Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1922-07-19

IOT themselves
The trouble comes, as both the Re-
former and others have pointed out,
in an entirely wrong attitude toward
the public business. The average
representative does not consider the
welfare of the state as a whole, but
merely a few matters in which he
and his town and his immediate as
sociates are interested. Get the
bacon" is the accepted and accredited
plan.
This results in a more or less well
defined organization of "pork barrel"
representatives and senators. They
are charged with the. duty of 'get-
ting something" for their towns,
counties or friends, and they subor-
dinate their other duties to that end.
in view and we get a deficit 1egisla-
ture like the present.
States entire surplus and working
balance spent; departments running
up to and beyond their appropria
tons; state work of various kinds
being done on credit or held over for
new appropriations; state tax twice.
as large as it was last year and yet
insufficient to meet expenses; def
cit of perhaps million practically
certain at the end of the next fiscal
period; a dollar state tax probably
necessary to meet the upset costs of
government and the accumulatlng
shortage.
This sounds like pessimist's
view, but is it more gloomy than the
facts call for? The Reformer con-
tinues:
"When The Herald say sthat SER
ious situation will confront the next
legislature it says mouthful. On
one side will be the absolute neces-
sity of curtailing expenditures unless
a confscatory tax rate is to be levi
ed; on the other will be the special
departmental pleaders and tn e
friends of every special activity.
Leaving it to these glib-tongued
folks, as the last legislature was in
clined to do-and as Candidate Foote
seems willing to do-won't put Yer
mont any nearer to living within it's
present income"
This is perhaps not exactly fair to
the lieutenant governor-whose IN
fuence was often exerted for econ
omy but who had no voice or vote in
the transactions of the present leg
islature, but, it points out the very
uncommon type of service which the
next governor of Vermont will be
called upon to make.
It will not be popular service, it
will not be pleasant, it will not be
good fellows job. The Brattleboro
contemporary seems to think well OF
Mr.. Proctor's approach to this diff
cult and popular topic. 1t says:
"What is needed in Montpelier
next January, as pretty well outlined
by Candidate Proctor, is legislature
composed of men who Sincerely de-
sire to have the state live within
twill labor fearlessly to that end
al. or personal appeal" the last
phrase meaning, as the Reformer in
terprets it, with no mercy on special
appropria ton bills, no falling for"
| the departmental sob brotherhood
| and no cherishing of political ambi-
| ton"
| This places the responsibility where
! it belongs - with the individual
| towns originally and with the men
they send up to Montpelier to repre-
sent them. No governor can work
| miracles. He cannot re-make legis-
| latures. He cannot make laws. In
practice he canot amend budget bill
which comes to him during the clos
ing DAYS OF the session. he can veto
certain bills and often make his veto
"stick," but his influence is largely
| indirect and his powers are strictly
| limited by the constitution and the
| statutes.
One of the unexplainable things of
the legislature of 1921 was it's refus-
al to submit an amendment to the
constitution, permitting the governor
to veto separate items in a bill, in
stead of the whole bill. The lcgisla-
] ture therefore, finds itself in this sit
/ uation:
1t refused to give the governor an
effective veto over the budget and it
spent all the money the state had or
expected to have-and then some!
1t not only was a spendthrift itself
! but it went on record against any
governors being permitted to check
such extravaganza.
The Herald has a notion that it
will be some time before another leg
islaturel gets into similar situation,
but no remedy will come unless the
towns send up their men with effec-
tive and positive instructions.
Economy will not "just happen; it
demands leadership and a legislature
with intentions.