Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-04-25


elect delegates 10 Chicago. / then
went actively into the political cam
paign, speaking IN five states up TO
and including the night before the
November election Returned here IN
November and did not miss q session
thereafter, excepting when going TO
Vermont at the opening of the legls-
lature on a matter relating TO feder-
a. aid for our soldiers home On
coming here was placed on two COM
mitteeS, reform in the civil service
and irrigation of arid lands
The firSt-named committee has lu-
riSdiction of legislation covering the
whole field Of the classified service,
and matters IN which thousands or
civil service employees are Interested.
With others of the committee and
representative of various organlza-
tiOnS, have spent weeks IN formula
ting q retirement and annuity bill
which I was selected to introduce and
manage on the floor of the house.
The committee on arid lands has
jurisdiction OF legislation relating TO
the immense reclamation projects IN
volving the expenditure OF millions of
dollars with 3 revolving fund of one
hundred million dollars. 1t Is direct
" concerned at the present time with
methods 10 increase the food prod
uctS OF the country 10 meet the war
demand Able men from different
parts OF the country, some of whom
are serving their eighth term, have
been assigned 10 this committee be-
cause Of their experience IN large
business enterprises. Any man fam
liar with the committees OF the house
knows that these are not unImpor-
tant, and It is known TO my col
leagues that I have considered them
important enough for attentive and
active service.
He asks what I have done TO bring
about preparedness.
Ny alignment has been in every
instance with the minority, which has
been opposed by the leader of the ma
jOrity party and so many members
from both parties that they could
control by an easy ma orIty the whole
house
am recorded as voting for every
preparedness measure that passed
the house and for every proposition
along this line that did not pass For
instance. I was among the few who
Strenu0uSly advocated and voted for
the proposed amendment TO increase
the standing army TO two hundred
and fifty thousand men, which was
voted down by seventy-nine majority.
/ have been quoted IN the metropoli-
tan press among those whose posi-
ton on this subject was most radical
when the necessity for such action
was not so clear as II Is at this time
he asks what / did 10 prevent the
revenue legislation that increased the
taxes on the people OF New England
y
South
In this I was among the few VINO
opposed such legislation at every op-
portunity against many strong men
OF my own party, who united with the
al0rlty party TO pass II I voted
against this measure that passed the
house by Just 100 majority Ny DO
sIti0n On this question was empha-
sized wherever / spoke during the
last political campaign
He says that last summer the
members Of the Vermont National
Guard entered the service Of the fed
eFaI government and went TO the
Mexican border clothed and equipped
at the expense Of the state Of Yer
mont Their equipment vas con
demned BY the national government
and the boys sent home without any
L
equipment that was taken from them.
He asks II I have done anything 10
secure justice for the state OF Yer
mont and It's troops II this matter.
Respecting this the adiutant gen
eral OF Vermont says:
The regiment was not eauiUped
for the Mexican border service at the
expense OF the state The clothing
and equipment with which the troops
were then supplied was the property
Of the federal government, and had
been issued 70 the National Guard IN
der the federal law
1T Is true that much OF this equip
ment was worn oft IN the federal ser
vice and that the same has not been
yet replaced by the federal govern
ment- This condition is due TO the
failure of congress at its last session
20 make sufficient appropriations TO
furnish equipment for the National
Guard"
The measures referred TO failed to
become law, as al who are familiar
with the subject know, after they left
the house and because OF conditions
( that existed n another part OF the
/ capitol
He says the pOstof7ce department
/ n its efforts TO economic has dis
/ continued mail service on some of the
F trains greatly curtailing the service
+ Of people n his section He asks
+ what I have done 70 prevent this.
This Is q department matter that
Z could not have come 70 the attention
4 Of a member IN the performance Of
I ms legislative duties Il these condi-
f tons exist. no effort 20 have them
Z remedIed has been made known to
me
He asks where IN the committee
Z appointments they are placing me.
As the Republican members have
I not Jet been named excepting on
{ committees 70 which war measures
f demand quick reference, this question
( viii have % wait the viii Of those n
& charge Of this matter.-NOrthfield
& Ee-