Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-24
THE LENLSLATNRE.

VI the numerous highway bills which have
been introduced during the session, Senate
bill IS is the first that has passed either house
This bill has passed the Senate, but It's fate
in the House is doubtful. 1t provides that
tax of at least 10 cents on the dollar of the
grand list shall be assessed by the seectmeu
annually, which shall be collected and paid
into the town Treasury on or before the 10th
| day OF Juno, and that towns may, Mt their an
nual meeting, vote such additional tax AZ they
may think necessary to mako and keep in re-
pair highways and bridges. It abolishes the
Office OF highway surveyor aud requires tho
selectmen to keep highways and bridges i'm
repair, intiictug penalty on their neglect to
put road IN repair after 81 hours notice.
These are Che most important features of the
bill.
Senate bill 49, establishing n court of claims
IN each county, to consist of the supreme
court judge who presides in the county court,
the two associate judges of the county, and
the state auditor, which court shall have iuris-
diction OF all claims against tho state for SER
vices and expenses incurred by persons resid-
ing III the county in the pursuit or capture of
persons charged with crime has passed the
Senate. A bill has been introduced in the
House to constitute court Of claims by the
appointment of five senator's and nine repre-
sentativcs to sit with the auditor during the
session OF the legislature, and ad Just all claims
against the state. Under our present system
we have what is equivalent to four courts of
claims, viz, the committee on claims, the
Senate, the House and the governor, and to
any one who has watched the workings Of
this system 1t must be apparent that u change
should be made OF the two bills under con
sideraton, think the House bill the best as
1t establishes court of claims which will
have jurisdiction over all claims against the
state, while the Senate bill gives the court
jurisdiction over criminal cases only There
is little doubt that the time consumed in the
consideration of bills for payment Of claims
has cost the state more than the amount of
the claims, all of which the state has had to
pay, except that of the Rutland county bank,
which the governor vetoed. Concerning this
aforementioned claim | desire to state some
facts which came before the committee, as
there have been rumors and insiuuations anoat
rejecting on the officers Of the bank. which
tended to influence the vote of many mem
bers of the House. 1. was said that the bank
needed The defaulting teller 10 straighten out
tho books of the bank The evidence before
the committee did not substantiate this charge,
but tended to show that the bank officers
worked simply in the interests of Justice, to
secure the criminal aud have him punished,
and that the money asked for by the bank
was actually expended by them, together with
5000 more, which was paid a. a re ward BY
their efforts the criminal was brought back to
Vermont and put under bonds which were
forfeited, and the state received $500 At
ter deducting the taxable costs which were
paid by the auditor, the state has a balance
of over $1,000, out of which the bank asks to
be reimbursed her actual expenses-ab
$50 and we submit the claim is lust one
and should have been paid, and doubtless
would have been had it not been presented
by rich corporation. If we pursue a mig
gardly policy towards all claims of this kind,
1t will necessitate our doubly securing our
promises, since our state will be the resort of
thieves. The two burglars who recently os.
capped from the jail here were not pursued by
the sheriff, who said he had had one bill cut
into by the state, and he did not propose b
put in his time aud pay the expense incurred
in pursuing criminals with no prospect of get
ting any pay for it.
A word more AS to the necessity OF taking
these claims out of the hands of the lrg,slA.
ture. The Daniels claim for extra pay on
the reform school building at Nergeunes was
examined by the committee on claims aud re-
ported adversely, as if allowed it would be
only on the ground of charity. In the House
an amendment was offered to pay $1,000, dis
cussed for long time, defeated on yea aud
nay vote by two maj ortY, ordered to lie on a
motion to reconsider, and finally defeated by
one vote. or what use is committee on
claims! Suppose case in the county court,
decided 10y jury after hearing the law and
evidence, should then be taken to "a town
meeting and voted on, and you have IA paral-
lei to our present system; and say this with
out any disrespect to the legislature
There seems to be a strong desire to finish
up the business of the session before Thanks
giving, and bills are being passed upon in a
hurry, especially in the House. A large mum
Der have been slaughtered" which is a safe
way TO dispose of most Of them, though in
the hurry there is danger Of dismissing some
bills of real merit One was refused a third
reading in the House ON Monday, which had
passed the Senate almost unanimously. Il
was the one to which referred in former
letter, permitting any person who does not
become town charge for seven years to gain
residence in the town where he resides and
as its effect would have been to do away with
the barbarous custom Of calling respectable
people before a court of inquiry to see if they
are likely to become paupers, and it would
have saved much litigation and affected all
towns alike, l see no reason why it should not
have passed. Many representatives doubt
less had in mind some case in their own town
likely to become pauper and did not think
some other town might have u similar case,
which under the present law would become
chargeable to their town. 1t is possible for
legislators to take narrow view and have in
mind simply their own towns when they vote.
A broader view might give US better laws.
On Tuesday House bill 39l, introduced by
Col. Hooker, chairman Of the ways and means
committee, passed the House by a large ma
Jority, only 20 voting against it, 1t provides a |
revenue for the payment Of state taxes. c.
It has been week Of tremendous slaughter Of bills