Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-08
"sLAUGHTERED KNN00ENTs."

f0Ifa1 4 WI 4 M M Z ~ AZ w AsAf 4 %
SOME OF THE MEASURES WHICH THE LATE
LEGISLATURE OUGHT TO HAVE MADE THE
LAW OF STATE, But FAILED TO DO So
Our correspondent &C." sends us the fol
lowing notes in regard to some of the moro
important and worthy measures that were be.
fore the legislature but failed Of final passage.
We think this record of things not done will
be found not less interesting than the record
of measures enacted:
Senate bill 4, requiring mortgagor aud mortgage
to pay taxes as their respective interests should APP
pear died in the hands Of the committee. The queB-
ton was however, discussed in some VI the bearings
before the grand list committee and became evident
that II would not pass n 1t had been reported favor
ably by the committee.
listers selected by the listers for that purpose,
board for the abatement Of taxes passed the Sem
ate but was defeated IN the Houae. II B hard to
why II should not have become law, II would have
saved the expense Of having several Justices Of the
Peace sitting with the board.
S. 90 an act TO establish a State Board Of Health.
This bill was never reported by the committee II re-
quired the Governor by and with the advice Of the
Senate to appoint six persons, who with secretary
were to constitute estate Board Of Health and vital
Statistics" The board to take cognzauce Of the
interest Of life aud health among the inhabitants Of
the state TO make cause to be made sanitary nyes-
legations and inquiries respecting causes Of disease
especially Of Opidemcs, and the means of prevention,
the sources Of mortality and the effect OF localities
employmeuts habits and circumstances Of life on the
public health; also provided for lecture on sanitary
science and the laws Of public health in each county
Of the state during each year, proydedfor ocabOards
Of health aud that reports should be annually made
to the Governor before the first Of September
in each year the investigations discoveries aud
concentrations Of the board, said reports to be pub.
lished and distributed in the same manner other
public documents Of the state. There we're other im-
pOrtaut provisions In the bill. The expense lin.
tied TO $1,000 per aunum. Another bill the same
subject House bill 90, amending Section 1920 OF
the revised laws which provides that the Governor
Int ar "
three members who shall take coguizauce Of epidemic
or other diseases occurring among the people or do
nestle animals aud may terminate their commissions
whenever IN bis judgment the public safety may per
init Such commissioners required by this bill tt
obtain full information in relation to contagious dis
eases, aud publish aud circulate such information al
their discretion For more full Information any
examine Sec. 4OiS and 1920 Of the revised laws and
insert the word people" before cattle aud they vii
have the bill now under consideration. This bin was
introduced by Col Hooker aud II seemed TO the writ
er to be stroae Of policy on the part Of the Colouc
to get this bill In an entering wedge to make at
opening for something better at the next session o
the legislature as It did not seem possible that any
quired much 20 be done for th' Inhabitants Of The
state for the domestic animals and am sorry I,
1t was left for the Senate to put itself recorC
against the bill Had II come before the Senate earle
IN the session aud before full Senate, I think i
would have met different fate II passed the HouE
carly In the session and was not reported by the Sen
ate committee until the Saturday night before th
close Of the session. when after hours discuss
the third reading was ordered by the casting vote o.
tnc president oil the senate on yea and nay vote o
| to 0, but on Monday morning VAS defeated on IL
passage by vote OF 10 to H. the additional member
voting at this time having heard none Of the discus
/ sious
| There was a deep interest felt among some Of tn
most thong people Of the state In the passage
some bill Of this nature aud also by some outside th
state, two physicians natives Of this state, Dr. Hitch
cock Of Kalamazoo, former president Of the Michi
gan state Board Of Health, aud Dr. Baker Of Lansing
now secretary Of the Board both feeling that intercs
the welfare Of their native state which every Yer
monter feels wherever be may 60, expressed dee
interest IN the establishing OF Board Of Health II
vermont, and the Secretary kindly forwarded for tn
IT, form alton Of the General Assembly nearly full
| Of the Michigan Reports and many OF their smale
publications such as they distribute among the peopl
| Of Michigan Michigan now appropriates $4,000 pc
aunum for this work aud the people Of the state az
precatc the labors Of the Board which has doubtes
| been the means Of saving many lives.
This subject has been before the legislature at Va
rious times, but has met with little favor one Of tn
arguments used against 1t, strangely enough is tia
10 Il Ia the interest OF physicians is for The intel
est Of physicians that the people should know some
thing Of the physical laws which govern them aud
be able TO protect themselves from disease and thu
keep Nancy out Of the plysician's pocket?
$. 80, aboiishug the school district ystcm. yer
able and exhaustive argument was made in the Sen
ate by senator Howard In favor 81 the bill. II wa
amended to take effect IN 1885 that 1t might b
brought before the people for discussion for the ueA
two years, when If 1t not meet their approval the
could Instruct their representatives, at the next mee
ing Of tue legislature to vote for It's repeal 1t passe
the Senate by unanimous vote, and as amended It
dinicut to understand what argument could be urge
against the passage Of the bill, but it was killed in tn
House.
| S. 1903, creating board Of railroad commissioner
| A public hearing was held in the Senate chamber b
the railroad committee to give the opponents OF h
| bill an opportunity TO be heard. The first to appel
| before the committee was swaggeriug Colonel COT
nected with Of the roads IN the state who in d.
hant manner gave the committee TO understand thi
they could not euforoe the Law # they made 1t. f.
| insoleuce aud hravado he cannot be excclled. II
managers and attorneys Of other railroads were MOI
polite aud instead Of insulting the committee did the
work IN the lobby and at the hotel aud as the resu
| proved were successful. When It come before Il
Senate very able argument was made by Senatc
Walker in support Of the bill, which was unanswered
It is true that other senators replied but It appa
cut that they labored like an attorney who has Da
case, and made up in sophistry what they lacked
logic. The bill was denied third reading In the Sci
ate.
S 1911, giving three days grace to sight drafts, Wi
bill asked for by business men. No arguments wei
presented against it IN the Senate. Defeated In II
House.
8. i6j, requiring 1902 as the test for kerosene O
sold in the state. instead Of 100 as at present, WI
summarily dismissed with argument in favor Oft
present standard, except that the standard oil con
pany preferred We should use the 1902 hre-test al
take our chances Of being blown up. Doubtless the
make more money by selling this kind Of oil al
who ever knew this great monopoly defeated in an
Of its undertakings?
s. l29 an act ia relation to the rights Of marie
women was ably discussed In the Senate, aud passs
I unanimously, think, but was Killed in the House.
| III, requiring people to cut noEious weeds with
the limits Of the highway adjoining meadow or cult
waited land, passed the Senate but was defeated in Il
S. I73, amending Sec 276O Of the revised laws .
| lowing towns to bond hye times tue amount of tue
grand list, passed the Senate, the argument in fave
Of 1t being that under the enlarged grand list
much money would be raised by allowing towns
bond for i've times their grand list they wou
raise under the old tax law by bonding eight tim
the grand list. This was defeated in the House, pro
ably on the ground that the constitutional amenj
ment prohibiting towns FROM bonding would becon
law. The House voted in favor Of this amendmen
hut the Senate against Il; the law for the next tv
| years must remain as at present.
| Some other bills which seemed worthy Of beiI
placed on our statute books were defeated; but u
larger part Of those Slaughtered" think met ju
fate. Some Of the Aforementioned ones were killed
sideraton they deserved in the closing days Of q