Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-10-13

MoNTPELIER, Oct 10, 1882.
Editors Phgnir The Speaker Of the
House announced most of the standing CON.
mi!tees yesterday, and the bills which have
been introduced have been referred to the
proper committees, who are now at work ex-
aiming them and listening to the arguments
pro and con of the friends aud opponents of
the bills. Those relating to the grand list
and highways are the most numerous, five OF
the former and three of the latter having been
introduced in the House, and two or three in
the Senate on the same subjects. Those re-
lating to the grand list are mostly for strength
ening the present law. There are two, how
ever, one in the Senate and one in the House,
which make radical changes, taxing mortgag-
ed property as the interest of the parties may
appear like the present law in
Massachusetts,.
OF the bills relating to the highways, that
of Mr.. French of Underhill is receiving the
most attention, as it restores the old law.
This bill has been under consideration of
the Committee on Highways this evening in
the general committee room. A general invi-
taton having been extended to the members
of the General Assembly to attend this meet
ing of the Committee and express their views
as to the merits of the bill, the committee
room WAS filed early in the evening. After
Mr.. French, who introduced the bill, had
presented his arguments in its favor there
followed lively discussion of the question
by members from all parts of the state, and
all but one-Senator Burnap of Burlington
were in favor of the present law with some
notifications The expression was nearly
unanimous against restoring the old law so
far as related to paying highway damages
The Montpelier Journal of to-day devoted
quite a large space to the advocacy of the
French bill, and gave liberal quotations from
the press of the state as to the critical condi-
ton of the highways, but the facts brought
out before the Committee this evening do
not warrant this wholesale abuse of the high
ways. The testimony of men who travel the
roads the most, among whom was one physi-
clan, who said he travelled both night and
day without fear of injury, was that the roads
were generally as good as they were two years
ago, and in some cases better. But one man
complained of the condition of the highway,
and said nine-tenths of his town were in ia
vor of restoring the old law. He was very
pertinently asked, if nine-tenths of the peo-
pie were of the opinion that the roads were
poor why they did not repair themP That
some law will be enacted compelling towns
to keep highways in repair there is little
doubt, but if the expression of the members
tonight is any indication of the feeling of
the majority of the legislature, Mr.. French's
bill will be dismissed.
The liquor question receives the usual at
tention, bills having been introduced making
the law more stringent A bill was introduce
ed making Thursday and Friday of this week
the days for election of judges and state Of
hcers, but was afterwards withdrawn to give
the members more time to consider the quail
ifieations Of the candidates for the various
offices. Had the election of judges taken
place this week, think Judge Royce would
have been defeated, az there is a strong feel