Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1919-08-01
A VERMONT NEED.


state is in danger of losing thousands
of acres of its best farming land and
hundreds of thousands of dollars worth
of its industries located along the west
ern banks of the Connecticut river. But
it is. If New Hampshire substantiates
its claim that the extreme high water
mark on the western side of the Con
necticut river is the western boundary
of that state, Vermont will lose a great
amount of valuable territory and prop
erty. Not only will it lose valuable
farming land and industrial plants but
many miles of railroad that have al
ways been taxed in Vermont.
The claim of New Hampshire is as
damaging as the claims of New York
in the early history of this state and
should be contested as vigorously as
the Green Mountain Boys defended
their rights and honor New Hampshire
is levying taxes upon this Vermont
property today just as persistently as
the New Workers undertook to levy trib-
ute from the Vermont pioneers. Yer
mont is receiving taxes from the same
property and if the New Hampshire
claim is established the state of Yer
mont and the towns where the property
| is located will have to return many
thousands of dollars to all interests
/ - No1,, uornncbira
New Hampshire is pushing its claim
in the supreme court of the United
States and the state of Vermont is
| defendant IN the case. The case has
been entered and commissioners appoint
ed to take the evidence and prepare it
for submission to the court. New Hamp'
shire has had an attorney for three
wears digging out evidence in its be
half and getting ready to present 1T to
the court. There is no knowing how
soon she may demand hearings before
the commissioners and the presentation
of whatever evidence Vermont may
have.
Vermont is represented in this crucial
litigation by its attorney general who
happens at present to be person en-
rely destitute of knowledge of this
case. Furthermore, he is so busy will
the other duties of his office he has NJ
opportunity to study and prepare this
case. 1t will be impossible for him t.
comply with the law and represent thu
state in all the homicide cases coming
before the courts, to prosecute the othe
criminal cases before the courts anC
give the necessary time to prepare thi
case before the supreme court.
The ablest attorney of Vermont coul'
not properly investigate the federal
state, county and town records touching
upon this matter in less than the tw
years term of an attorney genera
even if he should direct his whole tim
to the work. The attorney general eel
tainly cannot do it and meet all his 9th
er obligations.
7 This case is too important, involve
too great property interests and stat
rights, to allow it to be lost by defaul
The claims of New Hampshire must b
proven false in the highest court O
the land or Vermont will lose its cas-
The governor of Vermont should q
quickly as possible secure the service
of one of the state S ablest attorney
demand his full time to the preparatio
of the evidence in order that the state
interests may be ably defended. Ever
= days delay gives New Hampshire il
creased advantage and no governor ca
II be justified in neglecting the needs {
II Vermont in this matter.