Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-01
THE HAR1,NEss PROGRAM

choose between his nomination and an.
other third party movement.
THE HARTNEss PROGRAM
That tho people 81 Vermont have want
Ell to sec our commonwealth do ihjnYs"
present adinu,st~at,on in Vermont was
expected to do, but a mere "busircss adj
ministrat!cn is not enough ~ seek. iudg-
ing from present experiences. We need
an executive with certain degree OF
vision as we'll as of pep and go-aheads-
tiveness IL our commonwealth is to dc
things as our people want things done.
The program formulated by the lion.
James Hartress gives promise of precise
ly what the people of Vermont have long
wanted in this direction It appeals to the
press of the State. The st. Adams Mes
senger comments on the program in part
as follows:
1t is encouraging that q man has arisen
who is content to base his candidacy on
set Of issues instead of on the old time
political horse-shedding For too long
hero in Vermont our politics have been
! personal and the State has suffered as
result. Mfr. Hardness submits a definite
program to tho people and virtually says
that II they want to have a Vermont mod
eled after that fashion he asks that they
vote for him.
1t is impossible to discuss the document
fully In a single editorial because it is so
full of meat that space is not available
But it will furnish material for editorial
writer's Tor a long period to come. What
ever the result Of the campaign may be,
Mr.. HARNESS has set IN a new milestone
+ on our political highway.
| The statement makes IL plain that Mr.
FAIRNESS reaches down to fundamentals
and then evolves plan that fits both
the fundamentals and the aspirations Of
the people of the state. He lays no claim
to political magic that will enable him to
conjure up money from nowhere but he
does set forth a plan by which new val
ues VIII be created and new values
mean new tax sources. new tax
creasing the individual burden. even les
creasing tho Individual burden, even les
SEEMING it, and more revenue means that
we can nave better roads. schools, more
aid to the farmers. and all the other
things which the people desire.
This is not an attempt to raise ourselves
ny our bootstraps; it entails work and
progress. 1t is not campaign buncombe,
for Mr. Hardness suggests for the State
only that which he has seen accomplish
ed. and great part of which he was, in
MS nome town where. in a single tyne
OF industry alone, the income of the peo.
pie was increased from $4,000 year in
1889 to s7!ooO,tO0 last year.
That Is a substantial progress. No won.
der tn" town Of Springfield is held before
the public as IN example of enterprise
and progress Yet 1t all came about nv
Following logical plan and in spite OF
natural handicaps which would prove dis
couraging to All average community. I,
must be remembered that Springfield IL
Six or seven miles from a railroad line
Its transportation is over an electric road
The Messenger believes that the peopl.
OF Vermont will grasp the opportunit,
to adopt progressive program of de
Velopment, not as an experiment, for tn,
experimentation has already been car
ried out with Springfield as n laboratory
but as something proven to be possib,,
and OF great benefit. The Messenger be
lieves that new spirit is moving tn,
voters and that they will cry, "enougl
, OF petty selfish politics"
The time has come when the people
are ready to elect a governor for wha
, ne can do for the State instead Of to con
fer an honor upon him. The governorsbi,
ought to be a working post. not NOR
: dignity and honor. The dignity and homo
, VIII come from the measure and oualit,
or performance in the office.
. At any rate. Vermont is at the eros
I roads. She can select the path OF proe
ress by electing a working governor witt
program Of development. or she ca,
3 turn once again into a bypath by selectin
. governor on personal grounds. who ad
4 vances the customary sweetish and stick
platform and who will be content wit
Q filling the office in the old time way.
II Vermont wants the builder, Hartnes
o is the man. If Vermont wants good road
: In reality instead Of being content I
t make speeches about them and TO forr
t organizations which never get them,
will elect Hardness. but II the State want
o to 20 through the same old motions an
r find herself no further advanced at tn
d end Of the administration. Mr.. Hartnes
y probably won't DO elected. So. II Vernon