The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-20


Johnsbury, father of Representative Fletch-
er, is now visiting the capitol. Colonel
Fletcher is now eighty-two years of age, and
is perfect picture of health He repre-
sented Shelburne and Underhill in the
Legislature years ago.
A VERY fine pair of hawk owls, rare birds,
are among the additions to the state cabinet
of natural history We notice also that all
the minerals have been washed and busted,
so that the whole collection looks fresh and
clean and adds to the various attractions
about the state
The Bellows Falls Times, published by
Senator Swain, well says: "Thus far Colonel
Fuller has performed the duties of his Office
in an easy manner and highly creditable
as presiding officer" This evidence of an
eyewitness is endorsed by everyone who
has had an opportunity of observation.
GENERAL RIPLEY's resolution giving the
use of the hall of the house of repre-
sentatives to the Vermont officers soci-
ETY. Wednesday evening, Nov 3d. was
adopted by the house Tuesday. The adj
dress on the occasion of the reunion will
be delivered by General Francis A. Walker.
In speaking of the appointments on the
governors staff Wednesdays Free Press
says: The aids are veterans with excel
lent reports. One, Colonel Mansur, has
carried an empty sleeve since the battle of
Winchester, and all are worthy gentlemen
and well-known and respected citizens"
We thought 50.
JUDGE POWERS calls our attention to the
fact that the statutes provide for a maximum
sentence of fifteen years imprisonment for
committing burglary, and twenty years for
having in possession tools with the evident
intention of committing burglary. This pal
pable inconsistency calls for immediate ac-
ton by the Legislature.
THE bill restoring deserters to all their
! legal rights and privileges was passed by
! the house Tuesday after strong speech
by Judge Poland in favor of it. The Judge
took the ground that the law disfranchising
| them was er-pOSt fdctO, and clearly unconsti-
tutional and at least was a hardship that
should no longer be borne.
JUDGE STANTON is an admirable presiding
officer and the members speak in terms of
unqualified praise of the manner in which
he acquitted himself while occupying the
speakers chair Friday afternoon. The
judge is equal to any emergency, and has
already made himself " solid " in the good
opinion of his legislative brethren.
THE bill introduced by Representative
Mansur in the house Wednesday, providing
that one month of mans and two months
wages of a woman shall be exempt from
trustee process, is an excellent one. The
present law which allows and encourages
small bore, shyster attorneys to follow up
and sneak after a laborer is a scandal and a
disgrace and there is demand for its repeal.
THE twelve-year-old bill referred to in the
JOURNAL of Wednesday as having been in
troduced and referred to the committee on
claims is for the relief ~ of the st. Regis
Indians, who claim most all the western
part of the state by Inheritance, their title
being perfected by possession some over
one hundred years ago. There is very little
chance of the claim being allowed. " Lo,
the poor Indian"
The bill introduced by Colonel Mansur
of Brighton Monday entitled ." an act to
prohibit the scattering of noxious weeds, y
bears down heavy on the aesthetic oX-eyed
daisy, and other pestilent flowers that
bloom in the spring" This sort of herbage
is slowly but surely running the hay crop on
many Vermont farms and something should
be done looking toward the arrest of the
evil. We hope Brother Tinkham will sug-
gest remedy for the difficulty.
ONE of the hardest working and clearest
headed members of the house is our Jour
naistic brother Fisk, the member from
Morristown. Mr.. Fisk is sensible and
practical business man and is doing much
intelligent and effective work His re-
marks in seconding the nomination of Sen
ator Edmunds this afternoon were brief,
well considered and to the point. Norris
town and Lamoille county are to be con.
graduated on being so well represented.
ANOTHER embryo railroad came to the sur
face in the house Friday forenoon in the
form of bill authorizing railroad to be
built from some point on the Vermont di-
vision of the Boston and Lowell to Richford
to connect at that point with the Southeast
ern road. The proposed road will probably
start from johnson or Fletcher and is to be
completed under ten years. Colonel Jewett
has been in town several days looking after
the matter The bill was introduced by
Judge Poland.
THE bill introduced by Senator Bates of
Caledonia Wednesday in relation to the town
system of schools we think is commend
oh II Ia Of 1N.. al
ton " for the town. After trying the town
system two years they can revoke their de-
cision in its favor at any annual town meet
ing. This would give each town an oppor-
tunity to test the operation of the town
system, and if they did not like it they
could go back to the district system, This
looks to be a fair proposition.
WE are informed that we inadvertently
omitted to include the name of Dr. Mayo ol
Northfield in our list of the Washington
county members who are on committees
The doctor is the chairman of the committee
on the revision of bills, and is also "A mem
Der of the committee on the insane, two i'm.
portant positions. Regardless of the disap
proval of Ropes and his boy. we will say that
Northfeld is extremely fortunate in having
so influential, respected and popular "A rep
resentative as DIR. w. b. Mayo.
The bill introduced by Senator Valen
tine Tuesday relating to school textbooks
]
object of the bill is to establish uniform
, system of text books in every town in the
state, and provides for the carrying out OF
the project by the constitution of state
board of commissioners who shall have in
charge the choosing of the books The pres
ent law allows each town to select the books
to be used by the scholars and the result is
that each town establishes different sys.
TEN. The uniformity contemplated by Sen
ator Valentines bill is the great point to be
gained, and is worthy of favorable consid-
Grafton.
The legislative committee, consisting OF
Senators Chase of Rutland county, Smith OF
Washington county, and Stanley of Addison
county, and Representatives Mansur OF
Brighton, Chesmore of Huntington, Hall OF
Groton Barney of Swanton Peck of Brook,
field, Haylett of Moretown, and Raymond
of Stowe, appointed to consider the bills
creating the new towns of Proctor and West
Rutland are going to Rutland to look over
the ground and hear testimony, Thursday
Rutland people are getting up good deal
of excitement, and holding mass-meetings
on the subject. The knights of Labor op-
pose the movement, the grounds of the op-
position being understood to be that they
now control the town, which is the largest
town in population not under city govern
ment in the United States, and they don't
propose to lose that prestige by having the
town torn up.
The following from the Brattleboro PhH'
mir ie morthV nf SpriOus con ilaration