The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-11-02

nut in at the next session of the legislature
to get his pay. few days ago the court
official, who is now engaged in the house,
was called to the door, and the bill was pre-
scented to him with a request to get it paid
He was somewhat surprised, seeing this
chicken come home to roOSt, and worked it
off on the member from Washington, who in
turn shifted it to the gentleman from Barre,
who introduced it by request. This was a
pioneer bill and scores of similar nature
will follow.
A LEADING officer of the Vermont Woman
Suffrage Association complains that the
WATCHMAN does not give full reports
of legislative proceedings. Her Indictment
is based on the allegation that more than
1000 names of petitioners for municipal
suffrage have already been presented TO the
legislature, but only five have been men,
toned. The WATCHMAN publishes the
proceedings of the legislature as they are
furnished by the official reporters of each
branch of that body. This paper is not
influenced in this matter by any view its
editor may have on the question of munich
pal suffrage for women. This paper has
uniformly, it is believed, published two
lines on the side of the advocates of suf-
frage TO one against them. We are grieved
10 observe that, in this particular, as well
as in their social and political status, they
do not understand and appreciate the privi-
leges they enjoy-or ought to enjoy if pos
session brings enjoyment
The special committee appointed under
Governor Pages message held a public
hearing in the coat room, last week, to
consider the matter of a standard fire in
surance policy for Vermont. Chairman John
l.. Bacon of White River Junction presided.
II. n Taplin, president of the Vermont
Mutual, said his company had pretty good
policy, but was willing TO join in a standard.
If such were to be, he suggested the stand
ard enacted by the New York assembly,
which is used in New York, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Minnesota, and North and
South Dakota. Massachusetts has the same,
with the exception of the clause relating to
arbitration j. II. Ide of Boston, repre-
senting the London and Lancashire, and
Joseph II. Burger of the Norwich Union,
spoke favorably of the New York standard.
The committee also considered the bill intro
duced by Mr.. Enright of w ndsor, allowing
the general agents of insurance companies
outside the state to come into Vermont and
do business through agents. Several local
agents appeared in opposition to the bill.
QUITE an entertaining discussion arose
Friday afternoon on House bill %, providing
for the removal of stones from the roads
and bitches About every member who
knew ditch from a turnpike contributed
valuable thoughts to the controversy. Mr..
Clark of Halifax started the trouble by fail
ing to see the need Of taking the stones out
of the bitches. especially when the ditch is
brook or river. Amendments and amend
ments to amendments were shot at the
speaker all along the line. Mr. Bgelow of
BrOoktield thought the bitches ought to be
let alone, as they We're by time-honored
right receptacles for stones, thrown in by
the man with the hoe who follows the road
machine. The gentleman from Newfane,
wanted all the overhanging bushes cut
away from the bitches, which started up
Mr.. Stafford of St. Johnsbury, who pro-
tested against running the hundreds of
beautiful drives in Vermont. The discus
sion then drfted into the necessity for
erecting safeguards at dangerous points in
the roads. After every suggestion had been
exhausted, the bill, as originally reported
and amended, was ordered to a third read
ing.
A HEARING, which was largely attended,
and to which much interest is attached, was
held in the senate chamber, Thursday even
ing, before the senate and house committees
on highways, bridges and ferries. j. w.
Votey, professor Of civil engineering in the
University of Vermont, gave an excellent
address on the need of good roads in Yer
mont. Other states We're moving in the
matter, and where it cost too much to ma
cadamize the highway, gravel road was
found excellent. In his opinion, the super
vision of roads should be given to state and
county officials. Governor Fuller made
brief remarks, and sketched the proceed
ings of the national road congress which lie
attended at Chicago. The matter of good
roads is one in which Governor Fuller is
deeply interested. Another VermouteI
who is a Jealous advocate of better high
ways is Colonel LeGrand B. Cannon of Bur
lugton. "You can't get people to come
into Vermont until you fix your roads,
says the Colonel, and gives some excellent
illustrations. One thing Notes " discov
cred in his bicycle days was that if th'
average farmer could drag himself to mar
l1et through a foot Of sand or mud, he
thought it a good scrub road, and was en-
tirey satisfied.
APRoPos OF the ballot reform agitation, {
correspondent thus describes a "votinl
machine" that might make voting straight