St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-11-15
i DEAD NEWSPAPER BILL.

, OF the subscription term, which went
through the house so smoothly, was
!. killed by the senate, and the man
of the the post office must now con
tinue to pay for it. The bill had no
, terrors for the publisher who runs
his eSta bliShment on the advance
payment plan. but the newspaper
men of the state were generally op-
posed to it on the ground that the
legislature had really no jurisdiction
: in the premises, and the senate con-
Cured in this view-or at least in
considering the measure an unwise
one.
TO ENCOURAGE SUGAR MAKING.
After not a little discussion the
house has passed bill providing for
an annual appropriation of $500 to
promote the maple sugar industry
of the state. When this measure
was brought up on the question of
third reading, several members SMELL
ed large sized rat, and opposed it
on the ground that it smacked too
strongly of class legislation, aud
that if this industry was thus nour-
ished, other industries would seek
the financial fostering care Of the
state, and what was granted to one
could not be refused another. But it
became evident early in the discus
| sion that the farmer members were
! in earnest over this matter, and
some of the legal lights in the house
looked favorabIy upon the appro-
pria ton asked for. Portions of the
debate were of lively interest, as
showing, for instance, how little was
! known outside of the state-and
particularly in the West-about
what genuine maple sugar was, how
! it should look and how it should
taste; and it was argued that this
FIVE hundred dollars annually be-
slowed might prove of material
benefit in educating the public taste
in this direction, and enabling the
Vermont sugar makers to more fully
meet the demands of that taste when
it reached the proper standard.
The appropriation is to be hand
led by the Maple Sugar Exchange,
who are required to hold meetings in
different sections Of the state, offer
at least $3.50 in premiums each year,
and also issue a generous number of
pamphlets giving instructions as to
the best methods of sugar making
in fact, do all within their power to
build up and strengthen the maple
sugar industry in this state.
RATTLESNAKEs TOO PLENTY.
At first thought the bill introduced |
the other day, providing for a boun-
ty on rattlesnakes, would seem to be |
somewhat ridiculous. But at the |
hearing before the committee it was !
shown that in portions of Windsor |
and Rutland counties the rattle
snake pest is serious one, and in
terfered to a considerable extent
with the attendance of children at
school as well as with the securing
farm help-when that help was re-
quired to work in localities where
this sort of reptile would be likely to
hide. This setting of price on the
rattlesnake's head is simply to in
duce frequent raids on his lair, and a
favorable report on the measure will
no doubt be forthcoming.
a GOOD BILL DEFEATED,
Usually a favorable report from
committee means the passage of a
bill; but it happened otherwise on
Tuesday afternoon to a bill to pro-
mote uniform legislation in the Uni
ted States. The measure originated
with the State Bar Association, and
provided for the appointment of
Commissioner who should cooperate
with similar officers in other states
to secure uniform legislation the
country through with regard to di-
vorce, the probate of wills, and a
score of other matters in regard to
which there is now such diversity
of law in the several states. The jul
dietary committee reported eight to
one in favor of its passage, but the
minority, Mr.. Laid, Of Alburgh, at
tackled the bill vigorously on the
ground that it meant permanent
office for somebody and a demand
for large appropriations in the fu-
ture; and he so worked upon the
economic element in the House that
the really excellent features of the
bill were forgotten, and it was re-
fused third reading by a vote of
125 TO 80. Nothing that such strong
speakers as Read of Rockingham,
and Young of Newport could say as
to the urgent need of the reform for
which the bill provided, awaited to
turn the tide of prejudice started by
the Alburgh member.
FOR THE FISH HATCHERY.
Quite a little breeze occurred when
the bill appropriating $1,000 for the
State Fish Hatchery at Roxbury
came up in the house for it's third
reading yesterday. An attempt was