Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-10-19

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himself when deposited, as by the law as it
now stands.
The first brush that the house has had
took place today over the bill repeating
that section of the highway law making
selectmen ineligible to the Office of road
commissioner. The committee on high
ways and bridges reported against the bill
after a contest in the committee room.
One member charged that the committee
were nearly all road commissioners and
consequently prejudicial, but the house
justified the committees prejudice in a
handsome manner and the honors of the
two offices will continue to come to man
singly. This bill is the only attempt thus
far, think, to break into the present law,
and its fate is doubtless omnous of the
fate of all future attempts.
Proposed Change In the Highway Law.
October Is.
Two more bills proposing changes in the
highway law have come to the surface to-
day. One provides that the road commits
sioner shall appoint one man for each $50
inhabitants, or less, whose duty shall be to
take charge of a certain section of the
highway so far as to keep in thorough re-
pair the water-bars and bitches, and re-
move all loose stones from the road. The
| bill also allows the selectmen to remove
| the road commissioner from Office when
| proved guilty of neglect of duty, and for
other sufficient cause. The second bill
was introduced by Mr.. Pier of Jamaica and
| provides that the road commissioner shall
have charge of all cuverts and bridges
less than - feet span, instead of those
only that are less than four feet span as
provided by the present law.
Half-past two o. clock this afternoon was
the hour fixed upon by joint resolution for
the election of the, different state officers.
| This morning movement was started in
the senate to omit the election of state SUI
perintendent of education till later in the
session, to which the house assented All
the other positions were filled by the re-
election of the present incumbents by
viva voce vote, the list including Mr.. Phin-
ney for sergeant-at-arms, Gen. Estey for
brigade commander, Gen. Peck for adju-
tant and inspector general, and the judges
| of the supreme court Mr.. Hines placed
! General Estey in nomination, Mr.. Wyman
of Athens nominated Judge Tyler, and
Judge Read, Mr.. Mann and Dr. Weston sec
onded different nominations.
| school Matters.
The movement against Mr.. Stone, the
state superintendent of education, is not
fully understood yet, but is thought to have
some reference to the strong ground taken
by him in his annual report against the in
corporated school districts of the state.
All admit that he has been an efficient Off
Ger and that he will probably be reelected
at some later date DIR. Weston's bill do
ing away with the incorporated school dis
tricts of the state is receiving a good deal
of attention. All of the Incorporated dis
tricts are naturally considerably stirred up,
| and II ie plamp1 that tho in which
these districts are situated are, as a rule,
well satisfied to have matters remain as
they are. Many of the districts have
schools of a high grade which are the spe-
cial pride of the inhabitants, and the plan
of having them taken in charge by the
school directors is not at all acceptable to
those most in interest. The main argu-
ment for the bill is that advanced in Super
intendent Stones report to the effect that
each incorporated district is a little aris-
tocracy planted in our midst, in principle
entirely at variance with our whole system
of government. 1t is also said that the
boundary of each one of these incorpOrat-
ed districts is Chinese wall which no one
from without can scale without paying
heavy tribute. The most probable out
come of the whole matter is that the dis
tricts now in existence will remain so, that
no new ones will be incorporated, and that
some provision will be made whereby the
| outlying sections of each town containing
such a district shall have the benefit of the
schools therein 10y paying as tuition its
actual cost
Mr. Lynde's bill cutting off the power of
town superintendent to issue permits to
teachers was successful to the extent of
drawing out from the committee on educa-
tion substitute bill providing that "School
/ directors may issue permits to teach in
particular schools for a single term, but
such permits shall not be renewed to the
; same person, nor shall more than three
permits be granted in one town during any
| school year"
1 Mr.. Wilder of Whitingham proposes, in
I a bill introduced by him, that mo schools
now established shall be discontinued by
the school directors without the consent of
the seectmen." The practice of CONSOLE
4 dating school districts is said to have gone
so far in some towns as to render the school
d system quite unpopular on account of the
}, prevailing feeling that to remove school
from locality depreciates the value of real
|. estate.
n Mr.. Ware of Townshend has introduced
Q bill appropriating $1,000 per year to Le-
- land and Gray seminary to be expended by
d the trustees, under the direction of the
r state superintendent, in maintaining a
: training school for teachers The trustees
are to establish free scholarships with this
e fund for the benefit of those persons whu
d file written statement that they intend tC
IS teach in this state for one year after gradu'
> alton.
- Tuberculosis.
e. In view of the increase of tuberculosis
# and other contagious diseases in cattle the
bill of Mr.. Smith of Morristown will re
ceive much attention and doubtless result
in favorable action in some form. 1t pro
,d vides in part that any butcher who buy
% any animal, thinking it to be healthy, anC
" upon slaughtering it is suspicious that it il
IL not so, shall report the fact to the loca
n board of health and if the animal is con
OF demned by them, he shall recover from tn
he town the price paid for such animal Tn
Sc town shall recover from the person selling
ed such diseased animal to the butcher on
us half of its value at health basis. Four
a fifths of the net amount paid by towns fo
of such diseased meat shall be recovered froI
he the state.
p Senator Reeds bill amending the charte
he of the Farmers q Mechanics EXchang