Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-13
The Laws.

for ANY sum less than 1--WE dollars.
The Laws.
The WATcnMAN supplement OF this week
contains such laws, passed at the late session
of the Legislature, as the secretary OIL 'he
state is required to publish in the newspa-
pers. They are one hundred and fourteen
in number. The Hooker revenue Dill IS
No. l. followed by the act revising, consol'
;datinq and amending the laws relating to
the grand list. These and nearly all the
prominent measures of the past session we |
have commented upon in detail. Our read
ers will now have an opportunity to scan at
their leisure the various provisions OF these
and other acts as they finally passed into |
the statutory law of the state. Act No. .
reduces to 81 800 the aggregate amount OF
savings bank deposits which any resident
of the state may have free from taxation on
the grand list The act provides forieits
and penalties for evasions or attempts TO
eyade the provisions of this act. By No.
owners of fowls to the value of more than
twenty dollars are subject to taxation on the
excess. No. @ provides for the taxation OF
the Vermont central railway when any per-
son or corporation other than the original
company, in any character or right is oper-
ating that road. No. IL establishes the
outer bound of puppyhood at eight weeks
and fixes the license fee for every male dog
at 81 and for every female at "a. No. IL
contains the amendments to the Judevine
highway law-amendments which practi'
cally destroy the one feature of that measure
which made it possible for it to become law
two years ago. The cumbersome and prac-
tically prohibitory machinery of the law re-
lating to complaints for insufiiciencies is
retained, but the section which limited the
liability of towns to damages received on
bridges exceeding eight feet span is amended
to include all bridges, culverts and sluice-
ways. We believe No. 10 is equally unsat
isfactory to Judevine and anti-Judevine
advocates. As one senator described the
amended law, " it is now neither fish, flesh,
fowl, nor even decent hash" The tall sycs-
more of Manchester" who produced this mon
grel will hardly find it "an adamantine
monument of brass" to perpetuate his
fame as a statesman. No. is gives tax
PAYERS who work out their taxes fifteen
cents an hour for their labor. No. 10 makes
the text books recommended by the text
book committee of 1879 the authorized
books till November l, 1880, and the use OF
any other books except for reference is I'M
lawful. No. % allows teachers while their
schools are in session to attend teachers in
stitutes or educational meetings held pursu-
ant to law for a period not exceeding three
days without losing their time. No. 30 has
reference to the organization of the Certrsl
Vermont railway company and is intended
to facilitate the same. Nos 30 to 40 relate
to railway matters of general interest, and
Al to 46 to the liquor traffic, AZ to 40 to the
care and custody of the insane, the latter
number being understood to have special
reference to McCsffrey, the alleged insane
murderer now in the asylum at Brattleboro.
Owners or keepers of public billiard or pool
tables or bowling alleys will need to read and
heed No. 3d. The penalty for allowing any
minor to play these games in opposition to
the written request of parent, guardian or
school principal, is not less than ten dollars.
Nc. "a forbids posting bills or painting pla-
cards or notices on bridges, trees, ETC., with
out the consent in writing of the selectmen
of the town. individuals who indulge in
smashing street lamps or lamps in the
grounds about public buildings are liable
under No. So to fine of not more than $50
or three months Imprisonment. No. 20 pro
vides for suits against associations and
joint stock companies and obliges such or
CARNATIONS doing business in this state to
designate some person in every county in
which they are doing business, upon whom
legal process may be served. If such desig
nation is not made, legal process may be
served upon any conductor" messenger"
"express agent" Operator" "manager "
holding a position corresponding to the
above No. IA obliges telegraph or tele-
phone companies to use straight poles in
Incorporated villages and to keep them
painted. No. rs stamps out that relic of
barbarism, the "turkey shoot" No. 10
imposes wise restrictions against the over
crowding of public halls and theatres.
All passage-ways must be kept clear of
chairs. No. 81 is aimed at dead-beats
who try to defraud hotel.keepers of food
and lodgings. No. SO dooms the muir
derous toy pistol. No. SO makes an at
tempt to poison food, drink, medicine or
springs punishable with not more than
twenty years in the states prison. Nos. 100
to l05 fix the fees of expert witnesses,
county clerks, sheriffs and constables, and
the compensation of police officers. No. l07
gives town superintendent two dollars a
day. No. lib says no officer entitled to pre-
side at town meeting shall so preside if he is
knowingly candidate for representative TO
the general assembly. No. ll6 protects
muskrats, and the succeeding number is the
warmly contested fish and game law. No.
it has to do with commercial fertilizers.
The twenty-five constitutional amendments
proposed by the senate to the house two
years ago and by that body reduced to six,
were by the present legislature whitfield
down to two, the first, providing for an add.
tional oath which will, if finally adopted by
the people, keep postmasteTs and other
United States officers out of the legislature,
the second making the offices Of auditor and
secretary of state elective by the people
This portion of our weekly issue may moi
be as entertaining as romance or as excit
ing as hair-lifting novel, but it will be
quite as important and useful to the great
body Of the people. A careful perusal and
study of this supplement may save many
individuals loss, embarrassment and an
noyance.
We sincerely hope that the tax on to
bacco will not be removed or reduced. Will
the liquor tax it should be maintained anC