St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-11-01

give but an imperfect guess as to what
will be the result on some of the offices.
l see no reason as yet to change my
opinion, as heretofore expressed, in re-
gard to Auditor. Though before this
is in type all my predictions may have
been overthrow.
LEGISLATION.
1t must be that the committee on
games and fisheries have gone hunting
and fishing, for nothing has been heard
from them as yet. Their bag is literal
ly full of the various projects that have
been brought before the legislature,
but just what kind of bill they will re-
turn for consideration doth not yet so
easily appear.
The bill which the Senate so readily
passed, repeating the insolvency act
passed two years ago, and which has
been imperative by reason of the ma
tiOnal bankrupt act, has met with con-
siderable opposition in the House, and
for the reason that many of the mem
bers are not quite ready to return to
the old ''grab law" system of collecting
debts-''first come first serve" The
law has been pretty fully discussed the
past week, and lawyers and farmers
alike have disagreed us to the desira-
bility of retaining it upon the statute
books. But the bill to repeal it sleeps
as yet among the Clerks files mean
while Mr.. Sprague of Brandon promises
bill which he thinks will cure all the
perplexities attending the collection of
debts, and Mr.. Eaton of Danville has
introduced a general assignment bill.
Akin to the insolvency bill, so far as
provoking sharp discussion is concern
ed, is the bill providing for the mort
gaging of personal property chattel
mortgage, which occupied the atten-
ton of the House most of the day on
Thursday last, and was finally defeated
by very close vote, and an attempt to
reconsider the vote refusing its passage
was also defeated. But it is said that
the friends of the bill will attempt to
retrieve their bad luck in the House 10y
introducing it in the Senate, if per-
chance it may meet better fate there
and so again come before the House
1t is, however, very doubtful if such q
law can pass, except it be restricted tC
property not already exempt from at,
tachment on execution. The law now
} exempts certain property from attach.
J ment, that man may not be entirely
without the means of support for hi.
family but to give to the man the
right to mortgage such exempted prop.
J erty is to open the door to increased
poverty, pauperism and taxation.
The Board of Agriculture has proved
quite bone of contention thus far
! but the more the advantages of som,
} kind of an agricultural organization
, under the patronage of the State, il
, discussed, the less is the opposition
made to it by the farming part of til,
r legislature. Several bills have beef
introduced for the organization of
} new Board, but just what plan will
5 finally meet with most favor does no
r yet appear.
The question of the re-chartering O
e the three Normal Schools, whose char
tiers expire next year, is one that vii
: cause much discussion. The friends @
D the present schools at johnson, Ran
D dolph and Castleton will insist that tn
: good faith of the State is virtual
, pledged to the continuance of the pat
3 ronage of the State to those schools
l while there are, think, majority @
f the best educators of the State who be
7 lieve that the money now paid by th
S State would be of much greater ad
a vantage TO the cause of education,
S concentrated in one Normal School, G
S higher standard of excellence than
is possible to attain in the present di
S vided appropriation. l think this i
! the view taken by the State Superin
+ tendent of Education but the rivalr
as to what particular location or schoo