The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-10-31

introduction of many views of famous
buildings and localities. The subject was
handled in most able and entertaining
manner which could not fail to interest
every one present.
THE senator from Caledonia told good
story at the reunion of the senate of 1884
Tuesday night, when one of the members was
asked by the president if a sentence, which
was about to he visited upon him by the
senate, was satisfactory to him. Senator
Ide said that this method of consulting a
man as to his own punishment reminded
him of an Irishman of whom he once heard
Pat was on trial for some heinous crime and
had been sentenced to death by the court,
but as a mark of favor was permitted to
choose his manner of death. The willy son
of Erin communed with himself for mo-
ment and then announced his choice as fol-
lows: We'll, if it plase yer honor, pre-
fers to die of auld age"
WHEN house bill 81, increasing the saa-
ries of county commissioners. was brought
up for discussion, Mr.. Furman arose and
said that there seemed to be tendency in the
present legislature to increase the salaries
OF every officer connected with the admin
istratiOn of the government. 1t seemed to
him that the fees of those officers were al
ready sufficient and that the legislature
must stop somewhere. Mr.. Stevens said
that he had been a commissioner himself,
anu hubW JlldJ bUt SdldTy OI IHTee uOlldTS
per day and expenses, as fixed by the bill,
was none too large The bill passed, but
Mr.. Furman's criticism of the tendency of
the legislature to overdo the matter of sal
airy increase was just one.
GOVERNOR PROCTOR spoke last Wednes-
| day in relation to house bill seventeen,
which aboishes the Office of tax commits
soner and provides that the work of that
official shall be performed by the state
! treasurer. He stated that the retiring COM
missioner, Governor Dillingham;, informed
the committee that the work was now
! largely routine and clerical, and could easily
| be done by the treasurer. This would be a
| great saving of expense and no loss in any
other respect. This was the custom in
other states and the governor made particu-
lar reference to Massachusetts. He said
that the committee had considered the
probable extra cost of clerk hire and had
fixed the estimate as low as possible.
The bill of Mr.. Phelps of Westminster in
relation to barbed-wre fences seems to be
as carefully and iudiciously framed as
any bill thus far introduced in relation to
this fruitful theme. Before its introduction
Mr.. Phelps showed the bill to various men,
bers who, it is understood, are opposed to
any legislation on this subject and to others
who desire the total abolition of the fences,
and the measure met with their approval.
The bill has also been considered by the
committee on agriculture and many of the
committee are in favor of it. At the same
time there is such storm of opposition on
the part of some of the members to the use
| of barbed-wire in any form in the construc-
ton of fences, that the bill in its present
form will hardly go through the committee
without minority report being presented.
THE senate of 1884 held reunion last
Wednesday in the senate chamber. Gov
ernor Ormsbee presided and called the SEN
ate to order at $50 P. NJ. After devotional
exercises by the chaplain the roll was called
and fifteen senators responded-Senators
Clark and Williams of Addison, Gibbs and
Brewster of Chttenden, Hobson of Essex,
Baxter of Franklin, Cristy of Lamoille,
McDuffee of Orange, Thompson and
Fletcher of Orleans, Field of Rutland,
Jones and Chaplin of Washington, Holton
of Windham, and Paul of Windsor. Sen.
ators Ide of Caledonia and Hebard of Orange
were brought in later by the sergeant-at-
arms, per order of the senate. During the
first half hour numerous bills were intro
duCed, all of more or less revolutionary
character, which if enacted will greatly adj
vance the various interests of the state.
The senators We're then called upon to give
what information they possessed of the
whereabouts and whatabouts of absent
members. "reminiscences and anecdotes of
the session of four years ago were given by
Secretary Brownell and others. Governor
Ormsbee was appointed committee to call
the senate together for another reunion
in 1890
The auditors statement to the legislature
shows that with demands outstanding at
the close of the last fiscal year $50 0OO), and
expenses for the current Legislative year
provided they are the same as for the last
legislative year $3.50, 1S4)-S520, 1874 will be
needed for the fiscal year ending August /,
1889. He treats as available the entire
amount of resources (S33l ,O62) shown by the
treasurer's last annual report, leaving the
estimated deficit, August |, 1889, S1S9, ,121. 10.
The auditor 81 The increase in
expenses has been wrought principally
through legislation creating new boards and
new institutions increasing compensation
; and making such changes in the laws as
will add permanently to current expenses
; Should they be increased by one half the
ratio of the last over the preceding term, al
least twice the usual tax will be required to
! meet the liabilities of this biennial term. y
; This accords with the ground taken by the
WATCHMAN in respect of this matter of state
expenses and probable rate of taxation
The remaining tables and figures presented
by the auditor have been covered, substan'
TALLY, by showings that have already ap
z peared in the WATCHMAN and we do not find
il necessary to repeat them at this time
The auditors showing fully justites the
loud call for halt in state expenditures.
AT the preliminary hearing in the Canaan
\ case before the election committee Thurs
, day both candidates for the seat Mr.
= Hartman and Mr.. Morrison, were present
!, G.. w. Wing presented the claims of the
r former and II. A. Huse represented the
latter. Mr.. Wing spoke first, and in a very
, fair and candid manner summed up the
facts of the case as brought out in the
petitions and remonstrances presented be-
l fore the legislature. There was evidence
e he said, that money had been used in buy
9 ing votes and the committee should look
A into this matter that the blame might be
4 attached to the right parties. He consd
cred it the duty of the committee, If they
| found that a majority of the people favored
3 either candidate, to give him the seat HI
0 claimed that the will of the people had beer
e perverted. The petition introduced by
$ Mr.. Hartman was signed by a majority OF
n those who voted at the freemen's meeting
g who declared that they voted for tha
o candidate or would have done so had they
not been brbed to vote otherwise. He
r closed with an earnest appeal to the com
n mittee to examine the case and seat either
: Mr. Hartman or Mr.. Morrison, or neither
e as they should after investigation deem
< just. Mr.. Huse, on the part of Mr. Morri'
n son, also asked for thorough investiga
. ton by the committee. In answer to al
{ inquiry from the chairman, Mr.. Wing sale
o that he thought the best way of taking ties