The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-10-12

be made at the suggestion OF the committee
on revision, but IL is a matter so easily
cared for at the outset and so frequently
overlooked that IL merits notice. In some
states the constitution contains substan-
TALLY the provision embodied in house rule
No. 20, and laws have been declared uncon-
stitutional which failed to indicate in their
title the subject matter of the act. 1t Is not
polite or right that legislation should be
masked by false title. or even by the alb
sence OF descriptive title, whether the
error is unintentional, as of course IL was in
this instance, or otherwise.
SENATE bill No. 1, by Senator Foster,
begins the work Of remodeling the ballot
law of 1890. The bill (amending Sec. 12)
proposes in case a candidate dies, or with
draws before election, the vacancy may be
hlled by the party or persons who made the
original nomination; or, II made by con-
vention or caucus, in such manner as pro-
vided by that body, or in case of no such
provision, by general or executive COM
mittee representing such organization.
The certificate of nomination shall state the
facts causing the vacancy. Vacancies
occurring under Sec. of act of 1890
are to be similarly flied. Sec. of
Mr.. Fosters bill provides that the can
didates shall be arranged politically, in
columns, the first column containing the re-
publican nominees, the second the demo-
cratic, the third the prohibition and so on.
flag is to be placed over the republi-
can column, an eagle over the Democratic
a fountain over the prohibition, and over
the other columns devices to be chosen by
the official who prepares the ballot. The
voter may mark cross opposite the names
of the individual candidates for whom he
intends to vote; or, IL he votes the whole
ticket, he may make cross under the sym
Dol at the head of the column. II voter
is blind, or by reason of other physical dis
ability he is unable to mark his ballot, the
presiding officer may detail two election
officers Zone republican and one democrat)
to assist him. Officers who now by law
conduct elections, together with the ballot
clerks, are declared to be election officers
under this act.
THE st. Adams Messenger says: Mr.
Charles ID. Watson, a fighting democrat
from st. Adams, is an aspirant for the
office of clerk of the committee on revision
Of bills, the same place that he held two
years ago. There is no question but what
there is, and will be, during this as in all
previous sessions, ample chance for this COM
mittee to exercise its functions, but why a
democrat of the pronounced type repre-
sented by the gentleman named should
have the sinecure of its clerkship is uues-
ton that good many bright young repub-
licans are talking over considerably" If
the Messenger had no better reason for OBJ
jecting to Mr.. Watson's appointment than
that he is democrat it would have shown its
good sense by keeping silent The clerkshp
of the revision committee is one Of the most
important of the clerical legislative offices.
This clerkship was no sinecure in the hands
of Ashton r. Willard He had the knowl-
edge of English as she should be written
with clearness and precision-the familiarity
with law, the general training and culture
that made him an exceedingly efficient
clerk, quite an expert He has had no sue
cessor. Some young law student or callow
lawyer has sought the post for the money
there is in it. With such incumbents the
office has literally been Sinecure and Mr..
Watson's tenure was no exception to that
of other incumbents in respect of incom-
potency Had the Messenger objected on
this score, there would have been more rea-
son and sound sense in what it might have
said than it ordinarily puts into its utter
ances But this constitutes no impeach-
ment of Mr.. Watson's ability. He simply
has not had the education, the training, the
experience, that give him competency for
the duties of revision clerk, fully, ade-
quately and faithfully performed