The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-06
VIEWS OF LOCAL
OFFICE HOLDERS
Expressions of Opinion as to
Governor Graham's Rec
concentrations
THINK MESSAGE
BUSINESS DOCUMENT
Attorney General, Judge of Probate, Su-
perior Judge, Municipal Court Judge
and Member of Industrial Accident
Board Interviewed.

Gov. Horace F. Graham s reeommen-
dations to the legislature affect vari-
Gus Brattleboro office holders, and be-
eanse of that fact The Reformer has
interviewed the persons concerned
with respect to their views Of particu-
lar parts of the message. What they
hal to say is presented herewith.
Governor Graham recommends that
the salary of the attorney general.
which is now $4,000, be made $4,000.
and that officer should not have the
right to contract for assistance in be-
half OF the state without the approval
of the board of control, or for detective
service in excess Of 5000 without the ap-
proval of the board. Attorney General
Herbert G. Barber, when interviewed,
said that although it was common in
other states to have fixed sum appro-
prlated for such purposes there was in
this state no limitations except the
judgment OF the attorney general. He
said that so far as he was concerned he
would be willing not to expend any
money for assistance or detective SER
vice except on the approval of the gov
ernor He says the message is we'll
thought-out document and deserves care
full consideration. In relation to the
present system of courts Attorney Gen
eral Barber said he would not wish to
go on record as saying that there was
no merit in the present system or that
the proposed plan would not be better.
Superior Judge E. L. Waterman
thought that it would not be becom-
ing for him to discuss the recommen-
dation that the superior court be done
away with and that the number of
justices of the supreme court be in
creased from five to nine, at least at
this stage of the matter. If the recon-
mendation is carried out it is general
/ ly believed among the lawyers and
others here that Judge Waterman
would stand good chance Of beeom-
ing a supreme court judge.
| Judge Frank L. Barber of the munic-
ipal court did not wish to make any
specific statement as to the recommen
dation that the municipal and city
courts be reorganized into II district
courts, but he said that the message
was a splendid business document and
called for the management of the
state g business along lines on which
all big business is conducted.
Governor Graham recommends that
in the counties where there are two
probate districts, with perhaps the ex-
ception of Windsor and Orange coun-
ties, the probate districts be eonsolidat-
ed into one district for each county.
Judge A. f. Schwenk of this district
SAYS he is perfectly willing that the Of
fees at Brattleboro and Bellows Falls be
consolidated if that is the desire of the
Legislature, but he doubts il the saw.
ing in expense would be material. The
records of this district practically fill
the vault and there is no vault at Bel
lows Falls. The construction of vault
sufficient to hold the records of both
offices would mean large initial ex-
pense. However, one judge could alter
nate between the two places, leaving
the records as they are now.
1 Sanford A. Daniels of the industrial
accident board stated relative to the
recommendation that a commissioner of
industries should perform the duties
of the accident board and factory in
spector and should look after the en-
foreement of the child labor laws and
those concerning the weekly payment of
wages that he would be satisfied to
have the plan tried out, but that from
his knowledge of the duties of the board
the work would be a tremendous lob
for one man. Many of the persons on
the state boards and commissions are
personal friends of Governor Graham,
Mr.. Daniels said, and in proposing these
radical changes the governor shows that
he is a man of high integrity and pur-
pose. He considers Mr.. Graham better
qualified to draft a constructive pro-
gram than any other man connected
with state affairs.
Forestry exnnrts have found that .