Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-01-16

Montpelier, Jan. 10.-The complete
text of Governor Clements inaugural
message delivered before the Vermont
Legislature in joint session to-day was
as follows:
INAUGURAL MESSAGE
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Joint Assembly:
The town Is the unit of government in
Vermont. and the meeting of the repre-
sentatives of towns antedated by many
years the formation of the State gov
eminent as it is now constituted. A
meeting of the town representatives
therefore has always been an important
event to the people Of Vermont. This
meeting of the Legislature of 1919 is par
ticularly important on account of the
problems which confront US. and upon
which you will be required to pass your
judgment.
We have been ~intrusted with the man.
agement Of the State affairs for the COM
ing two years. I know hat we approach
the performance Of our duties guided by
a lofty purpose to do our best for the
prosperity of the State. Yet, however
high may be our ideals, howeve much
>ye may hope to accomplish, we may fail
of achievement unless we can at times
lay aside our personal preferences and
act with the majority. Team work is
mo-, necessary for specific performance
in(legislative action than anywhere else.
II at times we find our individual opin-
ion submerged, we may console ourselves
with the thought that, by and large, the
judgment of the Legislature Is better
than the judgment Of any one man in 1t.
When our predecessors last met in this
historic chamber, less than two years
ago., we were entering upon the greatest
war the world has ever known. The his
tory Of the world is the story Of It's wars.
and we I'VE not been slow in making
history since that day. Even two months
ago when we were elected in office, the
slogan Of the country was Everything
to win the war" And now, so quickly
do armies and navies shift the scenes in
times Of war, we face the problems Of
peace. Whatever the League of Nations
or the League to Enforce Peace may do
for the world in the future, Of one thing
we may rest assured: The horrible mem
cries of the struggle through which the
world has Just passed will deter it from
entering upon another great war as long
as we live.
Thanks to the dauntless courage of our
sailors and soldiers, the victory is ours.
AL nOHOT 10 Lie IlODl0 iuSH dilo OiiiS
who have stood close behind our fighters
with material aid and CHEEKY word. We
could not all be on the firing line, but
we have been able to pass up the am
munitlon. All honor to those who have
given their lives in defense Of their coun-
try. In the moment of our victorious
rejoicing the thought Of them comes to
us. Their memory will ever be fresh in
our hearts. Their names are engraved
upon the pages of our country's history.
They are immortal; for their deeds will
live after them.
The Legislature of 1917 provided for the
payment of q small bonus to each en-
listed soldier and sailor during the first
year Of his enlistment. That was during
the period when the federal government
was not paying a proper age. l see
no good reason why men who were draft
ed should not have the same benefit.
The service they performed was equal
and the same. I therefore recommend
that the provisions of Section IS, No.
1853 Of the Acts of 1917, be extended to all
men drafted from Vermont into the naval
or military service Of the United States
not above the rank of private.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
The laws regarding public education
should be modified with regard to trans
p~ortatton and the restoration of the ru-
raj school,. Our farmers are entitled to
have adequate school facilities provided
for their children, and to have the school,
house, wherever possible. SO located as
Ito become the center Of the varied In
kferests OF the community.
The report Of the State board Of edu-
cation will show that during the past
year 600. 2oS.2 was paid for t~ransporta-
ton. OF this amount the State paid 800,
477.21 Under proper arrangement a large
proportion Of this sum would have been
available for the repair and building OF
schoolhouses and for the employment
Of properly qualified teachers. The law
should be so amended as to make trans
p~ortation optional with the school d.
rsctors subject to proper methods of ap-
peal. At the same time the State board
OF education should be given responsible
ity n authority for cooperating with
the towns In the planning, repairing and
building Of rural s~choolhouses.
BOARD OF CONTROL
Your predecessors in the Legislature Of
1917 passed a law placing the control OF
the principal State activities and most OF
the financial transaction of the Stat,
under the supervision of a board Of con,
troll, consisting Of the governor. the au
ditor of accounts, the treasurer, the di
rector Of State institutions. and one othe
member. In my opinion. this board hal
done some important work In the way o
concentrating authority and responsible
ity. but the upward progress of Stat
expenses has not been checked. due per
haps largely to the war. On the con
trary, II shows a net increase for the bi
ennium of 31,671. Ss0.s5 n Judging from
the statement Of the budget committee
you will be faced by the necessity of pro
viding revenue for a still further In
crease unless appropriations are sharp
lily limited and some decided action take
Itowards ~retrenchment.
! believe that the board of control 1
(Well constituted and doing good work
lbut II would seem as though the farmer
LOT Vermont. representing its most i'm
lportant industry-an industry which
Iabaolutely essential to tho very exist