St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-11-20
CLEARING UP.
The Legislature Pushing the Important
Measures Forward.
[From our regular correspondent

The Legislature Pushing the Important
Measures Forward.
[From our regular correspondent
MONTPELIER, Nov. 10.
The beginning of the end has come
and finds the Legislature with six
days more for work, as final adjourn
ment will undoubtedly occur the Goth
instant. Despite all warnings the
work has Jagged behind and the
most important bills are yet to be
considered. Yesterday, matters
took new turn and there were pre-
cipitated on the House measures
which have eagerly been awaited
long time. There were introduced
the corporation tax bill, the school
bill and the compromise agricultural
college bill The high license bill was
reported from the committee, and the
bill reducing the number of the
supreme court judges and their sal
aries was reported and acted upon.
The latter was special order tor
yesterday. II reduced the number of
Judges to five and their salaries to
$25OO. Mr.. Clark of Halifax made
a strong plea in its favor reading a
carefully prepared document and
statistics bearing on the question.
Mr.. Thompson Of Irasburg made
long argument in reply endeavoring
to show that the judges were a very
hard worked body. Mr.. Bullard of
Underhill favored the reduction say
ing there seemed to me good many
aspirants for a position so burden
some as claimed Mr.. Robinson of
Barton made a plea in support of
the adverse committee report.
Futile attempts were made to dis
miss the bill and to amend so as to
invalidate the object of the bill. 1t
was finally amended by fixing the
number at six and retaining the
present salary and it was then
ordered to a third reading by q vote
of three to one. If the bill passes the
House as now seems certain by a
strong majority its chances in the
Senate are very good, although that
body has refused to pass a similar
bill
High License.
A minority of the committee to
whom the high license bill is referred
offer an extended report in favor of
it's passage. L is signed by Messrs.
Horton of Chittenden and Wood
bury of Tinmouth on the part of the
House, and Senator Kingsley of Rut-
land on the part of the Senate. The
majority merely report adversely to
its passage without any comment.
The bill is made special order for
this afternoon.
The Corporation Tax Bill.
The corporation tax bill is intro
duced at this late day because of the
recent decision of the supreme court
declaring unconstitutional taxes
assessed upon interstate commerce.
The present bill is in conformity with
the ruling A new schedule of taxa
tion is fixed upon the property, busl-
ness and corporate franchise of rail
road, insurance, guaranty, express,
telephone, telegraph, steamboat, car
and transportat ton companies, sleep
ing-car companies, gavlngs banks,
savings institutions and trust COM
panies, mortgage, loan and invest
ment companies, and all other cor
porations, associa tions, societies,
and persons and firms. This bill is
the product of much thought and
requires due time for careful delibera-
tiOn
The Educational Measures.
The school bill is as was outlined
in last weeks letter 1t is thought
the main features will be acceptable.
Much complaint is made against the
committee on education for their
dilatory action in not reporting this
and the agricultural college bill sew
eral days ago when they could as
well as not instead of waiting till the
crowding days of the end of the ses-
sion.
AS was intimated in last week S
issue would be the case, substitute
compromise to the agricultural col
lege bill was introduced yesterday.
One of the most exciting scenes of
the session ensued. The friends of
the original bill did not intend it
should be put out of the way by any
action which might be taken on the
substitute. They wanted it to have
an equal chance with the last pro-
posed bill, and laid on the table A
motion to dismiss the new bill was
made which if put would have been
carried by a large majority. The
sense of fairness prevailed and the
whole matter was laid on the table,
the new bill meantime being printed.
The state agricultural society has
sold out TO Burlington university
but has difficulty in delivering the
goods.
Worlds Fair approximation.
The House looked very unkindly on
the committees bill appropriating
$4,000 for the worlds fair. The
action taken last Thursday was sur
prising, not TO say unaccountable.
1t had been taken for granted that
the sum recommended would be
raised without any serious oppo-
sition. Mr.. Bullard moved an
amendment substituting $4,000, stat
ing that as this legislature was
pledged to economy it was inconsis-
tent to ask for such a sum. This
view of the case seemed to take with
the majority. Several members of
the committee whose interest in the
matter had been aroused by their
connection with the subject claimed
the expenditure of $4,000 would be