The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-12-17
The Legislature.
STILL DRAGs-sTATE OFFICERS - THE
EQUAL TAXATION.

AAAO AAS6 A0A&t0AOs
STILL DRAas-sTATE OFFICERS - THE
EQUAL TAXATION.
Adjournment cannot be reached this
week because the joint assembly was
adjourned till Saturday to complete The
election of Sta officer. Nearly all the
most important measures hang fire.
Occasionally the House has thoroughly
bu-iness-like day and di poses of u re-
spectacle number of bills, but usually
every petty measure has 10 undergo "A
long and dreary debate, while the impor-
tant ones are met with references to
special committees. adjourHments, and
posi- onements until it seems as If they
never would be disposed of However,
| If the delay results in some practicable
and well considered mea ures OF economy
and tax re 'orm, the people can afford to
| leel satisfied.
| But OF this there is little hope. The
chances are that still more property will
be helped to crawl out of taxation and
that this is all the session of the Legis'a-
ture will amount to. The bill practical
ly increasing the exemption 81 manuiac-
turing establishments, has already be-
come law, and Hooker, last week, pro.
posed still another and II big exemption.
In II bill 10 release mortgaged real estate
to the amount of $500. The claim ia
that this would only be just, a. long as
pretty much all the personal property
gets exempted. But it does seem as if
these poor Legislators might see that the
true remedy is, not more exemption, but
to adopt several of the proposed bills to
compel personal property to be taxed,
Senator Stafford appeared before The COM
mittee Thursday evening of last week
and made magnitic. mt argument, OPP
posing Gov. Smiths view. and pointing
out how the railroads have lodged taxa
tion. and suggesting "a remedy. He has
| a bill to tax railroads like any other
property, and providing for State board
of listers to fix a uniform valuatihn per
mile.
| The House, Wednesday, INDUCED in n
protracled DISCUSSION. :. committee OF
whole to equaize taxation. Thompson
moved to amend by striking out the
section which makes man give the
name md residence of his creditors If
he claims deduction on accoun: of debts
and 10 dlsallow all deductions. Pag'
moved to amend further by disallowlng
all deductions on moneyed capital for
debts. Colburn fought tho amendments
in tho "farmer's interests" Hooker
called Thompson's PROPOSITION ito re
lieve the rich men and Cypress the
poor" He fought the provision
requiring particuarites of debts. But
tel field proposed to fix the limita ion at
$1,000. Mar in made u big speech against
the whoe system of eyem Jtion. After
nearly an all days talk no conclusion wa
reached and the committee rose merely
reporting progress"
THE ELECTION OF STATE OFFICERS
Was held in joint assembly Tues lay
George Nichols of Mortified, was re-
elected secret ry of S ate without oppo-
stipn, Col. f. FL. Powers, of r clifford
auditor of accoun s by acclaim alton, JAS
S. Peck Of Montpelier. adjniant and in
spector-seneral by reclamation, Levi q.
Kingsley of Rutland, quartermastrr gen
era unanimously. Col Geo w. Hooker
of Brattleboro, was unanimously elected
judge advocate general though with his
usual coy modesty, he insisted on declin
iug to have his name used AS trustees
of the university of Vermont and State
agricultural college, Senat Justin s.
Morrdl. DR.. Henry James of Waterbury,
E p Walton of Montpelier were chosen
Leut-Gnv John L. Barstow of Shelburn
was elected on the board of trustees to
fill The vacancy occasoned by the death |
If Asahe Peck. Wendell P. Rice has
been re-appointed superintendent of the |
sate-prison by the governor.
The House committee on ways and |
means has reporte | a bill relating to the |
salar es Of $ ne officers, fixing them as |
follows: Safe tire ,surer, $1,000; secretary |
of state $1,000 auditor, $500 adjntant |
.eneral, 5000 ; inspector Of finance, $40 ; |
,ta;e Librarian. $3.50, and not over $40 |
FIR ass stance in the care Of the library |
chaplain of the house of correction and |
reform school, 500 each; salary of the |
members of the Legislature, $3.50 for the |
session president of the Senate and |
speaker of the House, $500 for the ses-
sion, and III case OF an extra session,
members 81 per day.
The Senate commiite report adversely |
to the petition 10 commute Hayden's |
sentence. They say truly that the L. G.
islatnre is not the proper, place. to bring
,mprisunment for life il not proper |
pu'Iishm4nt; and, as Hayden's friends
c a IN to have new evidence, they report
ed resolution that the secretary OF tie
Sen to turn OYER to Htyden's counsel
copies of the evidence taken at the trial,
that application may be made to the su-
preme court.
The Ii for practically abolishing the
grand jury system and placing the work
on the 5 ate's torneys has passed both
houses. Its constitutionality is doub ed,
and the governor may ve;o it. The
judiciary committee of the House viii
report bill author, zing the governor 10
lie all not less than three companies OF
the S ate militia to attend the Yorktown
zen enuial next October, and appropriate
ing $4,000 for expenses.
The bill repeating the present law reg
ul,.tlng the practice of medic. ne and sur
gerry pissed the House last saturday,
wltnout opposition, the great tight being
expec ed when The new bill to put the
issuing of diplomas in the hands of the |
Burlington University comes up.
Notes.
The House has voted the Rutland |
County bank one-half its claim for cap |
turinI Deflu ting Cashier Brown, but Mr.. |
Page, in their behalf, objected to recelv-
lag half.
The committee on elections has report
ed bill providing that in elections for
representatives, il there is no majority
on the two first ballots, then u plurany
shdll ele,t t, aud there shall be no adjourn
ment until an election is had. The White
River railroad aud the Montpelier and
Wells River railroad nave settled their
differen, es, aud the charter OF the form
er i extended until 1883.
Senator Dunton las introduced con-
stitutional amendment giving the COVER
nor power to remit fines and forleitureS,
and to grant reprieves, communal ohs ana
pardons for all oflenses, except treason
and ca es of impeachment, but In cases
of murder only after the recommends
ton of Il board consisting of the lieuten-
ant-g Ivernor, secret ny Of state, ana thr,e
as tistant judg, of the supreme court ap-
pointed by the ,hi,f jus ice. i
HUokers bill to exempt 5000 worth OF
mortgaged proper has passed to ID
reading wi Ii an amendment by MeIrl-
field.
Senator Fuller proposed agood amend
ment Friday, in view Of past experience
to the appropriation for the House OF
Correc ion, requiring the assent VI Doth |
governor and board of directors to all ex-
pendltures.
A very proper bill has been intro
.t,naI ,,rnvi,Iiny that a shall |