Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-02
CANDIDATE BABB|1T
OUTLINES PLATFORM
Believes That Towns Should Use
Their Money for Cross Roads
and State Keep Up Trunk
Lines-Would Restore Rural
School Houses

Frederick II Rabbit Of Bellows Falls
was the last Of the Republican candidates
for the gubernatorial nomination to speak
before the Chamber OF Commerce on the
issues Of the present campaign at the
Hotel Vermont Thursday, and within a
short time outlined to the hundred or
more present the constructive policy In
which he believed. The meeting was
marked by considerable enthusiasm and
it was easy to see that many of Mr..
Rabbits supporters were In the dining
room.
Mr.. Rabbit was presented by Frank
r. Mcintosh, president Of the Chamber
OF Commerce. who stated that the speaker
needed no introduction and he therefore
merely named Mr.. Rabbit. In beginning
his address, Mr.. Babbitt said that he
would make his statement brief because
he realized that he was talking to busy
business men such as he had tried to be
all his life.
The speaker first referred to some or
the insinuations which had been made re-
gardng the conduct of his campaign. He
had no criticism to make regarding the
methods pursued by other candidates but
said that he did not believe the demands
Of good citizenship or the exigencies or
the campaign called for any refutatton
Of tho absolutely baseess insinuations
that had been made about him and re-
garding the conduct of his campaign. He
made point with his audience when
he stated that "a one-sided argument
seldom becomes strenuous enough to re-
quIre the presence of the police" He ex-
planned that because of the law restrict
ing newspaper advertising, he had toured
the State extensively In the last few
he 10 hat NJ
there were in Vermont 2s newspapers who
had taken up his candidacy and. this
without emoiument or solicitation.
Mr.. Babbitt came out strongly for
restoration OF the rural school house. a
moro progressive and economical high
way policy due consideration for the
agricultural and Industrial interests. and
care in the expenditure Of public funds
He reiterated his stand regarding the
Volstead act. He did not believe the
present law was effective because it was
defeating the purpose for which it was
enacted He was Of the opinion that
when a law became useless 1t would be
abolished.
A strong constructive feature or his
policy was a plan by which the towns
could use their own money for cross
roads and the State keep up the trunk
of much use to the farmer If he couldn't
get on to them more than a few weeks
| In the year. He did not believe that Yer
mont with it's resources, could AFFORD
cement roads costing between $4,000 and
| $4,000 per mile. He thought that Vermont
could make good roads out of her own
materials, and explained the sort of road
| he favored He also advocated scheme
by which portable stone crushers could
be purchased by the state and loaned to
! the smaller towns at cost. He told of the
plan to tax the heavier automobiles which
has been advocated by another candidate.
The plan was all right and had been dis
| cussed for the past ten years without
| anything being done. The total amount
! witch could be raised from this source
has been variously estimated at between
$4,000 and $4,000 and would therefore not
| he enough TO accomplish anything like
| what had been claimed for II.
| In connection with his support of the
rural districts. Mr.. Babbitt said that in
his travels about the State he found that
some unnecessary hradships had been
| worked on many of the smaller towns
and that correction was called for.
| Farm property has been unnecessarily
| cheapened in many sections and one OF
| the reasons for this is the adjustment OF
the rural school. He wanted in every
community a school house through which
every child could climb the ladder TO a
higher education.
| In speaking Of the sources OF revenue
| for the trunk line roads and in sub
stantiation OF his claims that the State
| could take care of them. Mr. Babbit'
thought that one source of revenue which
| couldbe obtained would be the taxing OF
the roadside signs. This Is already being
done In many States, Not only would
money be furnished but at ne present
times there are many old and useless
signs. These eyesores obliterate the
scenery They are there now because 1t !:
cheaper to let them stay than to teal
them down. They would be- removed
quickly If they became source of ex
pense. The State. according to the las
estimates, will receive about 100000 from
automobile taxes. The federal government
stands ready to contribute 100000 NOR,
II matched by the state. This sum alone
amounting to $i,6OOOOO, would be avail
able for the trunk line work.
The entire talk of Mr.. Rabbit was II
| reiteration of the platform on which h,
stood six months ago. He got laugh
| when he referred in kindly manner t
the fact that one of his competitors hat
very deftly stepped from his own plat
form on to the one which Mr.. Babbit
adopted six month ago