The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-04-09
State Expenses

I
this time that state expenses are in
oreasing. They have been told about
il often in the press aud from the raj
~ platform. The peculiar feature or
the situation is that the increase Is
charged 20 poor administration OF the
state government By the Republican
party. yet II the fads advocated by
the party's opponents are not promp.-
| ~ preserved by legislation the party.
having a majority In the legislature,
is charged with being reactionary.
standpat. fossilized, embalmed. etc.
NermonteTs who are really awake 20
the demands Of the present know that
state expenses viii never be less than
they are today. in fact they know
that they are bound to increase, no
matter which party is in power. II
in control OF the state government
the Democrats would not. could not
reduce these expenses for the reason
that the people viii not stand for hay
ing any OF the governments activities.
curtailed. Place the Progressives IN
control and let them enact into legis.
laticn their hobbies already advocat-
ed and others that for the future their
past record warrants the belief they
will favor and the states expenses
will be easily doubled.
Speaking of this subject the S..
Adams Messenger gives utierance 10
wisdom when il says.
The prime reason for the increase
has been the passing from the idea
OF indiyidualism to that OF collectiv-
ism. which has resulted in the trans
ferring Of a vast amount OF social
costs from the individual to the pub
lie account In other words. Yer
mont has increased her activities Tor
the benefit OF the people. II costs
money to inspect factories: It cos.s
money to have a weights and meas
ure bureau; Il cost money TO keep up
a state laboratory OF hygiene; Il costs
money to look out for the conserva-
ton OF natural resources: It costs
money TO conduct penal Institutions
on heigher plane; It costs money TO
control public utilities; il costs mon
ey to establish a legislative referen-
dunn bureau: il costs money to adver-
tise the state; it costs money to give
more attention TO lettering agricul-
tural conditions. In other words the
ever increasing social activities OF
the commonwealth result in an ever
increasing expense account
II is an old and true saying as appli
cable TO states as to individuals, that
one cannot eat his cake aud have il
too. II the people of Vermont are
bound to keep abreast with the pres
ent demand for lettering the condi.
ton OF the farmer. the factory EN-
ploye, the. common school and college
student. II prisons and reformatories
are to be improved. If everybody and
everything is to be inspected and reg.
ulated. II the state house is to have a
100000 addition and we are TO have
direct primaries and numerous other
things that we are talking about,
then those who dance must pay the
fiddle;.
The Republican pary's administrs-
ton of the states government in
point of economy Will, we predict,
compare >favorably with the admins.
tration Of government in any other
state, no matter what party is in con
troll. The partys keenest critics are
those in opposing parties who are
themselves seeking to grasp the reins
of government, and the cry of extrav-
agance gives them brief hearing.
The thinking people OF Vermont
should not be led astray No matter
what party is in power, the states ex
penses will never be less. and If the
opponents of the Republican party ev
er do get control and put into force
half the ideas they shout for in their
platforms and on the rally platform,
they will be increased greatly. They
will gradually increase any way. that
is the law OF progress, but they will in
grease slower with the Republicans
in control than with Bellows
Falls Times.