St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-12-04
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW.
What Was Done and Not Done and How
1T Was Done.

accomplished it's labors, a birds-eye
view can now be taken of the whole
field to see to what extent the expec-
tations of the people have been real
lied and to compare the work done
with that of previous legislatures.
1t must be admitted that the record
has been disappointing in many re-
spects. The keynote of the state
campaign was reform and retrench-
ment in the matter of expenditures
1t cannot be denied that this was
borne in mind, as was attested in
debates nearly every day. Yet econ
omy manifested itself too often in
cutting off expenses in wrong direc-
tons and in continuing expenses
which might as well have been cur
tailed, if not abandoned altogether
If members came with firm deter
mination to work hard and conscien-
tiously during the session, that good
resolve was soon lost sight of. No
Improvement was shown over pre-
vious legislatures in this respect.
Till the very last of the session only
three days in the week were utilized
to their fullest extent. Friday after
noon sessions presented a thin atten-
dance, there were no sessions Satur-
day and Monday afternoons gave
sparse audiences and little of ImpOr-
lance was transacted then. ln-the
anxiety to escape the censure which
the Legislature of two years ago in
Cured, the opposite extreme was
reached and the Legislature which
has just adjourned will go on record
as doing nothing of Importance.
One OF the most bovish freaks devel-
oped toward the close of the session
was the slamming of desks when an
uninteresting speaker had the floor.
After the speaker had restored par
tial order by rapping vigorously
with the gavel, members were taken
usually with a violent fit of cough
ing. Although this practice was to
be condemned, it caused several dull
speakers to abbreviate their remarks
much to the comfort of the listeners.
The unpleasant feeling which
cropped out toward the close of the
session between the two branches OF
the Legislature is sincerely to be re-
GREETED. Each body thought the
other was killing rather too summa-
rily its own pet schemes. The House
declared it would oppose anything
coming from the Senate and the lat
ter body reciprocated. 1t served as
a hindrance to bad legisla ton get
ting through but at the same time
prevented some meritorious meas
ures from being enacted.
There were introduced i'll all SIG
bills, 233 of which have become
laws. BY far the greater part OF
these are acts of incorporation and
bills of a private nature. The appro-
priations call for something like $SS,
600, about half the amount raised
two years ago.
The state tax for 1891 will be Is
cents This is slight reduction
from what it has been heretofore
The Senate was much more liberal in
it's views than the other branch o.
the Legislature. Members of the
House could not divest themselves O
the oath they had sworn to their
constituents to keep expenses at the
lowest possible point. The non-con
tinuance of the bureau of immigra
ton and industrial interests is ar
instance III question. The Senate
was quite ready to continue thi:
work but the House refused point
blank
The niggardly policy of the HOUSE
was shown in it's refusal to make {
suitable appropriation for The
worlds fair A great mistake wa:
made by the committee in asking fo1
$4,000 at first. When the process:
of cutting down began it was easy
to keep on until the lowest poin
was reached. If $4,000 had beer
asked for at first it could have beer
obtained in all probability. 1t ha:
been suggested that the Vernon
Legislature be taken to Chicago anC
put on exhibition as a natural curl
osity. What can be done with tn,
| $4,000 appropriated is not yet deci
ded upon. The bill was got through
at the urgent request OF Gov. Pag'
who explained that if Vermont tool
no part in the celebratiOn it would
| be serious disadvantage in getting
appropriation from the federal gov
eminent for our harbors. 1t is hopet
the next Legislature will be NOR
| liberal in the matter of approprIa
tons.
The corporation tax law is one o
| the most important measures en-
acted When the bill was first intro
duced several corporations entered
formal complaints against the rat
at which they were to be taxed. Th
rates were revised and made accep
table to the interested parties.
The reduction in the number O
supreme court Judges was reform
universally demanded all over tn
state. The House did its duty in thi
matter but the wisdom of the Senat
again interviewed to circumvent tn
public expectation. The action Oh
the weekly and fortnightly paymen
bills shows that the state is not We
ready to place arbitrary restriction
on the business relations betweel
the employer and the employee. TIL
valued policy bill was meafsnf-
much agitated but the bill was neve
reported from the committee. Thi
was done out of senatorial courtes,
to the author, Senator Dow. 1t wa
seen at once that the bill could neve
pass the Legislature owing to tn
great amount of opposition devel
oped in the weight Of evidence pro
duced
The question of double taxation i
one of the most difficult and intricat
to deal with Senator Nichols intro
duced by far the best bill bearing OF
the subject. This passed the Senat
safely but the House believed it ;
piece of legislation of doubtful ex
pediency, consequently the bill wa