Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-22
Legislative Notes.

versely on the bill to change the southern bound
airy OF Burlington.
HON A E JuDEvIsE Of Hardwick, the father
OF the famous highway law which bears his name,
was in town last week.
The genial member from Benson, X. p. Walker,
has taken to himself wife and receives the con-
CALCULATIONS OF his many friends.
In our yea and nay list last week on the Meaker
bill the name OF Mr.. Andrews OF johnson APP
peared among the nays by mistake He voted In
the affirmative.
SENATOR HOGAN has sharply called attention
TO the growing evil OF legalizing grand lists, by
his bill, S. 1856, abstract Of which Is given
among the proceedings.
SOME one opposed to the restrictive fish laws
has prevailed on Senator Reed Of Addison to In
troduce bill repeating all these acts, as far as
they apply to Lake Champlain.
THE house committee on railroads meet this
evening to consider house bills ga and 1858. All
persons DESTROYS Of being heard upon those bills
are requested to be present.
The joint committee on final adjournment has
unanimously recommended that Wednesday,
November 29th, at nine o'clock A. M, be the time
for the final adjournment Of the legislature.
THE Rutland Herald thinks that Mr. Howe Of
Sharon, who was the first lister Of that town
when such a bungling list was made, should be
named Sharon's dewy rose OF civic virtue"
THE lumber dealers Of Burlington petitioned
the legislature to exempt insurance premiums
]. u, =
revenue bill 1t IL said that all the petitioners
are insurance stockholders.
THE house was not in a very attentive mood
Thursday and was inclined to PASS lightly over
some important subjects Mr. Priest OF Barre
administered a severe and just rebuke to those
members who would not attend to questions OF
the gravest Importance, and his action had
marked effect
THE bill committing the sentence Of Almon
Meaker, which has been adversely reported by
the senate judiciary committee, will come up az
ape cial order In that body this afternoon. II
Is understood that some excellent speeches " I'll
be made In favor Of the bill, and an interesting
debate may be expected.
THE disinterestedness OF many bills is shown
by the history OF one recently introduced exempt
ing from poll tax soldiers who lost an eye in the
war. The Trainer Of the bill ia himself a one
eyed-memher, one Of his orhs having been slightly
injured In the war and rendered sightless by an
accident In later civil life.
THE Hooker revenue bill passed the house with
bounce yesterday afternoon. The vote stood, one
hundred ninety-two yeas to twenty nays. No
material amendments were made. Mr.. Wing for
the committee explained that the constitutional
ity OF the measures for raising revenue incorpo-
rated In this bill have the sanction Of decisions OF
the supreme court of the United States. An alb
stract OF this bill will be found on the first page
of the supplement.
NEW edition Of the revised laws will be re-
quired II any considerable portion Of the proposed
amendments to the code are passed by the gen.
eral assembly. 1t seems very singular that &c
soon after an unusually thorough revision sc
| much tinkering OF the statutes Is necessary. How
| many private ends and selfish purposes are to be
served by these alterations in the statutory law
In nine cases out Of ten there Is niger In the
wood pile in this business Of law-mending and
sooner or later the people will hear him " boiler.
WALKER Of Peru has a fine sense Of humor
Whenever his wizard form rises In the arena OF
debate some inspiring sentiment or cogent argu'
ment 10 looked for, and never in vain For In
stance when, Monday, 1t was proposed to require
| towns to mark the resting place OF paupers by a
decent stone, suitably inscribed, this delightful
| humorist and humane and enlightened statesman
moved that there be inscribed thereon In italics the
amount which 1t had cost the town TO support The
defunct pauper. 10 all progressive legislation HI
Is equally broad and liberal In his views. Walker
| of Peru for the next governor
| THE claim OF E. II. Daniels for money lost IL
| the building Of the reform scho oil WAS again be
| fore the house on Thursday, on q motion to re
consider the vote by which the third reading %
the bill WAS refused The ground OF this claim
has been so thoroughly stated that 1t needs no re
| viewing. The same arguments In favor OF TIT
measure were urged by Messrs. Kimball, Allen
Edson Wells and Powers and Messrs Carter
Woodland and Thompson (of Irasburghl reviewed
| the considerations against such precedent. TIT
| house decided by one majority that they had haC
all they wanted of this bill and would no
reconsider.
| the power to exempt manufacturing establish
| ments from taxation II they 30 vote, was turtle
considered in the house on Thursday. Mr.. Plum
| ley argued that the proposed law would be un
| constitutional, as the legislature could not dele
gate such right to the towns. The law must b
| general, and the same for all the towns
Messrs. Smith of Newbury, Childs and Well
claimed that in the interests Of the towns the
lshments II they desired The house seemed +
agree with this view OF the case, and passed tn
bill by decisive vote.
THE committee on agriculture gave hearin
THU day evening upon the bill intrt duced by Ser
ator Barber, to prohibit the erection Of barbe
wire fences on dividing lines without the write
consent Of the adjoining owners. Mr.. S. z. Shurt
left Of Montpelier, General George +. Davis Q
Cavendish, and Mr., II NJ Smith Of Worcester
Massachusetts, who is connected with the Wssl
burn & Moen Manufacturing Company (makel
Of the fence), appeared In opposition To the bill
and Senator Barber appeared In Its favor. M
Barber believes that 1t Is injurious to stocl
Mr.. Davis believes that 1t Is great developer {
their intelligence, and therefore great aid to a
upward evolution.
THE general subject of taxation was brougf
before the house last Wednesday by II. 24l. M
Smiths (of New bury bill, which provides thi
no more than the sum OF $1,000 be allowed
, offsets on personal estate. MIR. Thompson {
| lrasburgh and Mr.. Wing Of Montpelier argue
with great force that there should be no offse
= whatever and they favored the bill as being
/ step in the right direction DR.. Jones OF Wait
field made straightforward statement Of Il
, bill, which evidently carried much weight vii
. 1t. Mr.. Carter OF Hardwick and Mr.. Plumley
Mortified opposed the bill as tending TO injust,
In taxation. 1t is evident that the sentiment
] the house is In favor OF stopping up all the loo
holes In the present tax law through which pro
erty escapes taxation, as the bill was ordered to
third reading by yea and nay vote.
7 ABsESTEKIsM is great drawback to the effe
tive dispatch Of business In either branch OF Il
general assembly. Members whose conscience
n exceedingly tender when II comes to payiI
n claims against the state or In voting the publ
! money for any enlightened OF progressive mea
q | ure, seem 10 have no scruples about taking the
! grip sacks Friday or Saturday, when there Is
a adjournment, and heading for home In cons
!, | quence Saturdays sessions have a bare quorn
. and no measure Of any Importance can be tax,
up. Many bills are ordered to lie because Il
members aying them in charge are not In the
, seats. Business Is thus retarded, the time
= those who stick to their posts Ia wasted or co
y sumed on trivial routine work, and commit
work ls necessarily suspended to a great exteI
: Some measures should be taken to put che
e uron bis abuse. II members fud it convenie
|. | or profitable TO go home when their presence
i the state house Ia required, practically suspen
n ing legislation till Tuesday, let their per diem
Q withdrawn for every period Of absence. The q
J. gument address. ed 10 the pocket OF members Is q
II only one which will avail.
!. II 3O9 the bill fixing the salary OF the sta
superintendent OF education at Sl400 and e
penses came up In the house Wednesday and
i lively discussion tnsued on motion TO amend
I makiug the salary $1,000. Mr.. Priest OF Bar
n earnestly opposed the amendment, claiming th
}. the men who were qualified for the posit
II could easily command from $500 TO $500 In Il
e same capacity elsewhere and compared d
. salary paid in this state with that paid in 9th
!, states. lie strongly objected TO anything viii
% would impair the efficiency OF our schools N
It Bates OF Hartlsnd said he was In favor Of pa
n ing all that man earned and thought $1,000 W
:; all that the present Incumbent earned II 4
q state would employ man worth 5000, he won
J be in favor Of paying him that amount
a thought the last report showed how much wo
= had been done Mr. Smith Of NewbuIy want
II 10 know II the superinte ndeDt gave his whc
u time to the work, MessTs. Brown OF Springfield
70 Robinson OF Weaihersfed Cults OF Orwell Al
~ Sherburn OF Rochester, testified to the faithfl
d ness OF Mr. Dart, the present incumbent, al
~ opposed the amendment. Mr.. Childs thong
= 5000 about a fair salary for the position IA col
" pared with the salaries OF other state ofiicia
70 Mr. Smith OF Newbury agreed with this and n
~ Perkins OF windsor opposed IT, After sever
~ amendments had been rejected, the salary W
X fixed at Sl2OO by yea and nay vote which
20 given among the proceedings So the house b
decidl that the state shall pay Its superintende
ic less than il paid TO the principals OF several hi
t. schools In the larger towns and cities, How
10 can be expected that the interests OF educati
" will be advanced by such niggardly action