Presenting Joel McCrae as Jace Pearson in Tales of the Texas Rangers, tales of the Texas Rangers, authentic stories from their official files, Texas more than 260,000 square miles, and 50 men who make up the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America. Now from the files of the Texas Rangers come these stories based on facts. Only names, dates and places are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. Tonight's transcribed case, dead or alive. At exactly 9.13 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, 1947, the French freighter Grand Camp, carrying a highly explosive cargo of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, blew up in the harbor at Texas City, Texas. It was the first in a chain of explosions as chemical plants, tin smelters and oil refineries disappeared in blasts and flame. Shortly after 1 a.m. the next morning, the major chain reaction was set off. The explosions rocking the city of Galveston 10 miles across the bay, where excited crowds gathered in the streets watching the raging flame pierce sky. X-ray, X-ray, Texas City death toll, 300, hundreds more mists and scores of bodies unidentified. Yeah, give me one, here. Read about it, unidentified death toll. Where are the names, Vance? Where's the list of the dead? They only got a few of them identified. Well, is Ralph's name there? Wait a minute. No, no, he's probably all right. A working square like him would be. But he worked at one of the refineries, they're burning. Stop blubbering. Want to attract attention to me? No, no, Vance, no, but he is my brother. I gotta worry about him, too, don't I? Yeah, yeah, come on. Over here in this doorway. Look at that blaze over there across the bay. What a spot, the cleaner. Money, jewelry, must be laying around the streets. Just wait!  There'll be police there. Range is your enough trouble now. Yeah, yeah, live your rights. But I'm gifting out of it, now, for good. And that place over there is gonna do it. Maybe your brother Ralph is one of the dead they haven't identified. You gotta go there, baby. If he is, you'll have to identify him. If he is there, and with the ones they don't know, there's nothing you can do to help him. But you can help me. Vance, what do you mean? Well, if you find him there, baby, you can identify the body and say it's mine. Vance! You want me in the clear, don't you, baby? They won't be chasing after me if they think I'm dead, don't you see? But my own brother, what are you asking me to do? I'm asking you, dude, as you're told. If you want to walk out of me, go ahead, but if you don't, you're gonna want me to keep on running for the rest of my life? Well, let him get me and send me to Huntsville for 10 to 20. Oh, I don't want anything that happened to you, Vance. You know that. Well, then show me, baby, show me. You can't help Ralph. He's over there, but you can't help me, don't you see? I'll get out of here tonight, and I'll let you know when to meet me. Maybe at that resort place we pass near Lake Bluewater. It'll be free, baby, you and me, free from their arms. But how? What'll we do for money? That'll be taken care of, too. As a safe and land-stone, I've been itching to get at it for a long time. One last box job, baby, and enough to see us through. Now, go ahead, right now. And remember, if you find your brother, he ain't Ralph Brenner, he's me, Vance Younger.  And then on its gravy, nobody ever arrests a dead man. By Friday morning, April 18th, more than 200 bodies, many still unidentified, were laid out in the Texas City High School gymnasium. Texas Rangers, including Ranger Jase Pearson, were on hand to help distort relative's make identification. Help me. You're sure your husband isn't in any of the other places where bodies are being held? No, no, Ranger. He may be all right. Lots of men have been so busy helping others, he may be one of those. Oh, it only he isn't here. That's hope he isn't. The embalmers are still working on more bodies over at McGar's garage. It's the only place handy. Keep your hopes up, but don't hope too much for a while. I'll be all right. As well start looking through this next row now there. They're pretty bad cases. Recognize anything on this one? No. This? No. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry, ma'am. Are you sure? That ring on his finger. I gave it to him a long time ago. It isn't easy, but try and get a grip. I'm all right, Ranger. You better give me the name for the tag. His name is Vance. My husband, Vance Young. The name burned in my mind like a branding iron. There was no time to ask her, and yet I had to ask. It was part of my job. I waited until we got out into the street. There's some information I have to get from you, Mrs. Young, about your husband. All right. Did he have a criminal record? Did you know we were looking for him for a string of safe crime? Oh, does that matter now? He's dead, isn't he? Yes, I'm sorry. You'll find some men at the desk in that building across the way. They'll help you with funeral arrangements. All right. Thank you very much. Vance Young. Hey, Jace! Huh? Oh, hello, Kurtz. Captain Simpson wants us. Where is he? He's in the hospital unit. Let's go. I'll be glad when this assignment is over. I hope we never see another one like it. Yeah. Let's help with five identifications today. You stand there with somebody and see their life fall apart because of a freak accident. The woman who just left, did she find somebody? Yeah, her husband. Kurtz? It was Vance Young. Vance Young? The Knobknocker? Yeah. It's like the explosion ended his case for our files. Don't you think we better check the body for prints and marks? I got it too badly. She identified him by a ring.  I thought of that too, except for one thing. That woman's grief was real. She wasn't faking it. A week of horror and nightmares till the fires in Texas City were controlled and stopped and men with tight lips and grim courage started to rebuild the ruins. Most of us Rangers went back to regular duty in our regular areas. Then one day, well, but Kurtz and I had just finished a routine job and were driving back to headquarters. A call came through via a short wave. KTXA to Unit 10. KTXA to Unit 10. Unit 10 to KTXA. Go ahead, KTXA. Unit 10 proceed immediately to Landstone, Texas, Arthur County. Safe of mercantile store burglarized there at 4 a.m. today. Crime reported by ONO and store open at 9 30 a.m. this date. Any lead on responsible subject? Subject unidentified but known to be one man working alone, according to information given by Watchman. Watchman was overpowered, being treated at Landstone Emergency Hospital. Units 10 and 6 proceeding to Landstone will keep KTXA informed, Unit 10, 10-4. Assignment authority, Captain Sniffson. KTXA, Austin. Landstone, about 40 miles, Jason. Yeah. Knobknockin' job, huh? Yeah. At least though there's one safe specialist we can eliminate right from scratch on this one. Oh, Vance Young. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about him. Dead men don't rob safes, do they? The Landstone Mercantile Store at 1150 and Sheriff Joe Pastrone showed us through. These back rooms are used for storage. He came in through the back, went through that door over there to the general office. That's where the safe is. How'd he get into the building? Of course, the Watchman will let him in. Watchman patrols this whole area, door shaker. He has keys to get into all the stores if he sees anything that looks funny. He must have met the safecracker outside. Yeah, I guess so. Watchman was pretty dazed this morning, with the darkest passion of him up at the hospital. Deputy, he'll drive him back here as soon as his head's fixed. Now, as you can see, we've been over everything for fingerprints. You find any? Sure, hundreds. They probably all belonged employees of the store. The best bet is to check the prints on the safe first. Already did that. Only two sets. Owner of the store and the bookkeeper. Well, that won't tell us anything, Jayce, unless one of them robbed the store. That isn't likely. Better have a look at the safe now, Sheriff. Sure thing. That last office back here. What make is a safe, Sheriff? It's a Will's Atlas new model. That's a tough box, Jayce. Steel and wrought iron plates and more alarm wires and the marionette show. Yeah, but a good safecracker could divert the alarm circuit without tripping it. Then the box is a cinch because he's got the wire holes to start working on. You figured it, Jayce. Backplate blown clean out. Yeah, and didn't even have to drill. Small nitro charges in the wire holes and it was as good as having a combination. Here's where you chump the alarm circuit. Neat hookup all right. You take the pictures of all this, Sheriff? Yeah, I can pick up a set of my office if you like. Thanks. Oh, Winky. Howdy, Sheriff. Rangers. I've been waiting for you. Now, this is a watchman. How's your head? Well, Aspen ain't going to help at any. I'll tell you that. You going to get the fro? I'm going to be able to answer that better when my fingerprints are checked. Fingerprints? He ain't going to find any he left. He's wearing gloves. Figured, Jayce. Yeah. Tell me, Winky, would you recognize the man if you saw him again? Could you pick out his picture? Yeah. If that his picture took a sack over his head, I could. That ain't likely. And his face was covered? And a sack over his head like a tool here. Holes for the eyes. He ain't going to catch them by no fingerprints or pictures. Maybe you ain't going to catch them at all. Oh, I wouldn't say that, Winky. Sheriff, would you mind going down to your office for prints of the pictures of the scene here? I'd like them sent onto my headquarters for an M.O. check. Sure. Take care of it right away. What kind of check is an M.O. check, Winger? It means modus operandi, Winky. All criminals have definite methods and habits. They're repeated on each job they do. Forms a pattern. Well, there's sure a pattern here, all right, Jayce. Method of entry. Where that circuit was jumped. Sack mask. Nitro charge in the Y-holes. Yeah. And it fits three men. Three safecrackers we've followed before. Yeah. There's Bert Larkin. He's still doing time in Folsom for a job he pulled on the coast. Yeah. And the other two are Jack Fontaine and Vance Young. Yeah, but Young is dead. That leaves us Fontaine. You mean you know who did it without nothing to tell you? There's plenty to tell us. Modus operandi can be almost as good as a fingerprint or a signature. I'll be waned. Maybe that fellow's gonna pay off for slugging me after all and for hurting my arm when he grabbed me on the alley there. How'd he grab you? Show me. Go ahead. Show me. On you? Well, let's see. He whipped my arm up behind me like this. Then he jabbed a thumb up behind my ear like this. Sure hurts, don't it? Sure does. Well, you can let go now. Judo still fits Fontaine, Jace. Yeah. Or Vance Young. He used it too on other jobs. When did he slug you? After he made me open up the back door and let him in.  Sneaked nothing. That's why I didn't get on to him at first. Heard him come walking through the alley toward me like he's taken a shortcut. You heard him? Yeah, it was dark. So I didn't see the mask until a little match. He asked for a light, see? Then he grabbed me and he got me inside here and beat on me and kicked me. Jace, that doesn't sound like Fontaine. It wasn't Fontaine. He always sneaked a watchman from behind and they never heard him. He always wore sneakers. Well, then who? Vance Young. That match trick is Vance Young's. But Young is dead? Maybe yes, maybe no. But I know one thing. I'm going to find out. You are listening to Tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jace Pearson. And now we continue with tonight's case Dead or Alive, an authentic story from the files of the Texas Rangers. I headed for Texas City in Galveston. Kurtz and I had no way to move until we knew for certain whether Vance Young was dead or alive. As we drove, I put through a request for headquarters to dig up some information. We were still on the road when KTXA came up with the answers. KTXA to Unit 10. KTXA to Unit 10. Unit 10 to KTXA. Go ahead, KTXA. Have information you requested. Woman who identified body of Vance Young in Texas City gave name as Lillian Young, residing at 410 Harbor Lane, Galveston. Deceased was wearing ring used in identification. Has subject Lillian Young claimed ring? No claim has been filed yet. Ring is still being held at property claims in Texas City. Unit 10 also requested check on place where body identified as Vance Young was originally found. Body was among those recovered from debris of amalgamated refinery plant 7. Unit 10 believes identification may have been falsified. Possibility Vance Young still alive. Units 10 and 6 continuing investigation may be tied in with robbery in Landstone, Texas. Proceed and keep KTXA informed. Authority, Captain Stinson. Unit 10, 10-4. KTXA, Austin. You get that address, Kurtz? Yeah. 410 Harbor Lane, Galveston. If we're right, she may have cleared out by now, but we've got to try it. What do you want me to do? I'll drop you at Texas City. Get that ring and check every living person who worked at amalgamated. See if any of them remember that ring and the man who wore it. Right. I better call KTXA again and have that marriage record traced. Find out when and where that woman married Young. What her maiden name was, everything we can get. To be in Texas City in a couple of minutes, I can start to check from there and bring the information to you where we meet. A Harbor Lane address in Galveston. I found the rooming house Lillian and Vance Young had lived in, but I was too late. Lillian Young had checked out the day before. The landlord showed me the room. They lived here five, six months also. You get to know the husband very well? I'll tell you the truth, Ranger. I hardly ever saw him. The only time he ever left the place was at night. His wife said his eyes got hurt in the war or something. The sunlight bothered him. When did you see him last, when he moved out? Oh, no. He wasn't with her then. Last I saw him was the old way he went out about a week ago. Night of the big blast over at Texas City. Cracked the old plaster here. Are you sure you didn't see him after that? I'm positive. I don't think he ever did come back. Didn't even hear no talking from the room. Just her crying an awful lot. I see. She decided to leave kind of sudden.  Left for work yesterday morning, came steaming back by an hour later. Give me the keys, pack up and left. Came back from work. You know where she worked? Yeah. She was a waitress. The Bayshore Diner. Bayshore Diner. Thanks. So she up and quit on it just like that yesterday morning. Right smack in the middle of the breakfast rush, too. Cause the postman come in and give her a special liver letter. Who is it from? Who is it from? It was $20 of ham and in the fire. I got time to read a mail. All I know is she leaves me the serving, the dishes, and the cleaning. Oh, stop beefing. That little old gal had trouble. Yeah, yeah, you should talk. All you gotta do is drive one cab. You don't have the serving and the dishes and the cleaning. Why don't you find yourself a little old chaplain to hear your troubles and give me some coffee? Come on. Okay, okay. Maybe you can tell a ranger more about Lil and I can. Hanging around her, making eyes at her all day. You took her out when she left here. Is that right, driver? Did she leave here with you? Well, she hired my cab, but that's what you mean. Where'd you take her? Well, I took her home, waited while she packed some things and rushed her to the bus depot. She said somebody in her family was sick and she had to go help them right away. I guess that's what the letter was about. I was sitting there having my breakfast like I always do. Yeah, yeah, I understand. But what about the bus depot? You know what bus she caught? The northbound towards San Antonio. Cut at mighty fine, too. Got there just about a minute before the bus pulled out. Would have made it a lot easier if she didn't make me come dash and back about a mile after we left here. Back here to the diner? No, back to the laundry down the street. Guess she had some stuff in there. Although, she didn't bring a bundle out with her. But then on top of that, she says she can't pay me. Not that I'd mind, except for the ten extra blocks back to the laundry. I could have put the flag back up if she told me beforehand. You say the laundry's right down the street. Yeah, about half a block. Thanks. I'll walk down. Hey, Jayce! Hi, Kurtz. I left the Roman house, told me you came down here. Yeah, find out anything on that ring? Plenty. A couple of men who worked at Amalgamator recognized it. Belonged to a plant man named Ralph Brenner. And it wasn't Young's. No. I got that run down on Young's wife. Her maiden name was Lillian Brenner. The guy she identified was her brother, not her husband. Then that's why she was broken up. I knew that part wasn't an act. Come on. Where are we going? We're going into the laundry business. Yeah, she was real upset because the things wasn't ready, but you know how it was, Renjun. We was almost 10 days behind because of Texas City. There was even using our delivery trucks for emergency silverware. Some of our men left the job to help out. Yeah, yeah, sure. But what did she leave here? Waitress uniforms? Oh, plans. No. Diner up there has a regular uniform service. All she ever left here was men's shirts. Probably Vance's shirts, Jayce. Real good shirts, too, Ranger. Kinds don't have to starch at all. And real fancy colors, too. Dude wouldn't want to be found dead in some of them. Did she say she'd be back to pick them up? Oh, no. She asked me to send them to a COD. She said she needed the money she had on her for traveling. Shirts like that, you'd think her and her man was living off the top of the hog, but... Sure, sure. But did she give you an address? Oh, yeah, I got it right here in this book. Oh, yeah, I got it right here in this book. Right here. She wrote it down herself. General delivery, Lake Bluewater. The shirts are ready now. I'm going to mail them out tonight when I leave. We'll save you the trouble, wrap them up, and we'll deliver them for you. Kurtz and I headed for Lake Bluewater, towing our horses in a trailer, ready to follow Vance young no matter which way he moved. It was dark as we drove into the town. The clock on the courthouse was just straight. Not many people on the streets, Jayce. Looks like everything's closed up for the night, except for the moving, the drugstore. Better find a place and turn in. I think we ought to drive out of town, camp someplace off the lakeshore, walk the horses out for a while. I thought we were going to plant that laundry bundle at the post office in the morning, watch for a pickup. We are. Well, why not pasture the horses at the edge of town and find accommodations right here? If we stay in town overnight, it may start some talk. Talk drifts. We don't want to tip our hands. I guess you're right. Well, let's get out to the lake and find a campsite. Funny thing about young's wife remembering his shirts is his force of habit for a woman. Strong thing, habit. His safe-cracking habits told us he was still alive. And now maybe her habits are going to make him wish he was dead again. For the lake past the summer cottages skirting the shore on one side of it. Then as we rounded a curb and passed a house in a group of resort kevins, I spotted something. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. What's the matter? I saw something. Wait till I back up. Headlights picked it up as we came around this curb. There. Look at those. Well, I see the back of a few cabins, some wash on the line. Look at those two shirts on the end of the line. Look like a couple of rainbows, even on this light. Hey. rainbows even in this light hey that's the kind of color scheme Vance Young goes in for shirts we have in the laundry bundle are just like those lights on in a few of the cabins I'm gonna leave the car here while we have a look at those shirts horse trailer make too much of a racket if we drive in yeah no chance of being taken for tourists with that on the back better cut the motor and dots headlights yeah what was the laundry mark on those shirts we've got 410 mark there was a number of their house in Galveston come on let's see if we can find it on that line close the car doors easy right right take one of them down so we can get a better look at it what's the matter close pins stuck there I got it hold it low to the ground I'll cut my hand over the flashlight good here it is 410 these belong to our boy all right quite a few cabins Jase he's in one of them it's all we have to know come on start with this end cabin go right on down the line we better be ready for anything here's the first stop dark Jase yeah to feel your way around doesn't seem to be anybody living here this one's empty all right you want what that flash out before I fire ranges I put that's better who are you names a ed bullock I own these cabins just walking back from the boat dock with a couple of guests saw you sneaking in dark you you look for a place to stay now we're looking for a couple named young oh well that's funny it was mr. young who spotted your shadows hey mr. young was that young just with you yeah a human his wife was right behind me when I flashed lightning in here they spotted us Jase yeah come on my boat somebody started my boat is that the only boat you got down there only one with a motor there's a canoe we're not gonna reach him Jase they'll head across the lake how far is this bullet a mile ahead Kurt grab your horse from the trailer you can beat him around to the far side if you ride hard when you get there flash your light that'll keep him from trying the shore over there right what about you I'm taking the canoe and hurry a ranger I better go back to the office my wife you can think later mr. Bullock right now I need you going out in the canoe flash your light from this shore they'll think I'm here and they won't dare land on either side but make sure you don't turn the light on me in this canoe all right look turn your light on as soon as I get out in the open water I paddled the canoe toward the center of the lake Kurt's beat the unsound at the opposite shore and I could still hear their motor when I saw the beam of Kurt's light the young saw it too the beam wasn't strong enough I heard the boat in a turn and the motor came back toward me and it went dead on the dark water what just stopped the motor for that shut up they're waiting for us honey sure their lights don't reach us thanks we got to get out of here shut up and let me think there's a little wind the boat will drift to the far end of the lake that's so slow what do you want me to do I can't swim like you can't why can't you use the or because the all locks squeak stupid they'd hear him yeah there's only two of them they can't cover the whole shore she meant it so dark and I hey I hear something what something in the water crazy can't you see their lights on the shore well thanks I do hear something I see it it's a canoe what don't move young I'm coming into your boat what you I'll bring you with this or help help let go let go hey have you got me he can't swim where he's going it won't matter grab on the canoe and kick for sure I got a nice dry shirt waiting for him convicted of robbing a safe in the mercantile store Vance Young and the basis of his previous record was sentenced to life imprisonment at Huntsville this is Joel McCrae many of our listeners particularly in Texas recall these cases we've been dramatizing and some listeners have sent in questions about the Rangers yes it's true there are only 50 Texas Rangers and to show you how busy these Rangers are from 1946 to 1948 the Rangers handled nearly 17,000 cases with Texas as big as it is that means they cover about four times greater area per man than any other police officer in the world next week we'll have another authentic story I believe you'll enjoy very much like the others it's based on their official files adding further glory to the Rangers hope you'll be listening good night next week Joel McCrae and another authentic reenactment of a case from the piles of the Texas Rangers Joel McCrae is currently seen starring in the MGM production stars in my crown this story was transcribed and adapted by Joel Murcott and the program was produced and directed by Stacy Keach this is how give me speaking three times mean good times on NBC your Saturday hour of fun begins in four weeks you'll hear Judy Kanova and this young man hello everybody this is Dennis day on October 7th I'll be starting a new season on the air they'll be fun for all lots of music and laughs so join us for our opening show October 7th will be your favorite NBC station yes beginning October 7th here Dennis day then Judy Kanova in an hour of fun on NBC three times mean good times on NBC


Hello and welcome to CCTV's Channel 17 and Town Meeting Television. I'm Matt Kelly with another Candidate Forum for our 2018 General Election. We are joined this evening by Jim Condos and H. Brook Page, candidates for Secretary of State. We do have news that Mary Alice Herbert was not available to join us this evening. She is still running. You will see her name on the ballot. Time for opening statements from each of our candidates. Brook Page, we'll begin with you. Very good. Thank you for having me, Matt. My name is Brook Page and I've been a Vermonter here for over 30 years, commuted back and forth to Philadelphia for most of that time to earn a living. I'm a member of the Justice of the Peace and a member of the Board of Civil Authority in my little town of Washington, Vermont, where I take great pride in doing that. Over the past few election cycles, I've become concerned about the process we have in the elections and several aspects. One, the open primary system is basically some sort of prancing pony show that really doesn't get a lot done and at the same time costs the Secretary of State's office a fair amount of money. I think there's better ways to do that and so that's one thing that we'll talk about in a few minutes. There's other aspects. I mean, the Secretary of State's office does a lot of desperate things. They're in charge of archives and in charge of corporations and also used to have an educational function that they no longer seem to do a lot as far as civics, not so much as far as educating town clerks and things of that nature. And so there's a lot of areas for improvement. Jim's not doing a bad job by any stretch of the imagination, but I think there's other things and we'll get into some of those that can be improved. Very good. Jim Conos, your opening statement, please. Thank you very much, Matt. And first and foremost, I love my job. I love going to work in the morning. And I see the opportunity of serving Vermonters and providing customer service. I have a background working for over 30 years in business and I have worked for a Fortune 100 company, a Vermont regulated utility and a Vermont family owned 30 million dollar distribution company. In my public sector, I was a city counselor for the city of South Burlington for 18 years, eight of those years I was the chair. I served in the state senate and chaired two different committees, education and government operations. Government operations is the committee that actually has the authority over the Secretary of State's office. And I've been eight years now as Secretary of State. I also this year was elected by my peers, Republican and Democrat, to be the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State. We've completed six IT projects all successfully and on budget. We have really reformed our office from a paper driven system that was inefficient, that was inaccurate to one that is very accurate, very efficient. And we continue to look at all the business practices to make sure that we're doing things the right way. With regards to corporations, the registration system, we actually went from 0% online to now 98% online. With the office of professional regulation, we've gone from 0% online to now 98% online. And elections will get into more as we go. Just a reminder that if you, our viewer has a comment or a question for our candidates, our phone lines are open at 862-3966. And we welcome all our viewers enjoying our online stream at ch17.tv. And our reminder to our candidates, we have a limited time, so if we can keep to a minute, two minutes to our responses, that would be great. We're going to begin with you, Jim, here, public records. They just seem to be really in the space today. There are numerous lawsuits about access to these public records. These organizations are having to spend limited funds to pursue these documents. What is the balance? And isn't it ultimately Vermonter's right to know and need to know? Absolutely. And frankly, I've been right on top of that. We've worked since the first day I walked in the office with the legislature to increase the management of our public records, but also to improve how they're dealt with. Let's be clear, public records are all records that are created by government, whether they're acquired or created. And so they're all public. There are certain exemptions that are allowed by law that protect some of the identity information that's in those public records. So what we do is I've been really clear with the legislature that that is something we need to address completely. I have actually been pushing for an ombuds person to actually act as a, if you want to call it an intermediary between the final denial by an agency before you go to court. Because really, that's all you have. The media, and I talk with the media all the time, the only response they have is to go to court. And that's a real problem, and I have been adamantly in favor of increasing the public records access. In fact, to the point where we change the law that allows, that makes it mandatory for attorney's fees, whether it's a citizen or a media outlet, whether they win, if they win substantially, they will get their attorney's fees back. So I've been really upfront about that. Brooke, your response on that? As far as... What's the fine line between the right to know of the public, transparency, when it refers to these documents, and news organizations and their limited funds to have to sue for the right to review some of these records? I think that all of government records should be open and transparent. I think that only when there's confidentiality of employees or something of that nature should there be any restrictions at all. I know under Bill Sorrell, a TJ Donovan's predecessor, there was a whole lot of not wanting to show things up, and I think they wound up going to court and finding that at least Mr. Sorrell's position as far as emails and other electronic communications couldn't be held back, and so I think that was a good thing. I had taken this when we were sent the questions. I took it as being a little bit more of local records rather than in the state. And I know that in our little town, our town clerk, Carol Davis, is extremely efficient in making sure all of the records are available anytime. So that aspect of it is another thing that as far as access to local and town records, but I think it's important, more transparency. One problem that I've had, I can't promote, is that the documents that are kept in archives which are also under the Secretary of State's control is somewhat less or more disoriented. I've had a great deal of problem retrieving old election records and things like that from archives, and many of them are mis-filed, and when that's done it's a huge problem to try to locate and isolate the documents. We'll move right on here, and we'll move to you. Brooke, you had intimated in your opening statement you had some concerns about the open primary and the dollars and cents that that costs. Can you speak to that and some of your other concerns that you see or why you might be running for your office? One of the primary things that have been involved in my efforts in the past three election cycles in 2014 and 2016, I ran as a Democrat for governor and attorney general. Trying to make the point that our open primary system is just totally out of control. Anybody, I need to preface that lifetime Republican, and in our current system anybody can run for anything or more than anyone's office, a lifelong Republican can run as a Democrat, Democrats can run as Republicans, Democrats can cross over since they get wind up with all three ballots in the primary and write all the Democratic published candidates in on the Republican ballot, which has been done a number of times, and my efforts this go round made it the first time since I think 2002 that a Democrat wasn't able to secure by writings the Republican nomination for office. So this whole thing that the cost that I've been told by folks in the elections office is that the primary costs just the state about 250 to $300,000 in an off year and another 100,000 or so to run the presidential primary, which has all of the same problems to it. I'd really like to see us either go to a closed primary system, which wouldn't really save us that much money, or more importantly that we'd go to a caucus system, not like Iowa has where they're all running around in a gymnasium to folding tables or something, but where the parties would each come up with the set of rules and how they're going to select their candidates, and then they would have a statewide convention where, as I envision it, the county committees where the candidates have gone to do their sales pitch would all send delegates to the state convention, and so this would the caucus system would save us all this money because the point at which the the slates of candidates for each party would be given to the secretary of state would be through the nomination by committee process. So just so I'm understanding it's a little bit, you are not in favor of the open primary process, the primary process in fact where you were on a ballot for several different offices. Total is seven, that's the outset. In the general election we have a candidate, a third party candidate on the ballot for several offices as well, and you are not in favor of that system. Is that where you are advocating? I'm exclusively speaking to the primary system. I'm not saying that it's inappropriate for a candidate to be in more, running for more than one office in the general election. How they would do that though would, as they do now, they would have people sign a petition as they're running as an independent for each of those offices they sought to seek. So there would be no exclusion of any candidates. We'd still have quite a few candidates on the general election ballot, but this would concentrate the efforts of the Democratic Party, Republican Party, Liberty Union Party progressives to come up with their champions for the general election, and all of the time, money, and efforts that are wasted in the primary here in Vermont currently for the most part to no avail. I mean, many of the offices or many of the parties don't really want to have competitions in the primary, so it basically becomes like Russia where there's one name for each office. Okay. So Jim, we asked him about the open primary process. He himself, Brooke, his candidacy in a sense was a statement about the open primary process during our primary season. Your thoughts on that and some of the issues that he's raised? Well, first, I need to correct a couple things that he said. One is that in the presidential primary, you don't actually get to, you get to pick which ballot you want to fill out at the time that you are checking in. You don't get two ballots and then decide which one you're going to fill in. The other is that the primary process that we have now does not require party registration. If you went to a closed primary, we would have to have primary party registration. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Well, I would say by the number of calls we get just because of the presidential primary, it's a bad thing. Most people do not want to be pigeonholed into a party as a Republican or a Democrat or a progressive. And I think that that is something that, you know, where it's a public information, you are a registered Republican, you are a registered Democrat. You don't have that in Vermont right now. And it hasn't been that way since around 1980. So I would say that that the general public would not support that. Having said that, I don't have a problem with talking about with the legislature. It's not my office that makes that decision. It's the legislature that would make those decisions. But I would not have a problem with talking to them about caucuses. I have in the past talked to them about whether we offer an opportunity for a party to declare that they want to do a caucus rather than a primary election. So it's you know, there are costs to it and there's cost to everything. But I think that we have a system right now that allows for open and I do want to you know, my opponent here has said that you know, the Democrats have manipulated the Republican vote. I can tell you that I've won the Republican nomination in the previous three elections. I did it without even asking one person to cross over and vote for me. This time in the in the election that the Brooke won on the Republican side, I received over 90% of the Republican right in votes to go to be to be their nominee. So I think it's it's it's really the people are speaking and and I think this is one thing that I am very concerned about is to make sure that the people of Vermont have the opportunity to voice their concerns. And that's how they do it.  That's what would let you know how people think. Very good. You you're I think you've got some I do. First of all, I have I'm not advocating necessarily for closed versus open primaries. I'm advocating for caucus system because Jim's correct. If you had a closed primary, you'd have to declare your party. But that's exactly what we have in the presidential primary. When you go in and ask for which ballot, which ballot you've asked for is recorded. And that's a public record that is available to the parties. Matter of fact, I think the parties have insisted on that because they use it as a method for for culling their their information during their data mining. Jim said, Oh, look, 90% of the Republicans right ends were for him. 90% of those people were not Republicans because you can take a look and the exact same people down or at least based upon the statistics, the exact same number of people crossed over and voted for Beth Pierce and Doug Hoffer and TJ Donovan on the Republican ballot. It's it's a cadre of Democrats who regularly do this. And I guess the fact that none of the offices were open this time didn't persuade them from doing so.  We do have a caller and we'll go right to that right now. Caller, we thank you for dialing in and asking a question, both of Jim condos and Brook Page. Your question, please. Yes, I just heard somebody mention the three party system Democrat, Republican, and progressive. I didn't realize that we still had that now, because all the progressives are running as Democrats and all the Democrats seem to be progressive. So basically, we still have a two party system with the progressives hiding themselves underneath the Democratic mantle. Is that a true statement? Thank you for the question, caller. Brook, we'll begin with you. Democrat progressive. Is it one party or is it two parties? I'll just make the brief comment that it appears that a lot of the folks that used to be progressive have suddenly become Democrats. And I think that was because the progressives didn't seem to be at least on statewide basis, didn't seem to be able to get a lot of traction. And so they have now recast themselves as Democrats. And I think the caller to that extent is true. And we have a multi party system. It's not only what remains of the progressive party, Democrats and Republicans, we also have the Liberty Unionist as well. Peter Diamondstone's flagship that soldiers on. Great. Jim condos. Democrat progressive. Is it a one party? I would say no, it's not. I mean, I think there are differences between all three parties. And I think the fact that you have somebody running as a Democrat, and then they switch over and become a progressive in the in the in the general election, that's that's a tactic that they use to show that they're a progressive Democrat versus a Democrat progressive. And you know what, that's the system we have. And if the if the legislature wants to debate that system, we can change that. But but it's it's it's the current system that we have. And you know, it's it's the people that are voting, the people know, when someone is running for as a Democrat, or as a progressive, they understand that. And they know who they're voting for. I mean, for instance, David Zuckerman has run as a Democratic nominee in the in the primary. And then he becomes a progressive first as a statewide candidate. He's up front about that he tells people that he's running as a Democrat and then in the primary, but will become a primary progressive in the in the in the general election. He still has a Democrat after his name. But he's a progressive. If we may, we're good. We only have a little bit of time. We're going to move on here. I apologize. And so we'll move here, Jim, with this question here. And it sort of is following up on what we were talking a little bit with Brook here and what he raised about in terms of the open primary. Senator's president, Senate President Tim Ash has floated the possibility of raising a constitutional amendment to make the governor a four year term. Do you support a four year term for the governor? And also, do you think that the governor and the lieutenant governor should both be of the same party elected as a slate candidacy? That might take a constitutional amendment to change that. But I believe that I don't think there's anything wrong with the system we have. I do believe that all statewides should be a four year term. I don't think it's a good idea to have two year terms. When I was in the state Senate, I sponsored actually at least two constitutional amendments to change that. I don't think it's a good idea to do just the governor and not every any of the other statewides. And I also think that whether it's the Senate or the House in the Senate, that they also should have four four year seats as well, maybe split them up so that they're off years. But I think, you know, if you have a governor with a four year term, and everybody else is two year term, that means the governor is free in that second term, the second two years of his term to go out and campaign for anybody he wants without repercussion. And I don't think that's a good idea from a balance of power. So I do think it's a good idea, though, for a four year term for at least the statewides and preferably at least the Senate. I know that many of the House members have said that they would rather stay as a two year term because they're considered closer to the people. They have a smaller district than it's closer to the people. But I think that there's there's good reason for doing four year terms, one of them being planning processes. We're going to come to you in in that in just a minute, I wanted to do a follow up question with Jim on this. It's a secure process, isn't it? If that were to even well, it could be would have to be a biennium and then the next biennium. So potentially even it might it could also be just five, it depends. But but essentially, in order for this long process for it to occur. Yes. And essentially, what has to happen is it has to start the constitutional amendment start in the Senate. It has to be approved by two thirds majority. Then it goes to the Senate of the House has to be approved by a simple majority. It does not go to the governor. You have a new legislature elected new biennium. At that point, it's it's a simple by majority by both bodies. And if it passes both of that at that point, then it goes to a referendum vote of the people. And that's the process. So Brook Page, a four year governor term and a slate candidacy for the governor and lieutenant governor, your thoughts? Well, first of all, I'm not in favor of four year term. I think I think that the two year term that we've had since the foundation of the kind of the state is not necessarily a bad thing. If the voters have a good fellow that's in there, they're going to readily return him to office. If we get a bit of a rascal in there, it's only two years that we have the opportunity to maybe show them the door. The other part of this that's never discussed and about this four year term thing is nobody ever talks about term limits. If sudden, I mean, my thing is the best term limits we have is a two year cycle. You know, if we have somebody good in there, they can be in there for three or four or five terms. If they're doing a good job and everybody's pleased with them. But if you have a four year term without term limits, then they have a lot of damage that they can do before we can show them the door. Like I said, I'm really in favor of keeping it as a two year term. I know for incumbents that tends to be a little bit more of a problem, but it keeps them on their toes. I'm out of slate candidacy for the lieutenant governor. I've heard that advance several times. I'm not sure that I'm displeased with the system we have now. You know, the having both of the people on the same ticket, which would be the same as when we have presidential and vice presidential candidates running together, really becomes incumbent on the governor at that point, and then whoever he chooses to come along with him rather than each of the candidates having to stand on their own ground. And, you know, it makes for an interesting mix. Certainly when we returned Dick Snoddling to office and Howard Dean was lieutenant governor, we had an unexpected turn of events and some some think that was good. And a lot of people think other people think it wasn't so good. But you know, I think that each candidate needs to be selected on their own merits. And so having a having a two candidate ticket for governor and lieutenant governor needs a lot more thought before before we would decide to do that. Very good. Brooke, we'll go to you for the final question here before we get to our final candidate statements. And that really is about voter fraud. You know, there's such national concern here about the Russians hacked our elections. How confident are you that the Secretary of State is doing everything that they can to protect Vermonters in their privacy data, as well as our voter systems being protected against fraud? Oh, two totally different questions. Both internally, I'm not sure that the that our personal data is necessarily well protected by the Secretary of State, because I don't know if that's really within within the wheelhouse of the Secretary of State's office that, you know, so much of data and processing and all of this thing that is subject to hacking is really outside of the control, not only the Secretary of State, but the state itself is is is the Attorney General candidates were talking about earlier. As far as elections, our system is still sufficiently manual, you know, with checks and balances between the paper ballots and the optical readers and then that data being transmitted. But I think there's not a great opportunity for fraud on that scale. I think that a lot of people perceive that there's voter fraud in the state. When you're out just out and about talking with people, they're, it strikes me that 10 or 15% of people really think that something nefarious is going on. I know Randy Brock a number of years ago when he was an auditor of accounts did a fairly extensive survey, taking a look at voter registration and why he found a significant number of dead folks and folks that had moved away were still on the voter registration roles. He found very little evidence that the dead people were rising from their slumber to go vote. But at the same time, I think the other aspect of this and Jim talks all about voter suppression. I think there's a big thing that with 10 or 15% of the people thinking that a significant number and I this is all subject to somebody actually going out and analyzing this and getting data on it. But I would I think that 15% of people think that eight or 10 or 12% of the vote vote is somehow compromised. And many of these people who I've talked to have said I've given up on voting. I've stopped voting. I've stopped being involved in the process because it's all corrupt and I'm sitting there saying I don't think it's that bad. I think the perception is far worse than the reality. But at the same time, these are people that have basically been subject to voter suppression that because there hasn't been a strong statement put out there that, you know, the ballot is secure that the process is secure that a lot of people have become disenfranchised. Jim, it's a big question there. So are we secure? Are we safe? We have 100% confidence in our system. Let me first say we are not on the state system. We are on our own separate server. And so we are protected. This has been at the forefront of the Secretary's estate across this country, red states and blue states for the last two years. Here in Vermont, we actually started back in 2013, with cybersecurity, risk and vulnerability assessments to understand better what we are. The study that my opponent had referenced about Randy Brock, that had had to do with an old database that we used to use. That system was gone as of 2015. It is no longer in service. We have now a more sophisticated system. As far as dead people being on the voter registration database, there will always be on every database across this country, dead people on the, it just doesn't change that quickly. So there will always be people. There will always be people on it who have moved to another state. The problem is if they vote in more than one place, that is the issue. And we have a system in place now where when someone is registered in Vermont, our system automatically audits the database and lets the person know, the town clerk know, because it all starts at the town clerk and works its way up to us. We don't maintain, we just maintain the big database, but it all is the actual maintenance is done by the each town clerk. So there is an audit system in place that allows the town clerk to see when John Smith from Washington registers to vote, oh, they're already registered in Burlington, then it will send a notice to Burlington to let them know to remove that person from their system. So we actually have a system in place. And I will say this clearly, voter fraud, the true voter fraud in this country is denying any eligible American the right to cast a ballot. That's the true voter fraud. And by the way, just this week, we announced publicly that Vermont set a record for the number of voter registrations we crossed the hundred four hundred and eighty thousand in 2016. On election day was around four hundred sixty five ninety two point five percent. Exactly. Wonderful. My thanks to both our candidates here. Unfortunately, we are out of time, so we cannot do closing statements, but we thank them both for joining us here this evening and a reminder that early voting has already begun here in the state of Vermont and continues up until election day. You can register to vote and cast your ballot on the same day all the way up until Tuesday, November six for a complete calendar of upcoming forums, candidate forums. Please visit our website, ch17.tv and we hope you will join us all here Tuesday, November six for complete election results beginning at seven p.m. For all of us at town meeting television, I'm Matt Kelly. Thank you for watching. Jim, thank you.


I'm now nine o'clock Remember a hallmark card when you carry enough to send the very best Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is James Hilton tonight on our hallmark playhouse I shall share with you the pleasure of hearing again some of the wisest and wittiest words that have been spoken in our lifetime a Great American spoke to him. His name was will Rogers and here with us tonight is his son will Rogers Will your father's remarks are a part of American literature and I can't tell you how honored we all feel to have you here tonight Thank You mr. Hilton You know my father always said that he hoped no man would write his biography But in looking over his material we discovered he'd actually written his own and I'm glad you're going to tell it here tonight on The hallmark playhouse so we will and to help us tell it We're fortunate to have with us one of Hollywood's most distinguished actors and one who knew will Rogers very well indeed Edward Arnold and now a word about hallmark cards from Frank got before we begin the first act of the autobiography of will Rogers Hallmark is the name to remember when you want to remember your friends for birthdays weddings Anniversary's holidays There is a quality about hallmark cards that whispers good taste and you'll send them with pride For that identifying hallmark on the back adds meaning it says you cared enough to send the very best Now hallmark playhouse presenting the autobiography of will Rogers starring Edward Arnold Listen to the legend of a man who loved to laugh ancestors didn't exactly come over in the Mayflower, but They met the boat about to hear some words that America once loved They were spoken by a long lanky cowboy who ambled out of the West one day Not so good-looking as some better looking than others Pretty average looking on the whole He rode out of the West twirling a rope with a wad of gum and his jaw and a grin on his face He was laughing the first time anyone got a good look at him, and he was laughing the last time anyone saw him He laughed at everything and everybody and he taught America to laugh at herself The national budget is a mythical bean bag The Congress votes mythical beans into it and then tries to reach in and pull real bills out Democrat would rather make a speech than make a dollar Politics is the best show in America, but I always remember this that as bad as we sometimes think our government is run It's the best run I ever saw in the last frontiers. It was passing out of existence At his very doorstep a miracle was taking form and semblance Out of sweat and steel and horse flesh and men's dreams and men's angers a continent was being conquered and a nation built In no time at all as time has reckoned in the lives of nations He watched it grow and grew with it In his veins the blood of the white man mingled with the blood of the Cherokee in his heart The dreams and loves of the white man mingled with the dreams of the loves of the Cherokee His was an eager spirit mentally and physically on the move and yet his feet were always planted Firmry in the soil from which he came He was born on a ranch in the heart of Oklahoma's Indian territory. He had this to say about it There's nothing of which are more proud than my Cherokee blood Almost as soon as will could hold a rope. He was learning to do tricks with it During the hot lazy Oklahoma afternoons when he was supposed to be in the school room He was out in some shady spot lassoing every human and animal that was luckless enough to pass by In desperation his father finally decided to send him to military school in Missouri We'll arrive there in 1897 Dressed in a 10 gallon hat With the tops of his trousers tucked in his high heel red top boots his luggage Consisted mainly of carefully coiled ropes He was in trouble almost as soon as he got there Mr. Rogers Very much regret that I am forced to write you that you will have to make immediate plans to remove your son William Rogers To another school we have tried very hard to make a military man of it But we have been unable to convince him that the soldier carries a gun and not a larry yet Last night he lassoed our stature of Diana the goddess of the hunt off the top of the water fountain and demolished it completely The bill is in closed this morning. He lassoed his history instructor. The instructor was not seriously injured So we are not enclosing a bill However, please contact the school immediately with regard to what arrangement you wish to make Well, it wasn't long after this that will and school education gave each other up by mutual agreement Then will got some traveling in under his belt. He spent time in Argentina as a cowboy He joined the circus in South Africa and became known as the Cherokee kid He took in New Zealand in Australia and at a racing meet in Australia He tried out a trick that met with great favor while his horse was streaking across the field He leaned back over the horse's rump and picked up free handkerchiefs from the ground We'll never forgot the way the applause sounded that day in Australia Moments after he performed the stunt a man came up to him That's me I'm from the governor general party mr. Rogers the governor general admired that last trick you did He requested me to pay you his compliments and asked you if you would be kind enough to do the trick again You will favor the governor general of course Favoring for $150 one hundred and fifty dollars You want one hundred and fifty dollars Do you think the governor general of think a hundred and fifty dollars is too much? Yes I most certainly do think the governor general will think a hundred and fifty dollars is too much All right, you tell the governor general if he'll do it cheaper all on him my horse an anxious Answer taken will Rogers into the show business and when he arrived home from abroad He started touring America with the so-called Wild West shows on November 25th 1908 he married Betty Blake of Rogers, Arkansas. This is what will had to say about that Narrow turn that was the start performance of my life Will Rogers went to work before and sick feeding Every night he would come out twirling his rope when start coughing He would stand up there on that stage grinning across the footlights at America and America would sit in the Orchestra and the balcony and the boxes and grin right back at him. It was love at first sight He was as real as a mule wiggling its ears on a hot summer day Will was the first performer in theatrical history to base his humor on the fair the affairs of the day He always said he couldn't run out of jokes that all he had to do to get laughs was to watch Congress and report the facts I I read in the papers that we have two holidays of equal importance in the same week Halloween and the Congressional elections And of the two Election provides us the most fun On Halloween they put the pumpkins on their heads and on election. They don't have to it was also in 1915 that will played for president Wilson He was the least known member of the entire cast and his act consisted of kidding some of the president's policies There was no way of knowing how the president would react to that and will was frank to admit that he was scared to death to go on Yes Five minutes is that all yep you die in five more minutes for kidding your country How's the show going great so far the theater is full of plain clothesman though. You better watch what you say Wouldn't want any of them to take a shot at you. Well, they wouldn't shoot an actor on the stage Would that well you never can tell? No, I suppose not You know what I wish I wish I was back in Clamor, Oklahoma. Yeah Well, you may be we walked into the wings in this state of nerves He imagined that the other performers watched him pass with great pity He walked out on the stage like a man taking the last steps of the last mile I'm kind of nervous here tonight. I See where they've captured a potential via Mexico. Yeah, they they got him in the morning editions And the afternoon ones let him get away We chased him over the line five miles tape and had to come back There was a pause The man on the stage in the entire audience looked anxiously up at the presidential box and then from the box came a comforting wonderful reassuring sound The president of the United States was laughing and then the entire audience and the man on the stage burst into gales of But the man on the stage heard only the laughter of the man in the box and The laughter of that man in the box reached across the theater to the man on the stage Like a hand-clasp The same sly humor that had been his past key to the heart of America had been will Rogers past key to the heart of America's president In just a moment we'll return to the second act of the autobiography of will Rogers starring Edward Arnold Has this ever occurred to you about the greeting card you buy? They are more than material articles more than fine paper and expert craftsmanship color and design Even more important. They carry thoughts and feelings from one person to another You buy greeting cards only to send to others never for yourself That is why you want the finest and I think you'll find there's agreement about which cards are the finest if you Ask this question just ask any group of friends What name they think of in greeting cards when they want to send the very best See if they don't answer immediately as my friends did Hallmark cards That's because they have learned from experience that hallmark cards have a magic way of using words to reach the hearts of others Words carefully chosen to carry an extra measure of warmth and friendliness and sincerity They found there's always a hallmark card to say just what you want to say the way you want to say it and So it is easy to remember it would be difficult to forget to look for that hallmark on the back of every card You choose when you carry enough to send the very best Here again is James Hilton You know will some of those remarks of your father's are amazingly timely today Yes, I've often thought of that Jimmy. You know that back in 1933. He said you can't say civilization Don't advance for in every war they kill you in a new way He also said it's great to be friendly with a foreign nation, but it's terribly expensive My father liked to kid everyone everywhere Yes, and we shall hear more about that in the second act of the story of will Rogers starting Edward Arnold Listen to the legend of a man who loved to laugh It's spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save Yes, you are listening to words that America once loved They were spoken on the stage printed on the newspapers bird encoded on the radio As the years passed will Rogers became the number one entertainer newspaper columnist after dinner speaker and lecturer in the United States And what was even more important? He became also without a doubt first of all of these in the hearts of his countrymen He made his first movie laughing Bill Hyde in 1918 and in 1919. He received his first fan letter a Movie fan sent him 25 cents and stamps to pay for a photograph Will was astounded My dear sir, I thank you for the use of your money. I haven't got a picture of myself If I did have it wouldn't be worth two beds In fact, if I had one I'd give you two bits to keep it yours will Rogers 24 Publicanism Road High Saturday evening post print of the gospel General Pershing was retired on half Bay water Johnson zoomed his first ball over a lot of the newspapers were screaming heatedly He pulled with Coolidge stocks were rising like toy balloons Woodrow Wilson died he stood for and died for Will be strived after for years World has lost a friend Theater has lost its greatest supporter I have lost the most distinguished person who ever laughed at my little non-sensical jokes. I Looked forward to it every year Now I've only to look back on it as my greatest memory It's great to be great But it's greater to be human When down Newspapers went to press and on the first pages of many of the leading papers Appeared a box with Will Rogers comments on the day's headlines Time and tide brought their daily changes and his comments on those changes the market Some of the rich became poor and some of the poor became rich Presidents and congresses came and went and willed watch what was going on nudged America in the ribs and said Hey, did you ever stop to think about this? Got there 90% don't care, but he was pretty wise when he did See to it that they all do agree on one thing That is the better lives you live The better you pinch the nation never looked like it was facing a worse winner birds geese Democrats and all perishable animals are already huddling up in three or four states down south We're at peace with the world because the world is waiting to get another gun and get it loaded We're the speech that were what that Franklin Roosevelt made That just about threw him in the ring as the next Democratic candidate the Democratic Party And some of the finest men as candidates did we have in this country? It's a shame that they are to be eternally handicapped by being Right, but never press Congratulations on your election Don't worry too much a smile in the white house again will look like a meal to us Rogers loved the earth He loved to look across it on horseback with the wind in his face and the rhythm of his pony's feet in tune With the rhythm of his heart He loved the musical leathery size of a good saddle and the thin cry of a rope whistling through the air He loved campfires sitting around them and silent communication with good friends Watching the flames leap higher and higher into the dark and then finally burn themselves down to embers He loved the tall trees that look down on man and up to God He loved desert soil a naked river an untamed mountain as the Cherokee had loved them For they were his blood that bone and sinion and he loved the city The melodious jangle of horns and street cars and sirens the shining Accomplishment the bridge and building and skyscraper in theater decked in neon He loved the cities with the deep native pride of the white man Yes, will Rogers loved the earth and next to the earth He loved the sky Yes, will Rogers loved the sky His ancestors had set set out for frontiers on horseback and covered wagons But the only frontier left for him was the sky On march 10th of 1935 he wrote I've never been out of that Alaska While it post went up there this last summer and went hunting in the plain but I never did get further north than a block north of main street in Seattle That was it It was written there in the papers for everyone to see Will was beginning to hunger after horizons again Every time a plane went over he was out in his backyard staring at the sky Wonder where that plane's going Betty. Well, I think you'd better get on one will you are getting sort of nervous again I'd like to take a vacation in Alaska almost midnight Will Rogers Wiley post I took off on little sightseeing trip with Wiley post This Alaska's a beautiful country Focus seven Well, it was some trip a thousand mile half from seattle to june This new farm carly here in Alaska is having a little trouble It's a great deal easier a pioneering for gold than pioneering for spinach august nine Bad weather and so a man lived and laughed and had a bit of fun at everyone's expense And mostly it is on And suddenly and swiftly stopped laughing Shocking the air with sudden silence So it was that the last joke was told The last words found a way The chapter completed Some who had never known him But counted him their friend wept for him Other stood in quiet disbelief staring at the sky Will Rogers dead Why will couldn't die His words had come like a folk song fresh from the hearts of the people His longings were their own longings made articulate His people were the granite fibers out of which democracy had been built And when he spoke he had spoken for them Will Rogers dead in an airplane crash in Alaska? Oh nonsense he couldn't be Will Rogers is riding his pony out in the desert He come riding in one of these days still twinkling under that stetson Still laughing Who was he? What did he do? What did he say? What was he that people loved him so? I met a lot of people But I never met a man I didn't like That's it That's the whole thing That's will Rogers whole lifetime in one sentence He threw out those words like a lasso and he caught America by the heart He is legend. He is ageless He is immortal A legend never dies as long as the people will it to live on I met a lot of people But I never met a man I didn't like Colton has some news for us I have an announcement tonight that gives me a great deal of pleasure And I'm sure it will give equal pleasure to all friends of the hallmark playhouse My news is that arrangements have been completed in london with mr. Winston Churchill for the use of his paintings on hallmark cards We know mr. Churchill as a great statesman the wartime leader of britain a figure who will stand out in the history of the world More recently we have known mr. Churchill as perhaps the world's most famous amateur painter His paintings are the kind i'm sure you'll enjoy seeing on your hallmark cards Though an amateur painter several of his works submitted under an assumed name have been exhibited by the royal academy of london So it's a rare honor and a great privilege for the makers of hallmark cards To bring you the paintings of mr. Winston Churchill where they can be so widely seen and appreciated Mr. Hilton that's wonderful news speaking for myself. I'm very anxious to see mr. Churchill's paintings on hallmark cards It must make all of you with hallmark very proud Indeed it does edward anold and thank you for your splendid telling of the story of a truly great american Thank you too will rogers for joining us tonight It was a genuine pleasure for me mr. hilton And i'd like to thank mr. Ted decorcia for his excellent portrayal of my father and to you Mr. Edward arnold for telling the story so beautifully. Well, it was a privilege I assure you will you know, I knew your father and was one of his great admirers One of his wonderful gifts was his ability to make his fellow americans interested in the issues of the day As we said in our story tonight He watched what was going on and nudged american the ribs and while he was doing it He made us all want to be better citizens and today perhaps more than ever We should know and respect our american heritage because today more than ever Freedom is everybody's job Now tell me mr. Hilton. What have you selected for next week next week? We shall have a story by jack rubin bearing the intriguing title the indestructible julia A story of an attractive woman who combines the care of her young sisters and brother with the achievement of her heart's desire We're looking forward to having with us that fine academy award-winning actress katina paxano Our hallmark playhouses every thursday our director producer is bill gay Our music is composed and conducted by lin marie and our script tonight was adapted by gene holloway until next thursday Then this is james hilton saying good night Only in stores that have been carefully selected to give you expert and friendly service Remember hallmark cards when you carry enough to send the very best Edward arnold may currently be seen in the paramount picture dear wife with william holden and jone colfield This is frank goss saying good night to you all until next week at the same time when james hilton returns to present patina paxano in the indestructible julia and the week following alphanillan clabs home to the hermitage Starring burgess meredith and the week after that richard todd in charles o'neill's Three wishes of jemmie mcruin on the hallmark playhouse This is k and dc kansas city missouri state young proj