St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-04-01

N OF the inquiry truly, we nave an
administration that is intent on serv-
ing the people-if by ''the people" is
meant the portion represented by
certain classes of telephone patrons
rather than the whole taxpaying pub
lie who must make up the deficit.
One can see at a glance how unjust
would have been the course directed
by Governor Fletcher last fall His
Cook-Graham special counsel"
quick-action report called for a fiat
reduction Of all rentals by all COM
panies to a figure far below that now
! ordered, also a corresponding cut of
/ about twenty per cent in toll service.
/ The report of last week, with one
member of the board dissenting even
from that, made a substantial reduc-
/ ton in only two kinds of service by
! a single company and it's subsidiaries,
aside from one other small independ-
4 ent company. 1t sustained all the
other existing rates and all the toll
/ charges. And this, mind, was the
! finding of the two commissioners put
on the board by Governor Fletcher
after the two that he supplanted had
refused to take the action he sought!
The third and dissenting member was
survivor of the original board whom
removed when he ousted the others,
had the power been his.
Governor Fletcher sought to have
the Watson board accept the social
ed findings of Messrs. Cook and Gra-1
ham as their own to the extent of
requiring them to adopt it as the
basis of an order to be issued i'm
mediately and to be vacated or
amended only in case the company
should within a limited period show
the rates thus fixed to be unreason-
able. The Watson board treated the
Cook-Graham report as complaint
and it's schedule as the basis of a
finding that might be made an order
if the facts shown justified it. Then
the governor threw out Messrs. Wat
son and Babitt and put in Messrs.
Bacon and Pollard, Mr.. Warner hold
ing over. This renovated board did
not fully comply with the governors
original demand as TO procedure, put
did throw upon the companies the
burden of establishing cause why the
Cook-Graham schedule should not be
ordered by it at a time fixed. A
protracted investigation followed, |
during which the affairs of the seVe- |
raj companies were thoroughly re-
veaied by their representatives to |
the commission. For itself the state
produced no evidence whatsoever, |
resting it's case on what had develop
ed from the examination of the wit
nesses presented by the companies.
The public service commission
divides along the lines that might be
expected. The two members APP
pointed by Governor Fletcher, con-
stituting majority, give what might
dor, Mill In 4
damages for the state. The third
member, whose appointment did not
come from the present governor,
finds no cause for reducing the valua-
ton and therefore no opportunity for
lowering rates, which he maintains
are Just and reasonable. 1t is well,
under such conditions as these, that
an appeal has been taken.-Herald
and News.
A Committee Man Suggested
The Monitor notes the resignation
last week of f. c. Williams of New
port as a member of the Republican
state committee, following his re-
signation as chairman of that commit
tee last fall. The Monitor would like
to suggest the name of w. w. Rier-
den of Barton for the place. Mr..
Reirden is one of the young Republi-
cans of the county who recognizes
and is in sympathy with the advance
of the times, and would be Valu-
able member of the committee. Mr..
Williams has served upon the COM
mittee faithfully for several years
and he deserves the thanks of the
Republicans of the state for his IN
firing efforts in the interest of the
party.-Barton Monitor.
''Inadequacy and Weakness"
Nothing the President has said re-
Gently has been the subject of more
comment than his remarkable adj
dress upon himself before the men,
bers of the National Press Club, and,
to say, there has yet to ap- I
pear a serious criticism of it. The
newspaper editors of the country seem
to be agreed that it was a happy and
proper address for the
President to make.
1t seems to us, however, that such
a self-revelation on the part of the
nations head at this time was Meth
err called for nor wise, especially
since, under the most charitable con-
it cannot be made to APP
pear in any other light than as can
fession of weakness and lack of con-
fidence and a plea that words be ac-
cepted in lieu of deeds. 6
Mr.. Wilson should remember that
nothing will give to the public clear !
err insight into his character than his
record in Office. If his deeds are .
good, no words of his will add to or !.
detract from them; if they are not
good, no apology will be accepted. ,
He must stand or fall by what he !
does, not by what he says, although
Cd Tn
Is taken for the deed. :
But think of any of the great lead !
ers in the history of the world max
ing public confession that he lacked Z
confidence in his judgment and in his !
ability to lead Alright! Imagine Ma
ooleon, Bismarck, Washington, Lin 6
coin, Gladstone or Theodore Roose- !
Welt making a statement like this:
when l think of the number of ,
men who are looking to me with the /,
hope for all varieties of salvage from