Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-10-24
THE LEGISLATURE.

The attendance on the legislature has been
small this week owing to the absence Of com
mi tees on their regulation visit to state insti-
tutions. Committee and other work has
been somewhat advanced, though few Of the
more important measures Of legislation have
received attention.
Notable among the bills Of the week Is one
'relating to the repairing OF highways and
bridges" by Senator Chaplin of Washington
county. This bill put the care Of the high
ways into the hands of the selectmen of the
towns or Of commissioners elected for that
purpose, allows them TO assess a tax Of 20
per cent. to be paid In money, authorizes the
purchase OF tools and materials, and speoi-
fees in several points the condition in which
the high ways shall be kept.
Tho Senate has passed bill giving mar
ried women equal property rights with their
husbands and allowing them to sue and be
sued. The measure will be killed in the
House.
1t is proposed TO repeal the law allowing
towns to exempt manufacturing enterprises
from taxation for term Of years, and bill
has been introduced for that purpose.
An attempt will be made 10 make the cleo
ton Of representatives by plurality instead
Of by majority.
The opponents of capital punishment by
hanging have introduced a bill to have muir
derers Killed by electricity.
Senator Holton has introduced a bill pro.
viding for thu free transportation Of state Of
ficers and judges OF the supreme court over
the railroads.
The bill allowing the town Of Nottingham
to resume the district system of schools
passed the House last Friday.
As usual several bills have been introduced
asking to have the grand lists of towns legal
| iya1 vub ara IN nfIinaRa Mt
negligent to see that they are legal. On
| Tuesday the House passed bill legalizing
the grand list Of Somerset for the yeRr5 1883
and 1884, and the quadrennial appraisal of
| 1882.
The member from Sheldon has introduced
| a bill ito secure the purity OF elections" 1t
provides for various safeguards of elections,
such as ballots Of certain shape and printing,
prohibiting tho solicitation of votes within
| so feet of the polling place, etc.
The grand list committee have reported a
substitute bill providing that in towns and
cities whose population exceeds 5000 the time
in which the listers shall be required to de-
post the list shall b. extended to the 3Oth Of
May in towns Of more than 5000 aud less
| than 5000 inhabitants to the 25lh OF May ;
| in towns OF more than 1000 aud less tina II
| 5000, to the goth of May.
The bill to restore to Lewis college its old
name of Norwich University has passed both
| branches.
Still another effort is being N lde to change
the shire of Orleans county from Irasburg to
some point on the Passumpsc railroad, aud
the matter was referred 10 a special com
mttee.
A bill similar to ono at the last session, pro.
hibiting the sale Of tobacco in any form to
boys of lG or under, has been killed in the
| House.
Mr.. Ruiter of Townshend has introduced
q bill providing for the reception Of unruly
children under Is at the reform school, upon
the certificate OF the probate court, the pa.
rent to pay not less than half the expense of
the child's support.
The House has refused to pass Senator
Holton's bill which passed the Senate, prCvid
| ing that fines for criminal offences shall be
paid into the treasury aud the costs OF pros
ecution shall be paid out of the treasury Of
incorporated villages, il the offences are
committed within their limits.
The bill to increase the salaries of the su
preme court judges and prohibit their accep
lance Of free passes was debated in the senate
yesterday forenoon. The bill by amendments
was reduced to the simple proposition to in
crease the salaries to $1,000, and was 6nall,
refused third reading by the decisive vot,
Of yeas to 81 nays.