The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-08-21
Supports Proctor

Last week this paper published the
replies to certain questions PROFOUND
ed by some Vermont women to Can
didate Proctor and Foote, WHO seek
the office of governor OF Vermont
On the question reorganzing the
state government, Mr.. Foote suggests
a governors council to succeed the
board of control. Mr.. Proctor sug.
gests the consolidation of several de-
partments, but does not say which
ones. He probably considers ii poll.
tically wiser to wait until after cleo.
ton before telling US.
In the matter of controlling appro,
priations by the legislature, Mr.
Foote would have his reyamped
board of control, consisting OF the
governor and council, all the mem.
bers being state officers and four
members of the legislature constitute
the budget committee their recon,
mendations to so directly to the
floor of the House early in the ses-
sion Mr.. Proctor wants an execu.
tive budget arranged by the incom.
ing administration and reported to
the legislature by the governor early
in the session. Here Mr. Foote
scores on Mr. Proctor. A budget
committee headed by the governor,
but including in its membership four
of the leading members of the legis.
lature, ought to advise the legisla.
ture better than any executive bud.
get system.
Mr. Foote thinks that direct
state tax can be eliminated and need.
ed state revenue raised by indirect
methods Mr.. Proctor believes in
both direct and indirect toxation and
gives some good reasons for his be-
| lief 1t is a safe guess that the eX-
penses of state government will new
er be less than they are now The
problem is not to let them increase
unreasOnably. The activities that can
be taxed by any indirect methods are
either exhausted or already taxed to
the limit. When Mr.. Foote says
Vermont can get along without
direct tax because it did get along
lOl Ntdl . iic hlopldgo ldAh VI Nloluil'
Regarding the appropriation for
handling bovine tuberculosis, both
candidates are nebulous. Mr. FOote
favors an appropriation but when
the amount is suggested he has no
opinion. He passes the buck to the
Legislature. Mr. Proctor is generous
enough to say Il am not in favor of
any increase in the appropriation
and am inclined to think it can be
reduced" The annual appropriation
is now 100000 and Mr. Proctor is
perfectly safe in this position.
Mr.. Foote says nothing regarding
Education He is content to leave
the whole matter to the state board
and the legislature. Mr.. Proctor,
and with good reason, thinks some
thing can be conserved on supervi.
Sion without thpairing tAe quality
of the schools,
Mr. Foote has scheme for build
ing good stone roads for So, 900 per
mile, which the state highway de-
partment ought to look into. Neither
candidate believes in bonding the
state for highway construction.
Both candidates approve of the
work done by the board Of charities
and probation.
I Mr. Foote does not say that he
dsapproyes of the annual appropria-
ton of $4,000 Mr.. Proctor thinks
this amount can be reduced.
Mr. Foote stands squarely by the
primary system Of making nomina-
tons. The opponents of the primary
are mostly in the Proctor camp and
they are quite numerous and positive
in their opinion Naturally. Mr.. Proc
tor steps carefully when he touches
on the primary He says he favors
some changes which will strengthen
the law and is opposed to a repeal by
the next legislature except upon a
referendum, the same method by
which it was established II the
sentiment in favor of repeal is quite
general, referendum is a fair propo
sition
On the whole Candidate Proctor
seems to score over Candidate Foote
by few points His view is broader
and the tendency to hedge not Sc
marked, Bellows Falls Times,