Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-09-08
PACE CHALLENGED
Gov. Fletcher Dares Him to Pro.
duce Damaging Facts
Says Page Should Have Been Found
Standing for Something and Some
where in National Crisis.

Ex-Gov. Allen NJ. Fletcher has is
sued the following open letter to Sena
tor Carroll S. Page:-
Dear SIR
My attention has been called to your
public challenge, "lad You been n
senator of the United States, would
you have voted for the Rural Credits
bill?" Yes, Senator Page, | would have
voted for the BILL because | believe in
such n 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 l am not seeking to
obtain control of the savings of wild
ows, orphans and dependents for the
purpose of my own personal gain.
Were l 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
the few, a principle which in my pub
lie career | have steadily borne in
mind. Your record in the senate does
not justify a similar statement.
l might go further and state for your
information that l believe present con-
litions in Mexico are menace to the
best interests of our country, and
should be definitely changed now and
for ali time. / believe in the proper
regulation of public service corpora
tions and in the condition of prepared
ness which will command respect of
all nations. / believe in constructive
legislation for the protection of the
interests of the common people against
the few, and my voice would have been
heard in the senate during this crisis
in our country's history and / would
have been found standing for something
and somewhere.
You, Senator, would have had no
doubt where and for what l stood.
When I entered this campaign I stated
that 81 am more ready to take this step
because it will enable me to empha-
size various issues and public policies
for which | have always stood and still
stand. | an influenced in reaching this
decision by my belief that such deci
sion will not meet the approval of paid
lobbyists, big interests or such news
papers as may sustain them. These ele-
ments have persistently conducted n
campaign of misrepresentation against
the constructive legislation enacted by
the general assembly of 1912, and my
administration as governor, and for
reasons which appeal to Them stand
today theoretically and vociferously
demanding the reelection of the junior
SENATOR
Tn view of the alignment and charac-
ter of your supporters, I was most GER
tainly justified in making the statement
which / did.
Why is it that the st. Adams Messen-
ger, which is owned by Governor Smith,
the president of the Central Vermont
railway, is vigorously supporting you
against the candidate from its own
county whose honesty in dealing with
his fellow men I have not vet heard
questioned? Is it not true that when
you were governor, you called a special
session of the legislature for a specific
purpose and then permitted this SEES
sion to be used for the passage of
measures favorable to the railroads and
express companies, which you signed?
Within the last few weeks on several
occasions, Senator, you have seen fit
to publicly use my name without license
and without truth. You have stated
that you have received offers "of facts
concerning both the public and private
record of the governor which are claimed
to be damaging in the extreme.' What
are these alleged facts, Senator Page?
Or is your method of inuendo and in
situation used solely for the purpose
of harm? You are at liberty to publish
any statement of fact or facts offered
you in relation to my public or private
life, the truth of which You stand ready
to personally avouch, affirm, and be held
responsible for; otherwise l brand your
effort as malicious character assassina.
ton.
You have seen fit, through your
knowledge of your own fortune and
your estimate of mine, to make certain
comparisons which you know to be in
correct, and certain statements relative
to the payment of taxes by both of us.
can appreciate that there may be
some embarrassment for you in squar.
ing your sworn statement made for
taxation purposes with the facts as
they exist, are found and have been ex-
posed by Mr.. Williams and others, but
your embarrassment is not to be les
sened or measured by any act of mine.
I have Mt all times paid my taxes as
provided by laws of the state and on