The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-18
COMES TO DEFENCE
OF BOARD OF CONTROL
Roland F. Stevens Objects to State
ment Credited to Lats Gov
ernor Fletcher.

ernor Fletcher.
Editor of the Banner:--In TN edi-
torial in the May 18th issue OF the
Burlington Free Press, II is stated
that ex-Goy. Fletcher was to have
spoken before the New England Sec
tion Of the American Association OF
College Women this week.
One paragraph in this editorial has
strongly attracted my attention and
has moved me to address this com
munication to you and the editors Of
other Vermont papers, in the hope
that II may be published immediate
B ly and in season TO prevent, II pos
sib.e, a broadcasting of misiniorma-
tlon concerning the official acts Of
the Board of Control quote the
paragraph.
Governor Fletcher found that the
/ Vermont Board OF Control has just
set aside around $2,000,000 for road
purposes, and he was to ask the wo-
men TO help ascertain just how much
money is spent uselessly or waste
I fully as he believed as a practical
problem in politics and government.
He, by the way, utterly condemned
the idea OF Board OF Control as
ca culated to enable a governor TO
dodge responsibility on the one hand
and TO usurp the functions of the leg.
islature on the other. In either case
divided responsibility resulted, and
that is always fatal to the best gov
ernment."
/ II the address prepared by ex-Gov.
Fletcher Is to be read at the meeting
Of the New England Section of the
American Association OF University
Women. and II that address contains
a paragraph Of similar import to the
one / have quoted, it surely ought to
Z be omitted entirely or very greatly
modified.
The Board of Control has not to my
knowledge, just set aside $4,000 900
for road purposes IL has not set aside
one dollar, even, for road purposes II
has no power or authority to appro-
pirate money for any purpose,
TIE auditor Of accounts. with the
approval Of the Board Of Control, is
authorized to transfer to any institu.
| ton or department such amounts
from the contingent appropriation es-
! tablished by the Legislature as may
be necessary TO carry on the work Of
that institution or department after
its specific appropriation has been ex.
hausted But the aggregate Of these
transfers cannot exceed the sum Of
one hundred thousand dollars in a fis-
cal year
It Governor Fletcher believed that
the Board OF Control usurped the
functions Of the Legislature. and ap.
Ipropriated millions OF dollars for state
purposes he was quite right in con.
demning the idea OF a Board OF Con.
troll. But such belief must have been
founded on very erroneous nfor.
nation.
II the Board OF Control was calcu.
lated (as do not believe il was) TO
enable a governor to dodge respon-
sibility on the one hand and to usurp
/ the Functions OF the Legislature on
TIE other II has missed such calcu.
lation a governor would need be a
very agile and artful dodger to re.
main in hiding long behind the Board
OF Control as at present constituted.
am not ready to say that the
Board OF Control is as useful to the
economic life of the state as II could
be made to be by the Legislature but
b ! am certainly ready to say, and feel
compelled to say, that II the editorial
referred to accurately reflects ex-Gov
D IFiaf ahArfa fdnn nT ~, Of "a
Board OF Control that idea must have
benn rounded on grave misinforma.
ton. | believe that the New England
Section OF University Women will a.
gree that tie Board of Control ought
/ not be condemned on Suppositious
statements merely They might be in.
terested to know how this Board is
constituted. and what II Is really in.
tended TO do. Perhaps II they had
first hand knowledge of II they would
feel that it ought to be improved
rather than condemned and abolished.
A few weeks before Governor Flet.
cher's sudden and lamented death |
discussed certain state matters with
/ him and, according to our agreement
was to have continued the discussion
at such times as we could find con.
venient. His unexpected death is most
unfortunate. II his life had been
spared he would, | believe, have been
very helpful in the movement to
straighten out our economic affairs.
In my discussion with him he lid not
convey to me the idea that he regard.
ed the Board of Control as a usurper
of Legislative functions or as reck.
less spender of the States money.
Hartford, Vermont
May 10, 1922
Roland Il. Stevens.
Member of the Board