Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-10-29


persists in voting itself occasional holidays,
it is already looking towards an early adjourn
ment. A resolution introduced by Mr.. Our
rier of Troy was adopted on Wednesday by
the House which fixes November 10th as the
last day for the introduction of bills without
the unanimous consent of the House.
A third railroad commission bill was intro
duced in the Senate on Monday by Senator
Bates OF Caledonia county. A synopsis OF
the provisions OF this bill is given in another
column. From a glance at this synopsis il
will be seen that Senator Bltes's bill lacks
many prominent features which are necesss-
ry to the creation OF an effective aud fair rail
road commission. 1t carefully avoids the OPP
portunity for an abuse of the railroads which
Mr.. Higbees bill affords, but, on the other
hand, it lacks the comprehensive aud cour-
ageous character of the well.drawn bill in
troduced by Gen. Ripley. 1t is conceded on
all sides that the latter bill is the most desra.
BILE of the three. In it are included all OF the
best features Of the Massachusetts, and New
York laws, as well as many other provisions
which the experience OF the commissions in
these states has proved necessary to an effective
railroad commission. These bills will all be
taken up before the railroad committees Of
the two houses for the first time next Friday
afternoon.
The fight over the valued policy" bills
has begun in earnest. circumstances against
their passage have been pouring into the leg
isature for the last two days in large mum
bers. These protests are signed by the rep
resentative business men of the state, who
compose, Of course, the larger part OF the
holders OF insurance. Those already offered
represent in the aggregate over $40, 900, 600
of insurance. The Burlington protest, signed
by Wells, Richardson IL Co. aud 1l3 other
business firms of that city, represents alone
over $4,000, 900 insurance Two Of the
strongest protests against these bills were Of
fered TO the legislature Wednesday by Mr..
Alexander of Rockingham. These were
signed by Mr.. Lane, president Of the Bellows
Falls savings institution, aud by the president
and treasurer Of the Bellows Falls brewery
company, and gave testimony of the bad re-
suit Of the valued policy law in Now Hamp
shire and its undesirsbility for this state. An
exciting hearing on these bills was held by
the joint general committee on Tuesday even
| ing vt which many representative insurance
men we're present to oppose the bill. Mr..
Harvey of Topsham, who introduced the
! House bill on the subject, was present an d
defended the measure as well ~ be could.
| Among those who appeared against it were
Shurtlef OF Montpelier, in behalf Of the
Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance company,
Mr.. NJ j. Francisco OF Rutland, L. s. Hayes
| OF Bellows FALLS John Il. Hall of Bunning-
ton, Gau. T. S Peck Of Burlington, and M.
Lawrence of Springfield. Tue weight OF
argument was overwhelmingly against the
proposed measure. 1t is generally thought
that the committee will report against the
| bill
Mr.. Fisk of Morristown introduced bill
on Tuesday which is evidently intended
compromise measure between the advocates
and opponents of the valued policy" bills
His bill provides that when, 10 the just
ment Of either partial or total loss by FIRE
under policy Of Insurance. issued on real OF
personal property ia tue state, II il found
that said property has been insured for al
amount greater than its real value, 1.-THE in
suranoe company shall pay to the insured tn,
excess Of premium paid for such insurance
or assessments collected therefor, that shal
be found 10 be ,quitably due TO the insured
on account of the generalization of such prop
erty III said contract of insurance" Thu
bill is loosely drawn and meets with the ia
vor of few men who understand in uranc
matters.
One portion of the legislature is now SUI
fering from what will soon interest all tn
memb, n OF both houses | refer to the figh
which has been begun in tho committees owe
the question of the division of the town o
Rutland The Senate and House special com
mittees on the subject spent two days in Rut
land last week taking testimony and hstenlu
to the arguments of the friends and oppC
nents of the measure. The hearing II to b
continued one week from to day at the stat
} house.
Z The two bills to incorporate the towns q
West Rutland and Proctor are being tough
by most of the leading men in Rutland. Tn
prime mover in the attempt TO divide 18th
largest town in the United States" is ex Gov
Redhed Proctor who has retained nearly a
the leading lawyers in Rutland county, An
. who has brought upon himself the enmity {
the entire population Of Rutland for b
course in the matter. The Rutlandites PR
pose to preserve the integrity of the tow
g and to have given to it city charter. VIII
the result of the Investigations which al
a now going on will be, it is impossible to col
lecture Few OF the committee, and a sti
less number of ths other members of Il
70 legislature, seem, rs yet, to have formed al
o definite opinion on the subject
e The question of municipal suffrage 4
4 women IL being very fAvorably considered
A both houses. Petitions for the enactment
suffrage laws, signed by thousands of Gil
= zens from all parts of the state, have bee
u presented in both houses. These were il
a medistely responded to by the House judi
G iary committte Q, whose chairman, Judge p
II land, introduced bill providing that fema
. citizens 2l years of age, whose lists are TAKE
in any town at the annual assessment ne
preceding town meeting, shall, while resi-
t ing in the town, be voters in town meeting
Il and the same persons shall be voters in v
4 lage and fire district meetings This bill W
;, reported favoraby by Judge Poland's col
mittee, and ordered by the House to be rel
the third time on next Wednesday mornin
Senator Pierce of Windsor has introduced
II bill similar to Judge Polands, emitting, ho'
y ever, the qualification, taxable, which Il
d bill OF the latter contains.
lie The question of what action the legislatu
}, is to take in amending the trustee proce
Is law seems to be already settled. The Hou
If judiciary committee reported in favor of
,, bill fixing the limit for attachments in tru
n tee process at $40. 1t was ordered to thi
d reading by the House yesterday, and at I
lie same time the other bills on the subject we
= dropped.
a The bill of Judge Poland, introduced
At the first day OF the session, was taken up
~ the House to-day. This BILL with the amen
At ments proposed by the committee, provld
I'd for the adjustment Of the old law Of "le(
settlement" of paupers and substitutes thei
d of Mr.. Randall of Glover TO substitute ''st
IL en- years" instead of one, a spirited discr
:, sion on the merits of tho bill arose. N
Randalrs motion was favored by Messrs, b.
B. terrified of Grafton, Currier of Troy, Beda
'e of st. Adams, Hathaway of Hardwick, Smi
,e of Vershire and Williams of Bloomfield a
le opposed by Judge Poland, Messrs. Knapp
~ Middlebury, Tinkham of Pomfret Fisk
- Morristown and Harvey of Topsham.
the question of it's adoption the yea and n
vote called by Mt Butterfeld stood 100
aud 100 against. The House then adopt
x the amendment of Mr.. Stesrns of Bradfo
a. making it three years residence instead
re- one.
IN Mr.. Butter6eld of Grafton is fast TAXI
stand in the present House as one Of its so
:, and reliable members. His speech on Wedn
III day in favor of retaining the old legal sett
re ment idea for paupers was without except
Of the best that has been made in the House Il
III season. He opposed Judge Poland's
n changing the legal settlement of the prest
law to a residence of one year, and in his
y marks made what Judge Poland acknowledg
le to be "a beautiful apostrophe of home"
lie was this speech that helped to bring abou
g. compromise between the advocates of 30
Vaariau reaidanoa and the frianda Of Randall