroads and other pub
lie service corporations have paid
graduated tax on their gross re-
ceip.s. A law was enacted at the
last session requiring them to pay on
a physical valuation instead. This
was first advocated by Harlan 3.
Howe. the democratic candidate for
governor in 1912, aud the only rea-
son why Candidate Fletcher did not
advocate l. was that Mr. Howe spoke
first
As soon as the appraisal OF rail-
road properties had been fled by the
commissioner Of State taxes the
State treasurer appealed from it, at
the instance of the governor The
result of the hearing on appeal is
that the railroads are paying $4,000
more than formerly into the State
treasury.
Because the public service commits
sion refused 10 issue an order roduc
ing telephone rates 10 per cent he
removed the chairman and requested
and received the resignation of an
other member. a lawyer known TO
be unfriendly to corporations was
placed at the head of the commits.
sion.
The governor has also insisted CT
stringent regulations to govern the |
use OF highways by electric compan
les
Such activities on his part has ceus
cd establishment. While executive |
action has been for the benefit of the |
people they do not understand it and
are undecided whether or net to ap- |
preciate and approve They are told |
by politicians that the governor Is
playing FOR political advantage.
So VIC have the peculiar spectacle |
of the republican governor Of a
strongly republican State with more
political friends in the Democratic |
and Progressive parties than in his
because. without waiting fer his par
~ to take stand. he has OF his own
initiative done things which the 9TH
or parties favor
Whatever may be the final Judge /
ment on his administration, II must \
be admitted that he is man Of
strength and courage Without the
favor CT the party organization he
compelled his nomination. With /
lukewarm support from the org
he secured his election.
And, Though he has large means. no
charge has been made that money /
was used Improperly o. lavishly in
his campaigns. Without the support
OF bis party opposition he has secur-
cd from the general assembly legis-
lation he desired. Tie has no. hes
ita-ed TO take executive action oppos-
ed to the interests OF his business as
sociates. And yet he cannot be call
cd a popular Eovenor-Bosion Her
lid- }