The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-07
|GOV. FLETCHER'S VALEDICT0RY
Brings Is Important Subjects to the Consideration OF
Legislature Recommends Adjustment OF Attorney
Generals Office-Tells How to Save 100000

The following summary outlines briefly
the various topics brought to the atten-
ton of the legislature by Governor Allen
VI. Fletcher in his retiring message deliv-
cred this morning, with the exception of
the matter of judicial appointments, which
is reported elsewhere =
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
Representatives
In accordance with that section of the
constitution which provides that the Gov
ernor may bring to the attention of the
joint Assembly, such recommendations as
appear to him proper and necessary, L
now direct your attention,
First To the policy of the state rela-
tive to Agriculture The present appro-
priation for the department of agriculture
is wholly insufficient for the work and en-
tirely out of proportion to the approprla-
ton for other departments of the state
government. 1t should be materially IN
| creased
| Authority should be given the Commits
sioner of Agriculture to make and enforce
such regulations as may be necessary to
protect the state from invasion OF insect
llfc and plant disease; to enforce reason
able sanitary regulations and TO control
the standard of the various agricultural
products of the state. How can the Com
missioner of Agriculture without necessary
funds establish bureau in Boston or New
York through which our farmers without
middlemen can reach their market? How
can the Commissioner of Agriculture hell
the farmer by bringing immigrant labor
into the state unless the state furnish hin
the means to establish bureau for tina
purpose? In word, how can he mate
rally advance the interests of the stat
;. from a business standpoint without tn
necessary resources?
Second To the policy of the state rela
, tive to conservation of forests, waite
powers and other natural resources. TIL
ipolicy adopted by the last legislator
: should be maintained Any further a
tempt to exploit the states credit in sue
) manner as to result largely in the ult
mate benefit of certain private or corpo
ate interests, such as that outlined in tt
plan of 1912 to bond the state for COZ
!. struction of reservoirs, should be absolute
ly defeated Such a scheme should hay
/ no part in our general state policy.
Third To the bond of the State Urea
= urer which should be increased to two hu
n dred thousand dollars. The present boz
It of one hundred thousand dollars is Who'll
+ inadequate for the purpose.
Fourth To the Department of Insu
&c ance. There should be created an insu
a anee department with distinct head a
,6 pointed by the Governor and responsit
a to him. There should be no division
% authority as now exists under the prese
x law, which provides for two insuran
commissioners-one the State Treasurer,
n constitutional officer, and the other o
~ the Secretary of State, also a constil
= tional officer, each holding two offices, t
- one constitutional and the other statutol
~ The state should so legislate as to prove
- either the existence or the suspicion
20 existence of an insurance ring Now a
= for all time an end should be put to t
% possibility of such conditions again arisi
as recently surrounded the State Ire
es urers bond, which make it possible for
as State Treasurer to pass upon the conditi
&c of an insurance company whose bond
,s may later present TO the Governor
o.. surety for the faithful performance of I
= duties of his office The state is a
-, should be entitled at all times to a &C
i and sufficient bond This subject on.
=. not to be even debatable 1T has b,
30 truthfully said that it is in the stagnat
80 and procrastination of commissions and
- vided authority that evils and abuses
lgenerated.
Fifth To certain cases of legal in
tice. In certain instances, cases are
tpealed to the United States courts pu,
- for the purpose of taking unfair advant
'o0 to the end that the weaker party can
i face the expenditure involved. This
-. condition that ought not to exist.
- therefore recommend the adoption o
81 law empowering the executive to emf
me counsel to defend such individuals.
ny were known quantity that the 81
zen would protect such cases, then fewer
Sc fair appeals would be taken because
oV unfair advantage would accrue.
rel + Sixth To the State Library | rec
mend that the present state law rela
lie to the control of the state library be
The pealed and that the state library
q placed entirely within the jurisdic
and control of the Supreme Court of
state
Seventh To Education. An educate
commission was created by authority
for the last legislature primarily for the
rly, pose of determining whether or not d
cation of effort was going on as the r
ard tant of money appropriated by this s
hill to the three institutions of higher lie
ing | was satisfied at the time the ,