The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-06-05

"This provision has made a great
deal of work and the authority so
conferred has been exercised freely,
and with good results"
In the same report Mr.. Sargent rec
commended among other things that the
authority conferred by the act of 1908
be enlarged by giving the attorney gen.
| eral authority to secure evidence in any
matter in which the state is interested
and authority to employ legal service
| in any cause when in his judgment the
| interest of the state required it.
1t seems apparent that the recommen-
dations of Mr.. Sargent resulted in a
joint resolution which is No. ATS of the
acts of 1910. which is still in force and
reads as follows;
Resolved by the Senate and House
of Representatives.
an the investigation of and prep
aration for presentation to or trial
before any court or tribunal of any
cause or matter in which the state is
party or is interested, the attor
ney general may employ such per-
sons as in his Judgment the public
good requires to search out, procure
and prepare evidence and the audi
tor of accounts shall draw orders in
payment therefor"
This joint resolution was approved and
took effect January rs, 1911.
In spite of this record someone, who,
up to this time has not seen fit to dis
, close his identity, has appealed to the
record in the office of the auditor of &C.
counts and published the amount of ex-
penditures for detective service for
each year following the act of 1908 and
the resolution of 1910 in comparison with
the expenditures for like service in the
year 1906 when the attorney general had
no authority in this matter but was de-
ploring the want of such authority.
In no one of the various statements
pelier.' has there been suggestion of
the purpose for which these expenditures
We're made or of the result obtained, or
of whether such result has proven pub
lie benefit.
Publications of this character, calcu
lated to arouse suspicion, distrust and
unrest in the public mind, may be char
acteristic of one interested solely in the
public welfare and in the interest of the
good people of "Our Green Mountain
state" On the other hand. they may be
Characteristic of the "muckraker" or po-
litcal 'bushwhacker" who is interested
solely in his own political aspirations.
This is question the people must set
tle-think it over.
Following the lead OF the first Especial
from Montpelier" published in the Bur
lington Free Press, May 4, many news
papers Of the state have taken up the
cry and apparently without pausing TO
inquire into the merits of the case have
published and repubished these so-called
Specials from Montpelier" with various
comments thereon based upon nothing
save the bare statement that a certain
amount OF money has been expended.
A few of the newspapers of the state
have been thoughtful, frank and fair in
this matter and have said that both sides
of the case ought to be heard before pass.
ing Judgment. One distinguished journal
published almost in the shadow of the
State House in which is located the office
of the auditor of accounts, in its appar-
ent eagerness to prejudice the public
mind regarding this matter, has gone so
far as to say editorially that the state
ments. which have been copied repeated
lv in its own columns, were unsatisfac-
tory and ought to be explained BY the
attorney general In this connection
may we inquire why the owner of this
publication liz it has onel II he intend
ed to be fair and serve the public well
fare in this matter, did not 60 or send
a representative to the office of the audi
tor of accounts to obtain the other side
of the story at least so far as Wash
ingten county is concerned! Was it be-
cause such investigation would have dis
closed that during the same period in
which the extremely extrayagant and in
legal department of the state
had approved bills for detective serv.
ice" in that county amounting TO APP
$1,000, expended in an at
tempt to bring murderer to Justice.
that same legal department, which, so
far as Washington county is concerned, !
means the states attorney and the at |
torney general, had caused, through |
prosecutions. to be turned into |
the state treasury in fines and costs |
more than approximately $4,000?
1t is not the purpose OF the attorney
general to enter into newspaper con-
troversy regarding this subject. his only |
desire being to call the attention of the |
public TO the manifest unfairness of |
many of the articles that have appeared |
in the public print aud to the spirit |
which has manifestly inspired many of
them.
Immediately following this prelim-
mary statement. full statement OF ex-
penditures for detective service" in each
county showing the amount expended, |
the purpose for which it was expended |
and the result, viii be furnished to the
of the state.
The counties will be taken in alpha
betical order and the entire ground COW
cred. Owing to the necessary length of |
these statements in some of the counties, |
probably not more than two or three
counties will be given out at one time.
The others will be furnished in their
order as fast as proper attention to the
iutips of nv office will permit.