The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-11-25
Legislative Notes.

THE Senate Is thinking OF home. 1t has
passed the final adjournment resolution,
and it will be in order now to begin pack
ing the grips
ANOTHER biennial chestnut laid away
The weekly payment bill. And still another,
the woman suffrage bill.
THE noxious animals will no doubt most
fittingly celebrate, during the coming sea-
son, the repeal of th9 bounties on their
hides.
THE plurality bill is dead, and hot coz
tests over the election of town representa-
tive can be further INDUCED in after the
good old fashion.
The final adjournment spirit is in the
air, and it has had the effect to lengthen
the sessions and spur the lawmakers to
their best possible pace.
THE State House fence has been saved by
the Power" that be, and that portion of
the community which paled at the thought
of its removal is now at peace.
QUrrE number OF the bills which find
their way to the secretary OF states office
are troubled with bad spells which it will
devolve upon the engrossing clerk to cure.
EVIDENTLY the legislature has full and
implicit confidence in the purity of Vermont
milk, and 50 killed H. 52i, which provided
for more careful test and analysis of that
useful fluid.
THE gentleman from Nottingham should
feel battered. He has been complimented
by fellow member for his healing powers,
and further referred to as "such an uncon-
Stunning man"
THE vote Thursday in favor of the high
license tendency was exactly what it was
two years ago-namely, "a. Vermont seems
to be holding its own on the liquor ques-
ton, in spite of certain claims to the con-
trary.
THE Springfield Republican protests against
indictng all the women because all the
states where the women voted went for
Bryan. The protest seems to be we'll taken,
but the fact remains fixed and immutable.
Boston Herald
House bill No. 49, calling for the ventia-
ton of school-houses, has been passed. But
that clause of the bill which, by little slip
in punctuation provided for the ventilation
also of state and local boards of health did
not count before the committee.
ROWLAND e. ROBINSON, Vermont's we'll
known blind author, received distinguished
consideration during his visit to The State
House Thursday and Friday. Mr. Robin
son was one of the speakers at the banquet
of the Fish and Game League Thursday
evening.
PAUL TINKHAM, who captured the post
office robbers at Rochester some time ago, is
of the opinion that the fame of the thing is
hardly just equivalent for posing as a tar
get at close range, and is making a strong
effort to get financial recognition from the
legislature.
THE eloquence of the session of 1896
reached high tide in the debate over the
woman suffrage BILL and no more such out.
bursts need be looked for this year. On
both sides of the question some telling
speeches were made, and the applause
evoked was sincere and well deserved.
The scrappy days have come, the
liveliest in the legislative year. The tour
nament of the morning in the House, was
the hrst real entertainment of the kind that
has been presented this session. The bill
under consideration was one involving the
interests of embryo warriors, and so a rea-
sonabe amount of scrdpping" was in
order.
Mr.. BUNKER OF PEACHAM, in his remarks
in opposition to the bill providing for plu-
ralty, instead of majority, elections of town
representative, said he felt stronger in his
position in the house because he knew
majority of his constituents had elected
him" AS Mr. Bunker enjoys the distinc-
ton of being elected without dissenting
vote, he has fairly good right to feel
strong in his position"
A FORMER member of the General AS
sembly writes the DAILY JOURNAL: "In my
opinion it is not for the interest of Mont
pelier to override Poverbs xxi: 2Sth, and 1
think Proverbs xvii. g. is sound doctrine,
Let the old landmark stand, is, think,
sound advice. 1t will be "ruthlessly slaugh-
tered every time such bill comes before
the House. Proverbs xvii: H. Be wise in
time.'
The emphatic rap that was given to the
measure intended to repeal all the laws
providing safeguards against tuberculosis
was credit to the legislature, and the one
man who voted for the bill must have had
ever since yesterday distressed feeling of
lonesomeness, This broom that was meant
to sweep so clean was badly disintegrated
before the house got through with it,
SEVERAL members of the House who
were excused by Speaker Lord from attend
ance on the sessions of the House last Fri
day felt somewhat aggrieved that their
names appeared in the published yea and
nay vote, taken that day, as absent or not
voting" thus giving the inference that they
were away junSeting, when they had voted
not to adjourn over the day. Those gentle.
men, with those absent on official business,
are not open to the charge of practicng
what they do not preach
THERE has been "ladies' week" and it
was big success. Tomorrow will be
"woman's day" in the House, and a large
amount of entertainment is looked for. At
two o'clock and thirty minutes the House
Will have opportunity to show how closely
1t desires to tread in the footsteps of the
Senate. The report of the woman suffrage
bill from committee without expression of
opinion leaves the question wide open for
a general expression of opinion when the
time arrives.
IT would appear that many members of
the House did not understand the import of
House bill 1919, that was killed Tuesday.
MIR. Hall OF Bakersfield was of the opinion
that it was 30 drawn as to make delinquent
taxpayers pay eight instead Of four per
cent, and by the vote Of the House it was
evident that a majority were of the same
opinion. The bill really made no differ.
ence with the taxes 1t was simply getting
at the four per cent now provided by stat
ute, in different way, to lessen the labor
OF town treasurers.
In has been stated with much unanimity
of opinion that one of the ablest arguments
OF recent years before legislative commit
tee, was that Of Hon. Almon A Stront of