Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-19
From the State House.
Temperance and New Constitution
Committee Hearings.
Boston. Jan. Is, 1870

commune hear1nSs.
BosToN, Jan. Is, 1870.
The legislature met in joint convention to-
day, and the clerks of either branch having read
the result of the election for United States SEN
ator on the previous day, stating who each mem
| Der voted for, the president of the senate made
proclamation of the election of Hon. Henry
Wilson. The committees were announced on
the temperance and constitutional convention
propositions. The former has upon it men like
Mr.. Vibbert, who believe the republican leaders
are hostile to temperance legisl alton, which as
sumption they wish to verify, hoping thereby to
gain more votes for Phillips, or who
ever they may nominate another year.
On it is also placed Mr.. Tarbox, who
goes for demolishing the constablery law and
all restraints upon rum selling. There are some
good republicans upon it who will favor some
practicable legislation. The strong men among
our legislators are well represented on the COM
mittee to consider the question of calling con-
| stitutonal convention.
The principal part Of the day has been devoted
to hearings before several of the committees, a
| brief allusion to which will be found below
In the senate orders were adopted, that the COM
| mittee on probate and chancery inquire and
report what, if any legislation is necessary re-
lating to the custody of minor children by
mother in case Of the death of the father; that
the committee on the treasury consider the ex-
pediency of constituting the treasury of the
commonwealth bank of deposit for sums of
not less than $4,000.
In the house there were eight matters and the
orders of the day, mostly bills and resolves con-
nected with the finances of the government, and
they were all ordered to a third reading The
committee on agriculture reported resolve that
there be allowed and paid out of the treasury of
the commonwealth a sum not exceeding $4,000
for the purpose of eXterminating contagious
| cattle diseases in the state. Several petitions
were received for ten-hour law, and for the re-
peal of the act establishing a board of street
! commissioners in the city of Boston.
Orders were passed several DAYS ago that so
much of the governors message as relates
to Intoxicating liquors be referred TO a
| joint special committee, and that Il Joint
| special committee be appointed to consider all
| constitutional amendments that may be adopted,
| and the eXpediency of holding constitutional
convention. These committees were appointed
to-day as follows: On intoxicating liquors, SEN
ators Halves of Bristol, Munroe of Norfolk, SAT-
| ford Of Essex, and Representatives Vibbert OF
Rockport Tarbox of Lawrence, futile of Bos-
ton, Richardson of Sturbridge, Shepard of Can
ton, Bridgemau of Belchertown, and Bates of
Attleboro. On constitutional amendments, Sena-
tors Bird of Norfolk, Goodman of Berkshire, Howe
| of MiddleseX, and Representatives Baker of Bey-
erly, Kellogg of Pittsield, Woodbury. of Boston,
Train of Boston, Adams of Quincy, Hall OF
| Springfield Smith of Phillipston, and Howard
| of Sandwich.
THE CATTLE DISEASE.
| Several committees held sessions to-day fol
| the consideration of subjects which had been
| referred to them. Hon. Levi StOckbridge, one
| of the commissioners on contagious diseases
among cattle, appeared before the committee on
| agriculture and made some statements in regard
to the disease which is attracting so much atteu.
% titrlo In CY.flor t1
further spread of the disease, and TO cure the ami
| mails now affected, certain measures had been
| taken by the commissioners which would require
! the expenditure of considerable money, and they
asked that $4,000 might be appropriated to help
| them carry on the work. Inspectors are en-
men to watch and see that cattle are not driven
| from that market into other towns. They in.
tend TO remove the evil in the cattle yards al
| Brighton, and say they will have to pay the ex.
penses Of shutting up cattle, ordered by the
| selectmen of several towns. No evil results
| were known to have ensued from drinking the
| milk, or eating the meat of diseased cattle
THE NORMAL SCHOOLS.
The committee on education had hearing in
relation to the normal school at birmingham.
Hon. David H. Mason, OF the state board Of edu-
cation, asked that the young ladies who live in
/ the clearinghouse connected with the normal
school at birmingham, be relieved from paying
the interest on the amount which said building
cost. The building was built last year, and has
| now about thrtv-fve occupants, pupils of the
school. Mr.. Mason claimed that the cost of
| food and attendance, exclusive of the interest
| due to the state, divided proportiOnately among
the young ladies' would amount to about four
dollars per week, which was as much as they
| could afford to pay If forced to pay more than
| that, many who desired to attend the school
would be unable to do SO, and thus lessen the
| supply of teachers which were needed so much
throughout the state. Elk Gov. Washburn
/ Judge Chaplin, and Hon. Joseph White, also
| urged the necessity of cheapenng the costs Of
| living to pupils in the normal schools of the
state, and said they thought the boarding houses
/ should be provided at the expense of the state
as much as the school buildings, and that they
should form part of the several institutions
as was the case in all the states except New Jer
| sey and Massachusetts.
| RAILROAD MATTERS.
In the afternoon the committee on railways
| had hearing on several matters, the first Of
which was the petition of the birmingham and
| Lowell railroad, to issue bonds to the amount Of
| $500, 900. Mr.. Torrey of Fitchburg the counse
for the road, stated that under the charter
| granted last year contract had been made tC
build a road from Framingham to Lowell, &
distance of rs miles, for S650,00O, the road to bC
| completed by the LIST of July next. OF the
| stock 1926, 900 had been subscribed and 20 Del
cent. of the same had been paid in. The Boston
| Clinton and Fitchhurg railroad company viii
probably run over the new road. Another mat
Ter was the order requiring the committee tt
consider the expediency of granting free passes
or prohibiting the granting OF free passes tt
| members of the legislature. Mr. Baker, of Bev
erly, and Cogswell, of Salem, both members o
the house, spoke. Mr.. Baker thought the presen
system under which free passes were granted
by some roads, and not by Others, was one which
tended very much to embarrass the members 0
the Legislature, for it was hard for them not t
be Influenced by the favors granted. If all I'll,
roads were compelled by law to furnish thes'
passes this embarrassment could be done away
| with, both on the part of the railway companie
and of the legislature. Mr.. Cogswcll said tn
railroad companies were given the right to tai
the public for the support Of their roads, bu
under the present system, which was an unjus
one, portion of the public was taxed and
portion was not. If such a thing was practica
bic, he was in favor Of prohibiting the grantin!
of all free passes, aud although he though
some exceptions would have to be made, h
hoped the matter would receive the considera
fiOn of the