Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-10-15

Under the head Of state Scholarship
the trustees in their report point the way
TO mode or method that might well be
adopted by the state to assist and advance
the interests of the University and at the
same time furnish assistance to gifted
and ambitious young men of limited
means"-these suggestions are worthy Of
your earnest consideration.
The State Agricultural college is a part
OF the University of Vermont and mpde
so by an act OF the Legislature Of This
State, approved November ., 1865 II il
sustained by the income of a fund given
to the State Of Vermont by the general
government, by virtue OF an act OF Con
gress, approved July q 1862 And this
act provides that the income Of this fund
snail be used for the support of at least
one college, "where the LEADING ohiect
shall be- without excluding other scientific
and classical studies, and including mill
tary tactics, to teach such branches OF lean.
ing rs are related to agriculture and the
mechanic arts, in such manner rs the leg
islatures may respectively prescribe in or
der to promote the liberal and practical
education Of the industrial classes in the
several pursuits and professions in life"
AS bearing more particularly on this de-
partlnent of the University, | solicit your
careful attention to that portion of the re
port or the trustees under the head of
Professor OF Agriculture" and "The
Farmers Glass" and also to that portion
n
by Prof w. w. Cooke as to the work in
this department The report as a whole
Is replete with matters of more than usual
interest, and bespeak for it more atten-
ton than is usually bestowed upon off
cial reports.
The terms OF office of Hon. Justin :.
Morrill,, Hon. +. r. Walton and Henry
James, NJ. D., of the trustees, Will expire
on November Is, 1887, and it will be in
cumbent upon you to elect their successors
RAILROAD COMMISSIONER.
In compliance with the requirements of
law, the railroad commissioner has
made his report, and | invite your
careful inspection Of it for the as
certainment Of many details pertaining
to one of the leading and important-and
III some respects, the most important-in-
terest OF the State. AS part OF his report
the commissioner says, "In my Judgment
some additional legislation is required in
order to make the Office OF the railroad
commissioner OF practical use to the pub
nc implying, at least, that this office,
| under existing laws, is of no practical ser
vice to the public. This conclusion is
doubtless in accord with the popular SEN
timent on the subject, but am unable to
fully adopt the proposition. The report OF
our able commissioner is in my opinion of
great value, and this Office has secured it
to you This much, at least, has been
gained by and through the office. Under
existing laws prescribing the duty of the
commissioner he is required to report
what further legal provision should in his
opinion be adopted in relation to rail
roads. In the performance of his duty
in this behalf, the commissioner makes
several important suggestions, which may
be properly treated as recommendations
and in view of their official source, they
are entitled to great weight, and merit,
and doubt not Will have, your earnest
consideration wi nd
as part OF this subject, | call your atten-
ton to the not unveXed one of
RAILROAD LEGISLATION
There has been much legislation in
reference to or in connected with this sub
ject of railroads, mostly, however, | ven
ture to say, in aid or protection of them,
yet IN the main, necessary. wholesome and
just. The idea that at this time there is
occasion for further legislation on the
subject, and that too, in the interest Of
the public, prevails very generally. And
by consulting the report of the commits
sioner, you will notice that his suggestions
or recommendation are numerous and
important. This report did not come to
me until very late, consequently my OPP
portunity for consideration of it has been
quite insufficient to enable me to do more
than call your attention to II, and to i'm
press upon you its Importance. Should
you SO legislate rs to meet the recommen-
udllOIS Vi lue COMMISSIONER, Ou VIII, III
my opinion, accomplish much toward
meeting the proper demands of the public.
These recommendations have my APP
prevail
But it is said that further legislation on
this subject cannot be effective save by
creating
RAILROAD COMMISSION
and investing it with enlarged powers and
authority over railroad affairs, even to the
., 4
rate OF transportation. And believe That
the object and ends of further desirable
legislation can be best secured through
/ commission, and that the existence OF
commission invested with such powers
and authority as are given to like boards
/ in several of the States, Massachusetts
and New York for instance, would 90 far
toward securing or removing all real or
fancied grievances Experience in other
States has demonstrated that where COM
petent commissioners, properly empower,
/ ed. have made examination AS to alleged
grievances, and upon finding them real
and well founded, have made such recon-.
mendatlonS 10 the railroads complained OF
as the board deemed called for, there has
| been, with rare exceptions, IA prompt ana
ready compliance with the recommends
tions of the board and, this too, where the
board is powerless to enforce its recon-
mendatiOnS The commission, If one
should be created by your legislative &C
ton, should doubtless be empowered and
required to report to future Legislatures,
rs TO all all complaints received, eNami-
nations and recommendations by it made,
and also what, If any, further legislation
is required
Another question about which there IS
some diversity of opinion, is Should the
commission have power gwen II TO apply
To the courts for the enforcement or Its
recommendations In my opinion, such
power should not be given without pro
viding that the court applied to shall not
enforce such Recommendations, unless, or
only so far n it (the COURT shall lind them
lust and reasonable. That the Legislature
mas power in the premises TO the extent
suggested have no doubt, but this alone
in no reason for exercising II. While
believe that the interests of the public
require legislative action in the dlrec-
ton above suggested, feel certain that
many of the honestly entertained griev-
ances of the people against our railroads
and their management are not well found
ed, and that some of the most important of
their complaints cannot he successfully