The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-09-06
PAGE CHALLENGED
|. BY GOV. FLETCHER
Cavendish Man Dares Sena-
tor to Produce His
Damaging Facts"
SCORES RECORD OF
PAGE IN SENATE
Should Have Been Found Standing for
Something and Somewhere in Nation
al Crisis - Never Violated Tax Laws
of State.
Especial to The Reformer.)
PROCTORSNILLE, Sept. 6

u.
Ex-Gov. Allen NJ. Fletcher has is
sued the following open letter to Sena
tor Carroll 5. Page:-
Dear Sir
My attention has been called to your
public challenge, "Had you been a
senator of the United States, would
you have voted for the Rural Credits
bill?'' Yes, Senator Page, would have
voted for the bill, because l believe in
such law:
| am not now and do not expect in
the future to be engaged in any bust
ness which would be affected by such
a law; because | am not seeking to
obtain control of the savings of wild
ows, orphans and dependents for the
purpose of my own personal gain.
Were | so engaged, / should have
voted for the law, because | believe
the Rural Credits law will benefit and
help to develop portions of the coun-
try which need such development, that
the people of Vermont will not in any
way be injured. and that, on the con
trary, such law will be of distinct
| benefit to our agricultural interests, and
moreover because it is legislation in
the interest of the many rather than for
| lie career | have steadily borne in
mind. Your record in the senate does
not Justify a similar statement.
| | might 60 further and state for Your
| information that | believe present con-
| litions in Mexico arc a menace to the
best interests of our country, and
should be definitely changed now and
for all time. | believe in the proper
CIRCULATION of public service corpora
tions and in the condition of prepared
ness which will command respect of
all nations. l believe in constructive
Legislation for the protection of the
interests of the common people against
L the few, and my voice would have been
heard in the senate during this crisis
! in our eountry's history, and | would
have been found standing for something
land somewhere.
II You, Senator, would have had nc
doubt where and for what I stood
When / entered this campaign | stated
that 81 am more ready to take this steI
, because it will enable me to empha
size various issues and public policies
for which / have always stood and still
| stand. l an influenced in reaching thi
: decision by my belief that such deci
. sion will not meet the approval of pait
: lobbyists, big interests or such news
Z papers as may sustain them. These ele
: ments have persistently conducted
campaign of misrepresentation agains
the constructive legislation enacted b,
the general assembly of 1912, and m
administration as governor, and TO
reasons which appeal to them, stan
today theoretically and vociferousl
demanding the reelection of the iunio
| senator.
| In view of the alignment and charac
ter of your supporters, | was most eel
tainly justified in making the statemen
| which / did.
II Why is it that the St. Adams Messer
| ger, which is owned by Governor Smitl
| the president of the Central Vernon
railway, is vigorously supporting 20
| against the candidate from its ow
| county whose honesty in dealing wit
/ his fellow men ! have not vet hear
1 questioned? Is it not true that whe
| you were governor, you called a speci;
session of the Legislature for a specif
| purpose and then permitted this sc
sion to be used for the passage {
| measures favorable to the railroads an
| express companies, which you signeC
Within the last few weeks on sever
: occasions, Senator, you have seen I
to publicly use my name without licenl
l and without truth. You have state
l that YOU have received offers "of fac
l concerning both the public and priva
l record of the governor which are elaine
l to be damaging in the EXTREME VIII:
are these alleged facts. Senator Pagt
| Or is Your method of inuendo and i
y situation used solely for the purpo