The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-07-20
w ashington, d. c.
july Is 1914.
Very sincerely yours,
JAMES b. CAMPBELL.

James b. Campbell, Esq,
st. Johnsbury, Vt
Dear Sir:
Your letter Of July 9th. 1914, in which
Won ask me to state my position upon Ger
tam political issues Is received. While /
have not at the moment time to undertake
any discussion OF the matters referred to,
| am glad to briefly answer your inquiry
Below are given in their order the sub
iects to which you refer, with my com
ment in connection with each
/. Woman Suffrage" This I favor
So long as women are compelled to earn
their own livelihood, to manage their own
property, to sustain their full share of the
burden of improper legislation, it is diff
cult to understand how the right of suf-
frage can be Justly denied if demanded.
> Initiative and Referendum" | do
not favor the initiative. While in many
instances the most sanitary results have
undoubtedly been accomplished by this
means, | do not think that on the whole
in actual practice this form of legislation
will he found to accord with our system
of representative government, Especially
| in national matters. it would prove both
confusing and unsatisfactory.
| The same objection does not apply to
the referendum which may, | think, be
resorted to with profit in certain classes
OF legislation.
! 3 The Recall of Judges" I believe
that some method should be devised by
which an unfit federal Judge can be gotten
rid of; nor do | think the present method
of impeachment meets that end. / have
never believed that in a popular govern
ment like ours any official, even a
Judge, should be appointed for life Every
official should come back at stated periods
to the source of his authority where he
can be asked, if need be, to give an ae
count of his stewardship. In my opinion
if this system be applied to the judiciary
lit would obviate any real necessity fol
the recall. If judges were appointed fol
la term Of, say, seven years there must bt
at the end of that term a reappolntment
by the President and a new confirmation
by the Senate | do not think that any
good Judge would ever be denied a reap
pointment on political grounds nor thai
the action of any man fit to be a judge
would be improperly affected by the con
seriousness that he must be a candidate
for reappointment it is well that ever,
official should act under a sense of re
lsponsibilfty to some one. In Vermont W,
have since my recollection reelected on
judges every two years, and under tina
system have promoted to the bench tn
best lawyers at the bar and kept then
there
1. National Prohibition" / belev
in that law, state or national, which vii
most effeetually prevent the use of intoxi
eating liquors, and this, in my opinion
! under most conditions, is prohibition.
,. Labor laws in general, and espe
cially touching the welfare of women am
children" l favor a fair employers liza
biity act, both state and national. l an
also in favor of legislation protecting VIC
= men and children from burdensome cond
tons of service.
6. Presidential Primaries. | favor
y primary for every elective office, lncluc
\ ing that of President of the United States
Z. The remaining three subjects mer
toned in your letter are the tariff, tn
control of big business and prosperity
, railroad legislation While to my min
these are the matters which today int
mately concern the voters of this countr
and which are of more pressing importanc
0 than the subjects already referred to,
Y must be evident to you that | cannot ei
: ter upon discussion of these matter
!. within the limits of this letter.
(a) 'The Tariff | have always bee
an earnest believer in a protective tarlf
but not always in THE protective tart
: then in effect Our tariff legislation
: the past has been too much dictated
!, certain special interests which have Their