Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-11-23
LEGISLATURE NOTES.

of in the House last week. The first
was the measure to provide that town
representative shall be elected by a
plurality vote. Mr.. Clark of Glover,
who introduced the bill, made long
argument in its favor. Mr.. Bates of
ST. Johnsbury and Mr.. Bunker Of
Peacham opposed the bill. Third
reading was refused by a decisive
vote. The second special order was
the bill regulating the number Of
ballots which shall be printed for use
at elections. The bill passed without
opposition.
The bill to prevent bribing in eau
cuses and political conventions was
read tie third time and passed by a
vote of 161 to SO. Messrs. Hall Of
Bakersfield and Barrows of Coventry
spoke against the bill, and Messrs.
Powers of Morristown and Palmer Of
Waterbury supported the measure.
The bill to incorporate the city of
st. Adams has been signed by the
governor, and the cities of Vermont
the new city, as constituted by the
act, contains nearly 1000 inhabitants.
The ballot law is getting some at
tention and it is hoped that it may be
bettered in few minor particulars,
at least. The bill by Mr.. Palmer to
prevent bribery in caucuses has had
a good deal of favorable attention
nd may be regarded as one of the
important measures of the session.
Friday was devoted mainly to COM
mittee junkets. One committee went
to Vergennes to see the reform
school, with plenty of company, an
other to the experiment station at
Burlington, and so on. The insane
asylum investigating committee also
went to Waterbury on that day. AL
though the House voted to stay at
home FridayIand do business, aside
from the committees who were to-
make visits as above, it didn't do it,
a large part of the members going off
with the committee. A free junket
had more charms for a good many
members than attending to business.
A bill which excited a good deal of
attention came up as special order
Tuesday afterdoon. It was the act
providing for the reduction of salaries
of members of State commissions.
The bills were discussed in more or
less promiscuous manner for more
har hol
amendments were proposed and con-
siderable enthusiasm aroused The
bill had its greatest following among
the farmers of the House, who be-
lieved that all commissioners should
be paid alike regardless of duties and
requir ements. The bills opponents
held that there should be grading;
that it would be disgrace for the
assembly to place the commissioners
who had the life and health of the
State under their control, upon the
same basis as commissioners whose
duties called for less diligence and
education. Those who favored the
measure held that men of competence
could be secured at a much less cost
than is now paid. That in the pres
ent desire for retrenchment of ex
penses the State should begin here.
The matter was finally brought to a
yea and nay vote of 1872 to 90, and the
act was passed 1t is not likely to
beco me a law, however.
The unquestioned leaders of tho |
House are Messrs, Morse of Barre,
Baldwin of Barton, Darling of Ben
nington, Haskins of Brattleboro,
Smith of Burlington, Clark of Castle
ton, Pierce Of Chester, Conlln of Col
chester, Button of Middlebury. Pow
ers Of Morristown, Prouty of New
port, Bunker of Peacham, Plat of
Poultney, Hamilton of Richford,
Childs of st. Adams and Bates of St.
bloomsbury, named without order of
merit. These gentlemen can be
found on the right side Of questions
and could ill be spared.-Landnark
Business of an unimportant nature
ran smoothly until the bill was reach
ed distributing Avery's gore between
the towns of Belvidere, Bakersfield
and Montgomery. There has been a
lively controversy between Lamoille
and Franklin counties over this bill
all through the session. The bill as
introduced gave the best of the gore
to Belvidere, with portions to the
other towns likely to cost good deal
more in road maintenance than it
would yield in taxes. The committee
finally reported the bill with amend
ments giving Belvidere it's portion
but leaving the rest of the gore as it