The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-08-05
FLETCHER DEPLORES
VTS EXTRAVAGANCE

FLETCHER DEPLORES
VTS EXTRAVAGANCE
Ex-Governor Does Not Lay Blame
Entirely on Legislature
However
Jericho, Aug. 3.--The Browns River
Study club, a new organization in this
1Jwn, with So women members, held its
first function on the school house lawn
this evening and gained prominence
Immediately.
! With two ex-governors and state
senator present there was oratory to
satisfy the starving mind and utter
ances were made TO cause the thought
full to deliberate for days to come. The
Bur ington Military Band furnished
music, electric lights and decorations
completed pleasing scene, while au-
tomobile horns added to the applause
of hands.
There was an audience of many hun.
dreds. Teams and automobiles filled
the street. the church yard and many
lawns People came from the north
as far as st. Adams and there was
scarcely town in Chttenden county
that was not well represented.
ExGov, Allen NJ. Fletcher was the
first speaker, being introduced by F..
S. Tomlnson, who was the Jericho
member In the Legislature of 1912. the
year Governor Fletcher was the execu-
tive.
In beginning his address, Governor
Fletcher asked the occupants OF the
back seats to move forward and they
id. He began his address by telling
story OF an automobile trial in his
county in WHICH he addressed the jury.
the lawyer for the defense telling him
to do his best and when he finished
that he (the lawyer would clear up
the work. The governor said that af-
ter he had completed his address that
Ex Governor Gates and Senator Villas
would no doubt proceed to clean up
the wreck.
The governor first addressed him
self to the ladies', saying; Il don't
know what course you are going to
take with the franchise that has been
given you-whether you are to be
Republican Of Democrat, but no mat
ter what your course, you are go ng
to no d the balance of power. What
wiuld like to see would be that you
cast your vote for that which is best.
You are familiar with all kinds of
agencies-the book agent, the lightn-
ing rod agent, etc. In embarking in
the political field you are going to
encounter every kind OF element.
Much will be promised you by the see
kers for office. If you find those who
live up to their promises you should
keep them in office.
Referring to his speech made some
weeks ago at Essex Junction. in which
he stated that the Legislature had
made appropriations reaching $4,000.
600 dol ars for each year OF the bienn-
ial period, the governor stated that
a ready this year the amount reached
the S5000,000 mark, according to
statement issued by the auditor.
The governor corrected one. state.
ment OF his Essex Junction speech as
st appeared in some papers, TO the
effect that responsibility was equally
divided between the Legislature and
the governor, but that the Legislature
was wholly responsible when II passed
a measure over the governors veto
For the present situation regarding
the expense of operating the State
government, the governor did not lay
the blame entirely upon the recent
Legislature, He said the tendency to.
ward extravaganza arr paternalism
had been going on some years, and
that this idea that honesty could be
,egslated into the people he had heard
from the pulpit and at higher institu-
tions of learning. But. he said.
''you cannot legislate to bring about
the idealistic condition that has been
talked here and abroad. Paternalism
is going to ask the State and nation
to do what we should do ourselves.
1t means parting with much that Is
best in us"
The speaker saw in the drift to.
ward paternalsm the curbing Of am.
bit,on, with the exception OF that
which was desired to make life easy
coming from government, and this he
did not believe possible; in fact i'm
possible.
He spoke of the road situation much
as he referred to the same subject in
his speeches at Essex Junction and
at Lake Bomoseen
Speaking of the high State tax as
it effects the farm the governor said
that the result will be to lessen farm
va'ues and cause q still greater loss
of population.
Ex-Governor Gates was introduced
by +. S. Jackson, the Jericho member
of the house of representatives the
year the governor was the executive.
He spoke on the road situation. de
Tending the policy in force when he
was highway commissioner