Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-22
THE LEGISLATURE


THE LEGISLATU RE.
Letter from Montpelier.
MONTPELIER, Nov. ~. 1873.
We are now in the midst Of the hustle aud
excitement always incident to the closing
week of a Legislative session Several of the
more important bills have not yet been final.
ly acted upon, and the often expressed de-
sire Of many members to shake OF from their
feet the dust, or rather the mud. of Montpel-
Ter at the end Of the present week will proba-
| bly, not be grntifed The daily sessions are
| just beginning TO he interesting. The ten.
minute rule has been adopted and the long
winded speech. makers will meet with poor
success in their appeals for extensions Of
| time. The tramp question is among those
! that have not yet been settled There seems
to be disposition on the part of the House
to insist on a stronger law than that passed
| by the Senate, but it is doubtful if we obtain
a much stronger one. That provides ample
! punishment for any member of the profes-
sion who may use threatening language or
| commit any otlenEe whatever other than sim.
| ply asking for food. 1t is argued that the
! State prison and our various reformatory in
situations are now filed to overlooking, and
that to commit person to prison for the
simple ofIeuse of being q tramp. would be
impracticable and in many cases unjust
The Senate have spent most of their time
to-day in discussing the bill providing for the
taxation of savings bank deposits Since its
passage by the House several trust companies
and savings banks have been strongly repre-
scented here and have succeeded in working
up considerable opposition But after sever.
al hours discussion. during which many at
tempts were made to so amend the bill as to
destroy its effect, it was passed to n third
reading 10y vote of Il to H.
The agitation Of the dog question has re-
suited thus far in the passage by the House
! of bill amending the old law by reducing
the license to one dollar on all dogs registered
before the first of April with u corresponding
reduction of fees Those registered after the
first of April are subject TO license fee of
two dollars a. in the old acts The reduction
WAS based on the argument that many men
! too poor to pay two dollars would be enabled
to keep dog if the fee was reduced to one
dollar. The House have also passed by a
very decided majority the bill repeating those
sections of the fish and game law which pro-
vide that the owners of land may prohibit
hunting and fishing upon their premises by
| posting notices to that effect The House
have passed bill providing for the equal dis
tribution Of the effects of insolvent debtors,
which will probably become law in its pres
ent or modified form. By its provisions the
| probate court is made the medium of settle
ment in the same manner that deceased per.
sons estates are now settled, and in order to
obtain a discharge a person must first obtain
the consent of three-fourths Of his creditors
in number and amount.
Ever since the first days of the session n
very persistent warfare has been waged
| against the State Board of Agriculture. which
| eliminated this afternoon in the House vot-
| ing for it, abolition lO7 TO %. The opposi-
! ton probably sprung from the Dairymen's
| Association. an organization of rival nature.
and between which and the Board there has
! been AL uufriendly feeling for sometime past
! II seems somewhat novel idea for a lepisla-
! turc in which farmers are largely in the ma
| iority TO vote to cut OF the only appropria.
| ton made strictly in their interest as a class
In the same line OF action the House have al
! so passed to its third reading the bill provid-
ing for the abolition Of the Office of iowa su-
| perintcndent of schools. The friends Of the
present educational system will make a strong
| fight on the vote for its final passage but
present indications are not favorable 10 their
success. The House have passed the bill
providing that where there is no choice for
town representative on the first ballot plu-
rality shall elect on the second ballot. and
| the Senate will probably concur in its passage
1t was argued that this method is now adopt
! ed in mos. Of the other States, and that by it
every town would secure representation and
! many of the bitter strifes now 50 prevalent
would be avoided. OF course It would give
the minority party an advantage when the
majority party was divided.
The Senate have passed the chattel mort
| gage bill over which the House had so close
a fight few weeks ago, so the ground will
all have to be fought over again. The bill in
the interests of anatomical science, providing
that the doctors should have the right to cut
up the bodies Of sundry unfortunate indiyid-
ais. was buried deep iu the Senate, receiving
| only six votes.
The result of the election of State officers
last week gave quite general satisfaction
though several of the offices were sharply
contested for. The Secretary Of State re-
! ceved his customary handsome reelection.
There were many who thought that the old
Auditor of Accounts was entitled to another
! term, but the new incumbent, Senator Pow
| ell, is first class man, State Superinntend-
eut Conants persistent advocacy of the town
system of schools probably cost him good
many votes, but he could have spared good
many more and still retained his office.
! Speaker Martin continues to reflect credit
| to himself and honor 10 WindhAm county.
| His ability in the rapid discharge of business
| is universally conceded, and the impartiality
I OF his rulings is commended on all sides.
The Legislative prayer-meeting has been
largely attended during the session. All the
exercises have been brief and of an interest.
ing character. Music has been prominent
feature. The attendants are under obliga-
tions to Estey L Co. for the use of fine or
gan.
The Presidents Southern policy is not q