Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-11-23
THE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from the list poge.)

their value warrant it, and the use of the
tuberculine test, TO which so many have
objected, was left optional with the owner
of the cattle supposed to be infected. The
maximum price for cattle killed by the
board and proved to be infected is fixed at
$40, and if found to be in good health full
value is to be paid.
The bill providing for a standard policy
of fire insurance, after being modified to
conform more closely to the standard of
New York, was ordered to a third reading.
school Legislation in the House.
About 100 bills and resolutions were
acted upon by the house today, including
the settlement of several important ques-
tions. The speaker says more work has
been accomplished than in any other day
since his connection with the house. The
weeks record in matters affecting educa-
tional interests has not been large one.
The free textbook bill has been placed in
such shape as is apparently satisfactory to
the house at least, as it will receive its third
reading tomorrow afternoon. 1t provides
for the selection of text books by town
board consisting of the superintendent and
the school directors, and places no limit on
the number of books that can be changed
in a single year. Each town is to pay for
its own books.
The bill has become a law requiring 2S
weeks to constitute a legal school year, in
stead of 2G weeks as formerly. The bill
providing for the higher education of adj
vanced pupils in academies and seminares
outside of the town, if none of these insti-
buttons exist therein, has been amended so
as to make it optional with school directors,
instead of compulsory as in the original
bill, and has become a law.
The bill allowing towns to so back to the
old school district system, when voting by
a two-thrds vote so to do, has been amended
so as to be satisfactory to its friends and
will doubtless pass the house, although its
fate in the senate is uncertain.
Nothing definite has been settled as yet
as regards the ballot law, and it now seems
probable that but few changes will be made
in it, The highway law of 1892 still stands
the racket.
House Of Correction Commitments.
Mr.. Hines today presented the report OF
| the joint special committee to inquire INTO
the cause of the increase in commitments
to the house of correction. The committee
attribute the present unsatisfactory condi-
ton of this question largely to the way the
| liquor law is enforced. If thoroughly en-
forced they believe that far fewer commit
ments to our penal institutions would be
| necessary. The Indifference of the people,
| the imperfection of the law which admits
of easy evasion of its penalties, the fact
| that many hotels sell liquor openly, and
| that express companies carry destruction
| to so many.doors, that town liquor agencies
/ are 50 often run for profit, all these things
| combine to bring about the conditions com
| planned of. The committee recommend
| that the Us be so changed that evasion
will become more nearly impossible, that
| trial justices should have discretionary
| power in putting offenders on probation,
and that offenders so desiring should be
| permitted to take a course at liquor cures
at the expense of the state. They deem
the present mileage allowed committing Off
GERS to be excessive, and cite a case in
which three tramps were tried at St. Adams
and fined two dollars each, or a total of six
dollars. The costs of trial were S23 o..
The costs of commitment were S50.S1, the
grand total being S73.SS. They also recon-
mend the employment by the state of a
committing officer to be located at Rutland
to be paid salary and TO investigate all
cases before being committed, by travelling
to different points. They recommend that
the travel fee of all officers for commit
ments to jails, the state prison, the house
of correction and reform school be l. cents
a mile one way for travel for siagle prs-
oner, and eight cents per mile for each adj
dtioual prisoner; also that officers be re-
| quired to commit all prisoners at one time
so far as possible.
II is fair IN assume that the dealers i'm