St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-09-30
Vermont Democrats.

The democratic state convention
was the last to be held in the present
campaign and in it's final action did
what may always be expected of that
party, remained democratic. Like
Agrippa, they were almost persuad-
ed, but not quite. 1t nominated a
ticket made up of its most successful
leaders and adopted a platform evil
IDENTIFY framed to please factions of
other parties that had been unable
to prevail in their own party cOun-
ellis. The candidates are too famil-
lar, they have appeared on the demo-
cratic ticket before and been beaten
and it is getting to be a habit to beat
them. Many of the declarations of
the platform are so general as to
mean nothing. For instance, they
declare for "A just and equitable
taxation law" but do not say what
they consider a just and equitable
law.
The condemnation of the investi-
cation of educational system of Yer
mont by agents Of the Carnegie foun-
dation is an appeal to that element
of Vcrmonters opposed to any pro-
gress. No party has pledged itself
to carry out the recommendations of
the Carnegie men but the greater
majority of the people will be glad
to study what they have recommend
ed and whatever seems practical and
beneficial will some day be adopted
by the Vermonters. Anything I'M
desirable will ultimately be rejected
but the whole report and effort
should not be thrown overheard in
any such precipitate way as the dem
ocrats propose.
Their platform says: 1.-The Office
ly as another avenue to the public
treasury political clearing house
through which to pay political debts
with public funds. The useless
squandering of the peoples money
through this Office as has been shown
was only to be expected. We de-
mand the adjustment Of the Office
and that the employment of unnec-
essary detectives at the public ex-
pense stop
The adjustment of this office has
been openly advocated by The Gale
DOMAIN before any political conven-
tions were held and it still believes
the Office has not proven worth what
fn CT
ton was made on this subject in the
republican platform because there
was a sharp difference of opinion on
the subject among the citizens as a
whole. Ask an attorney and nine
times out of ten you will be told the
Office is a real necessity to the state
Outside of the legal profession you
will not find such a general convic-
ton of its necessity. The Caledon-
ian again endorses the demand for
it's adjustment.
The democrats like the republi-
cans and progressives declare that
the present government is too expen-
sive and believes there are too many
commissions. 1t would seem to be
one of the real demands of the day
that the government be studied and
reorganized on a more practical and
economical basis. Despite this fact
the people seem to ignore it entirely
in the selection of the men for the
legislature, the only men who can
accomplish these things. One hears
much more talk about Ibis turn"
than his views on any public issue.
The executive officers Of the state
may be pledged right on these mat
tiers but the only remedy is to select !
members of the legislature that are
also right. Until this is done party
platforms can never assume the place |
they should in political contests.