Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-08-28
THE SPECIAL SESSION.
LETTER FROM MONTPELIER.
The Legislature Completes Its Work In
Two Days and Goes Home.
MONTPELIER, Aug. 27.


at 10 o clock Tuesday morning and made
final adjournment at II 80 o'clock this
forenoon. OF the 240 members elected to
the present house, two, Mr.. Garfield of
Ryegate and Mr.. Smith of Pttsford, have
died since the last session, and two others
have resigned to accept higher Office
OF the remaining number all but three re-
sponded to the roll call at the present ses-
sion. Every member of the senate has
been present. The Governors message
was brief but to the point, good hot
weather document. 1t seems that mes
sage was an after thought with him, as he
had deemed his proclamation a sufficient
exposition of his views as to needed legis-
lation. But at the very opening of the
session he changed his mind, summoned
his stenographer, and in less than an hour
a typewriter copy was in the possession of
each house.
An early effort was made to confine the
subjects of legislation to those suggested
by the Governor, but it failed by decided
majority in both houses The reason of
this decision soon become evident for a rush
of bills set in, reminding one of the last day
for introduction at regular session.
Speaker Mann had several vacancies to fill
on prominent committees caused by the
resignation of Judges Start and Thompson
as members of the house, and by his own
election to the speakership.
Windham county members were well re-
membered, Mr.. Phelps of Grafton being
appointed on rules, Mr. Hewitt of Putney
on railroads, Mr.. Clark of Halifax on the
reform school, and Mr.. Hastings of Towns
hend on temperance.
The responsible cause for the special ses-
sion, the acceptance of the $4,000 of di-
rect tax money from the United States,
was speedily disposed of, without debate,
by the passage of a legally drawn joint res
oution authorizing the Governor to receive
the money for the state. What to do with
the money when received was a question
not so easily decided, and on which there
was wide difference of opinion.
The plan Of the committee on education,
as outlined in a bill presented by them, was
for the state TO use the money for general
purposes, paying interest at six per cent,
the interest to be apportioned among the
several towns in the same manner that the
United States surplus fund now is, and
used for the support of schools.
Mr.. Shcrwin of Jamaica presented bill
dividing the fund Internationally among
L. 1
the money for general state expenses, but
many were undecided as to the best course,
and the matter was allowed to take the
background till the worlds fair appropria-
ton should be settled. On this latter ques-
ton it was plain to see that many of the
members had changed their views and were
willing to vote more money than at the
fall session. Encouraged by this, the COM
mittee had bill drawn, appropriating
10000. While the bill was pending Tues
day evening, a recess of thirty minutes was
taken by the house, and Capt. Bsbee and
Col. \. f. Walker, now of Chicago but
both former Vermonters, spoke on the sub
ject of an increased appropriation. These
speakers represented that the ''Sons of
Vermont in Chicago, very large and in
tiuential organization, had taken it upon
themselves to provide every VermOnter
who shall visit the worlds fair with pleas
ant stopping place, according to his means
and desires, and render such other services
they shall be able. By this means they
felt that they could save the people of Yer
mont, who will likely visit Chicago at that
time, much larger sum than the state is
asked to appropriate. 1t is proposed out
of this appropriation to put up building
made out of the granite marble, slate, and
lumber of Vermont, which shall not only
be a credit to the state and source of pride
to her people, but telling advertisement of
her great mineral resources. 1t is proposed
to have in operation the process of convert
vince the people of the country that to be
pure, maple sugar need not be black. After
these remarks, the house was called to
order and the committee made the mistake
of moving a suspension of the rules, which
requires two-thirds vote, for the purpose
of putting the bill appropriating $4,000
on its final passage. This motion failed,
receiving only a small vote.
On Wednesday the committee introduce
ed another bill appropriating S15, ZOO.
Bullard of Underhill, the leader of the OPP
position, moved to amend by making the
amount $4,000, and on this proposition
there was a sharp debate consuming most
of the evening session. The chief argu-
ment against the larger appropriation was
that there are a great many people scatter
ed over our Vermont hilsides who do not
live in marble and granite houses. 1t was
said on the other side that our legislative
sessions might be held in some unpreten-
tious place but that the pride of every true
Vermonter would not allow single stone
to be taken from the imposing pile of gran
ite which we now use for that purpose.
The amendment was disagreed to, yeas
107; nays 113. The bill was then passed,
yeas $50; nays As. The senate had kept
in session till after ten o'clock awaiting
the outcome of the matter and in less than
ten minutes after the bill had passed the
house it was ready for the Governors sig
nature.
The bill ceding to the United States
jurisdiction over any lands bought for the