Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-01-28

years been commencing the same idea
as exemplified at Proctor and in many
other places. One church in small
community can be supported in salts
factory way and do effective work.
where three or four struggle along
hopelessly. The plan of concentration
is good one, and it might be carried
further. even in larger towns. In
Rutland, and in every other place of
it's size, property worth hundreds of
thousands of dollars is tied up in
church plants" Withdrawn from the
taxable list. Good business would
dictate the utilization of one of these
plants. idle for the greater part of the
time, by various denominations. there
by reducing largely the present waste.
Rutland News.
Thinks Fletcher Will be Candidate.
The refusal of Charles A. Prouty to
be candidate for senator is thought
by many to make it probable that
Governor Fletcher will go into the
senatorial race against Senator Dilling
ham, who is candidate for re-elec-
ton. Not many Of the old guard of
the Republican party are now warm
supporters of Governor Fletcher. His
career as governor has been peculiar.
His nomination was due largely to the
work of the old line Republican
leaders and against the protest of
many of those who considered them
selves the progressive wing of the
party. After he became governor it
was found that he was and is the most
radical man Vermont has had in the
governors chair for a generation.
More than that it has been discovered
that his ten years record in the
legislature proves that he always has
been radical and his stand as governor
has really been right in line with his
previous record in the house and
senate. The old guard could not
believe their eyes. They were at first
doubtful, then dismayed and finally
resentful. That is about where the
matter stands at present. Hence
this years senatorial campaign -
Bennington Banner
Are Responsible for Service.
| The st. Johnsbury Caledonian re-
Gently worried because the telephone
companies would not get fair hear
ing before the public service commits
sion. Now the same paper complains
because the hearing has cost so much
the editor does not know how much,
but says cit is quietly talked that the
expense to the state will exceed
$25, 600" These figures are ridiculous
and more than three times as much as
if the telephone companies needed sc
long hearing, the state would scarce
ly shorten it to save expense. We
should like to know who are the
mysterious persons who are quietly
talking about this S25, 900 hearing.
The special counsel and the commits
sion may be ignorant and incompetent,
as the Caledonian says the telephone
rates may be all right, and the teIe.
phone companies sadly abused-time
will tell-but there is one sure thing,
the state of Vermont has successfully
defended the theory of Governor
Fletcher that the public service
corporations are as directly responsi
BILE to the public service as they are
to their stockholders for dividends ane
the public service commission i:
competent to enforce recognition OF
this fact.
Had the New England Telephone
company shown any disposition to be
frank with the people when the frs
complaints were made, much of the
subsequent expense might have beer
avoided. The hearing cost as much
as an ordinary murder trial and il
worth a great deal more to the state
1-Brattleboro Reformer.
The Spugs and Christmas.
Does the world at large get from
Christmas the peace and inspiration
and hearty good fellowship that right
fully belong to it? If so, what reason
for the springing up and continued
existence of the Society for tn,
Prevention of Useless Giving, known
as the Spugs. which frankly declares
itself medium for the amelioratiol
of the lot of harassed humanity at tn
Christmas season?
Since their organization q WAR auo