The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-12-10
THE VERMONT COURTS


Probably no man has written more
for these columns in praise Of Govern
or Fletcher than l. 1t may rot be
immodcst TO assume then that il facts
which | state now seem to bear
against him they will receive at least
q thoughtful hearing.
A constitutional commission of
which Governor Fletcher was "A mem
Der made a mistake. Owing TO this
mistake the constitution as it was and
the new amendments failed 20 connect
entirely and a gap Of one month was
left between the time when the terms
OF certain officials ran out and the time
when il was intended TO have the new
terms begin. AS a result Of this
accident, and through 40 deliberate in
tontion of the people 20 have their
court framed up for them according to
the whims Of one man, The Governor
found himself in the position of die
tator with power to appoint a number
OF officials including even The justices
Of the supreme coutt and the snperiof
judges.
Under such circumstances It was
fairly to be cxpe It, that the ex-
ecutive would al most try to bridge
over the gap. Without great reason
n governor would hardly have been
accredited with the desire 10 take adj
vantage of an accident to exercise a
power Of choice which the citizens
never intended to repose in him.
Under these conditions Governor
Fletcher has used his power to re-
move Justice Munson and Justice
Haselton from the supreme bench and
TO eject Judge Fish from his Office as
superior judge. II was natural there
fore to demand some very strong
grounds in justification of such extra
ordinary action.
Every man who has interviewed
Governor Fletcher knows the very
great care with which he prepares and
weighs every statement made to the
press. When read the heading Gov
ernor Fletcher's Statement" in yester-
days Ere Press ! said "Here are the
reasons for this stretching Of power"
After saying why he felt it was nee
essary for him TO appoint, the state
ment gave promise of going on to
state why he felt called upon to exer-
else his accidental power to drop three
men of such excellent standing. The
statement contained one and only one
possible reason for the action. In
explanation Of all that he had done
the Governor merely laid down the
simple rule that it was well to have a
deadline for judges at the age of 70.
Since this was the only reason given
in the Governors statement the in
tcntion of the words seemed to be to
make the people Of Vermont believe
that all three judges had been dropped
because they were over TO-
find from the Legislative directory
that with one exception Judge Fish
was the youngest man on the bench.
Judge Fish is 81 years old. Evidently
the deadline at 70 reason does not
apply TO his case.
From the same source it is learned
that Judge Haselton is &c years old.
Perhaps a dcadline at &C and not at
10 was what the Governor intended
But Judge Stanton is also &C and the
Governor did not drop Judge Stanton.
Judge Miles is three years older than
Judge Haselton, yet the Governor did
not drop Judge Miles. The conclusion
is that the deadIine at 10 did not apply
To Justice Hasclton.
But perhaps the case Of Justice
Munson at least comes under the dead
inc at 70 reason. Judge Munson Wig
orous though he be must plead guilty