The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-16

which provides for the election OF the
highway commissioner by the joint as
sembly, and had spent most of the time
explaining his connection with the
present highway muddle and answer
ing editorial comment in the Burllng
ton Free Press. Mr.. Wishart of Barre
City interrogated Ex-Governor Gates as
to whether he believed that the high :
way commissioner should be elected
by the general assembly.
Ex-Governor Gates replied that he
had not intended to touch upon that
subject. After making other remarks,
he started to return to his seat, when
Mr. Wishart said:
"You haven't answered my question.
Do / understand that you are not in ia
vor of this billy"
81 haven't read the bill replied ex-
Governor Gates.
Mr.. Barber Of Brattleboro, persist
ing in an effort to get the ex-governor's
frankly expressed opinion on the sub
iect, asked if he believed it ought to
be the policy of the state to have heads
of the departments elected by the leg
islature.
"Would you consider this perni-
cious doctrine!' asked Mr. Barber.
'Yes," said the ex-governor, ''as a
general policy. But there is a position
here that do not know how. to solve. 1t
appears to me that deaf ear has been
turned to what I believe is the wish of
the people of the state. ] hoped that
some way might be found to avoid fric-
tion-but if you find that there is, no
other way TO handle question which
you think is right, am not opposed to
House 800.
IF / was in the executive chair .
ex Governor Gates started. then he
stopped. Il guess | have said enough, /"
he ended.
This parley between the x-governor
and members of the House occurred
toward the ciose of the public hearing,
which drew a large number of visitors
to representatives hall yesterday aft
ernoon.
Gates Not Trying to Hamper Hartness.
During the hearing Ex-Governor
Gates told that when he came to Mont
pelier on Feb. 0 he heard talk about
appointing a man from Maine or New
Hampshire as highway commissioner.
He advised against it, he said. Later
he came back TO the educational hear
ing and heard of the appointment being
made.
Ex-Governor Gates said that he was
not trying TO hamper Governor Hart
ness. He said that he believed in prog
ress, but a step at a time, not by rev
olutionary movements.
Before | will sit still and allow
something of that sort to be put over
and not say anything against 1t, | shall
be older than | am now" declared the
ex-governor.
Il have been accused of being at the
head of a great road machine. ! have
had nothing to do with the bill ex
cept TO try to stop the hearing on it
and straighten things out without con-
fiict / believe the state wants our
present highway system. | stand for
the farmers back on the cross roads,
who want TO build roads for Vermont
ers. We stand for a system which
will give every town fair show
The ex-governor then took sccasion
to praise Stoddard b. Bates, the pres
ent highway commissioner, character
izing him as "a man whose Judgment
depended upon in any emergency and
never found wanting"
Again referring to the Smoke
screen which he said certain news
papers were trying to stir up, he asked
how long il had been since an ex gov
ernor couldn't express his VIEWS on
matters of interest to the state.
Il did talk with four or FIVE sen
ators; two OF them | sought an inter
view with, but never asked either of
them TO vote either way, and they
voted for the confirmation Of Mr..
Brooks the ex-governor said.
IF there is any way TO appeal TO the
fCOntiued on fourth pagpA