The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-08-03
Candidates for
Governor Speak

!
| for this purpose at the next ses.
sion, and there may even be some
of this last appropriation left
left over. In a statement made
to the Press April 2, 1922, Judge
Weeks, director of State Institu-
tons, noted the increase in expenS
, of maintaining the State Institu-
tons, noted the increase in expense
ures could be and would be re-
duced.
In the Department of Probation
and Charities, the expense of sup
cruising practitioners can be much
reduced without diminishing the
good work of that department.
From the statement made by the
Auditing Department last winter
the claim was freely made that q
dollar State tax would be neces-
sary for the next biennial term
However, there was found to be
100000 more in the treasury July
/, 1922, than the estimate, OF a
surplus Of over $162,500 Auditor
Gates now estimates that the sur
plus will be about $390.000 on June
80, 1922, or more than ten per cent
of the Grand list of the State. If
this is true, a tax of thirty pei
cent, instead Of FORTY per cent
would have been sufficient for this
year.
| believe we can and should col
lect our revenue without a direct
State tax. The average tax rate
in the towns of the State for this
year is about $3.40, the highest it
has been for at least 60 years.
| believe that there is a lot of
property in this state that is not
being taxed. Frank f. Howe of
Bennington, a former lieutenant
governor, is the authority for the
statement that as much property
is escaping taxation in Vermont
today as is now taxed.
Mr.. Proctor expressed his pleas
ure at meeting the people of Bar
ton. He said his associations in
Orleans county were especially
pleasant as his father went TO
/ school in Barton and all the
worthwhile education he received
as a boy was in Barton schools.
Several companies of the regiment
his father commanded in the Civil
war came from Orleans county
and his father had always spoken
with great affection of the men
who served with him from this
county. He cited the difference in
the comradeship of the men who
/ served in the Civil war from
those in the late war.
Mr.. Proctor said be began his
+ service in the late war as a pri-
vate, shouldermg a gun in the
/ ranks. Before the close of the
war he was major and had come
, in contact with 5000 men, but
never met but one man during the
war, who came from his native
state. He had served with men
from every part of the world in
Guiding one Chinaman, and Mr..
! Proctor declared the Chinaman
was a good soldier.
A third intimate tie with the
county was the fact that the first
man who figured in his political
life was William w. Grout, very
dear friend of his father and Of
, himself
"People of Vermont are very
kcenly interested in public affairs, "
declared Mr.. Proctor. "They are
not very much interested in cam
, paign promises, however. Their
attitude reminds me of the story
OF the colored Pullman porter
who declared that a platform was
to get on and off of, but not to
stand on. | do not intend to bur
den the voters with a long cam
paign platform that | could not
stand on after the election.
"People should take a lot of in
terest in the selection of a candi-
date as the job of the voters is
one that should be taken serious
~. The first questions asked of
the candidates for governor came
from the women voters of Yer
mont and l hope that they were
answered satisfactorily.
"The ladies should remember
that just because they are assess
ed poll tax their duties as to vot-
ing has been completed. They
should be sure their names are on
the town check list and be sure
to vote. They should take their
new prerogative seriously and eX-
ercise it.
Mr.. Proctor said the governor
was rather limited in his power.
He said the duty of the governor
was to enforce the laws, In this
connection he cited that laXity in
enforcement of the law breeds
contempt for the law itself. He
asked the voters not to confuse
the duties of the governor with
those of the legislature. The leg
islature has the sole duty of max
ing the laws. That is why the
voters should look very seriously
upon the men whom they chose to
rapraSnnt them in the LEGISLATURE