Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-11-09
PHOENIX, BRATTLEBORO FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1894.

| ~, ~ oP0dheIS were engineers from
rutland, Barre and the larger towns, who
E,laIllleG mat some other states had similar
| laws, that there had been several boiler ex-
| plosions in Vermont during the mast few
years, caused in the main by neglect or in
competent engineers, and that there were
great many men now having charge of
boilers who were ignorant of the first prin-
ciples of the trade.
MIR. Deal, the representative from St.
Aloans and manager of the creamery at
mat place, the largest establishment of its
KIND in the world, stated that they had 81
separators at different points run by small
engines, and that it would work a great
hardship to them to be obliged to put Ii
censed engineers in charge of each separa-
Cor' On general principles he regarded the
statement absurd that persons having
property interests in steam power would
employ men to operate it whom they did
not nave reason to believe would do the
work with safety. AS yet no protests have
Deen heard from the steam mill men scat
tered through the forests of the state in
almost every town, who will be most af-
tected should the bill become law, and it
Is presumed that they are not generally in
formed as to the nature of the bill.
Matters NewspapOrial.
The newspaper bill" so called, met its
ueath In the Senate Tuesday, on coming
from the Judiciary committee with an ad-
verse report. The bill passed the house
without serious opposition, its main ground
OF FAVOR being that the state was flooded
WIN cheap story papers and other publica-
tlons from outside, which were fastened on
TO all who took them from the office, al
though they had not subscribed for them,
by the commonly accepted newspaper law.
The question as to how the bill would af-
fect home publishers was not discussed by
the house, and probably but slightly con-
sluered by any one, except Judge Read,
who was the only one to oppose the bill.
The senate judiciary committee gave the
matter full investigation and found that
In applying general law that would cut
OIL the evil complained of a manifest in
justice would be done to the state pub
fishers, and great inconvenience to the gen.
eral public would also follow. The present
custom of most of the state papers of con-
tlnulng to send to their subscribers of many
years without direct order for renewal,
and allowing these subscribers to drop into
the office and pay for their papers whenever
they should come to town, would naturally
give way, under the proposed law, to the
advance-payment plan, and the stoppage of
all papers on the expiration of subscrip-
tion, to the mutual disadvantage, Temporal
rily at least, of both publisher and sub
scriber.
Senator Plumley's bill for the promuga-
ton of the laws through the newspapers
will doubtless pass and will meet the APP
proval of the very large number of people
who two years were obliged to buy the laws
N af
diture that would insure to every man in
the state a full knowledge of the laws
would be highly iudicious one, and in no
way can this object be accomplished so
thoroughly as through the local newspapers.
The Bill TO Establish Local option on
the Town School System.
Today may well be called field day in
the house. What has made it so has been
the discussion of the bill allowing each
town so voting to return to the district
system of schools. The strength develop
ed for this bill last week, when it was Or
dered TO third reading by a small major
ity, was surprise to all, and the question
involved has since been regarded as one
that would furnish the material for first
class fight The bill was made a special
order for 1920 this morning, and the pend
ing question was as to the amendment of
fered by Mr. Lord of Montpelier requir-
ing two-thirds vote of any town to ena-
BILE it to return to the district system.
This was soon adopted, as was another
amendment providing that the vote should
be by ballot and that the clerk should keep
a record of all persons voting on the ques-
ton. These amendments, as it. now trans
pires, were agreed upon previously and
ha no Of ha
bill by number of prominent men who
had previously opposed it. Then the de-
bate began which lasted two hours or more.
1t was quite spirited interesting, and GER
tain portions of it very able. Windham
county spoke with no uncertain sound.
Mr.. Mann of Wilmington thought that in
many towns grave complications would
arise in the matter of readjustment of
school property. Debts had been paid by
the town which would have to be refund
ed, extensive repairs made in some cases
which would have to be provided for, and
he regarded the bill as being so loosely
drawn as to place any town that should
take advantage of its provisions in very
embarrassing position. While letting a
town out of the town system no provision
was made for allowing it to return, provid-
ed public sentiment should change and it
should be desirable to return. Ivy the pro-
visions of the bill any town could vote to
90 into the district system at a meeting
where but few voters were present, while
the sentiment of the town was largely in
different direction. The bill was in such
shape that it would not hold water, and
would fail to carry out the object sought,
even if enacted. Therefore he moved that
| it be dismissed.
Mr.. Read of Rockingham pointed out
what in his opinion would be the legal diff
| fculties in the way should the bill be en-
acted. He referred to the principle of
| local option as one denied in the operation
of all other laws, and why make an eXcep-
ton here. We should not let local prefer
ences and prejudces govern us, but should
take broader view We are a state, said
he, and we should ask what is for the best
interest of our whole state. For genera
ton Vermont has stood still. Why, if not
because something is wrong in our man
agement of our state affairs? Our scenery,
our soil, all things that go to make up
material prosperity are better than those
of our neighboring states. Why are oul
people leaving and no others coming in:
| when people cross our border to enter in
they ask, what school system have you!
and shall we compelled to answer, the old
district system that Maine, New Hamp
shire, Massachusetts,, Connecticut and
| nLo1o leland discarded a generation a0Ot