The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-01
MONTPELIER CORRESPONDENTS,
Special 20 The BANNER.

held as 10 the proper remedy. The syS
tenn of town supervis on is not what it
should be; it does not sfford the proper
means of examining and licensing
teachers, hence the inferiOrity of Yer
mont school teachers as compared with
the teachers of other States. The Speak
err recommended county instead of town
supervision as being more Independent
and more thorough. Town superintend
ents are subject to outside influences
which, uncOnsciOusly perhaps, have a |
bad influence on the schools in heir |
charge and which have made many |
provisions of the existing school law
practically dead letters. The speaker |
thought that with county supervision
the work of examining and licensing
teachers would be more thorough and
satisfactory. In answer to a question
from Mr.. Prouty President Brainerd, a
member OF the commission, replied that
one supervisor could attend to 200
schools. He said that it was not the in.
tentiOn that supervisor should visit all
schools, any more than physician
would visit the well and ill. The super
visor will put in his time where it will
do the most good. One man could at
tend to the number of schools indicated
above, and if he required assistance, the
bill now before the Legislature provides
for it. Mr.. Landon said the commission
had decided that uniformity of text
books wac of primary Importance. Many
minor details regarding the duties Of the
State Superintendent, salaried qualihca-
tons of supervisors, etc were discussed
fully. In the matter of the division of
public money Mr.. Munson explained
that the bill provided that if the sum fer
division does not exceed $1,000 one half
is to be divided equally among the dis
| tIicts; il over $1,000 but not over $1,000,
one-half of the first $1,000 and one sixth
of the remained is divided equally, if
over $1,000 but under $4,000 one half Of
the first $1,000, one-siXth of the second
| $1,000 and one-twelfth of the remainder
| is divided equally, The balance Is di
vided in proportion to the aggregate at
| tendance. In such distribution of the
public money the towns of the State
would be divided into four classes. The
first class would comprise l57 towns
whose list is less than $3.50; the second
class is made up of SO towns whose list
is over $4,000 and less than Sl2,6O The
third class of / towns comprises these
dNlIS Il llSb vi ONtI Nl|, OOu anu ullNitl
$40, 900; the four, h and last CONF ri sing
16 towns with list of over $1,000. There
are many defects in the bill and people
who are close in money matters will be
apt to think that the money to be dis
tributed in the small towns comprising
the first class, is hardly equitable, but
in many cases greater than the &c
tual needs would seem ID demand.
The objects and duties Of the Railroad
| Commissioners seem to be misunder
stood III certain quarters, 1t is not, as
some have supposed, a court, nor does
its powers enable it to adjust damages
in case OF accident. 1t has power to in
vestigate which it did so effectively IN
the recent SwantOn accident, and the
reports of these Investigations are print
ed. 1t is not necessary TO enter formal
complaint for there is no red tape to the
Railroad Commission. 1t is out for
business pure and simple. If shipper
of goods thinks he is being charged too
much or more than the schedule, and
! if person is injured or has cattle in jur-
ed by the cars, or If a railroad station is
so situated as 10 make the approach 10
it dangerous, note addressed to the
Railroad Commission will insure a
thorough investigation by the Board.
If it appears that an individual has been
wronged the report of the Commission
so states. The Commission can be made
TO be of great service as it offers an in
expensive, prompt hearing to everybody
and the poor have as good chance as
the rich.
! The first hearing in the Underhill
election case was held last Thursday
evening, Messrs Alexander and Huse
appearing for the professionals and Messrs.
! Billiard and Hazeton for the defend
ents, The evidence of both sides in re-
gard to challenged votes was reviewed
and the reasons for and against counting
votes challenged were given. The evil
dence is bulky and the committee hav-
ing the matter in charge can hardly re
port before the latter part of this week.
Mr.. Emery of Chelsea sprung the best
joke of the session in the House last
Wednesday, A bill Incorporating the
Maritime Canal Company. to build
canal at Nicaragua had been introduced
a day or two before. Mr.. Emery rose
and with an unusually sober cOunte
nance announced that he had a resolu-
ton to offer. The resolution was then
read by the clerk. 1t provided that if
the Senate concur and. the Governor cid
not object, the Committee on Corpora
tions may visit the site OF the proposed
Nicaragua Canal in order tot take intel.
| ligent action on the measure.in relation
thereto now before said Committee;
provided that no expense be incurred
by the State of Vermont. A burst of
laughter from all parts of the hall fol
lowed the reading Of this resolution and
only the persistent raps of the Speakers
gavel restored order.
The preliminary hearing in the Ca
naan election case came up before the
Election Committee. Mr.. Hartman
was represented by G. w, Wing, while
Hiram A. Huse appeared for Mr.. Morri-
son. In summing up the facts of the
case, Mr.. Wing said that there was evil
! dence that money had been used in buy
ing votes, AMI said that the Election
Committee should investigate the mat
ter, that the blame should be attached
to the right parties, The will of the
people had been perverted, Mr., Wing
sa d. and closed with an appeal that the
Committee should either seat Mr.. Harri-
man or Mr.. Morrison or neither. In
behalf Of Mr.. Morrison, Mr.. Huse said
that he, too, wished for an investigation
by the Committee. Mr.. Wing said he
thought that the best way was to send a
subcommittee TO Canaan, who could, if
necessary, take deposition from every
man in town. Mr.. Huse objected to
such a method of procedure and said
the proper way would be to bring the
witnesses to the Committee. The hear
ing then closed. A report will probably
be made in few days.
NOTES.
The report of the Railroad Commits.
sion, a pamphlet of $50 pages, will be
made this week, probably. The Com.
mission recommend the prohibition Of
track walking without permit, bv law.
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