Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-11-13

| and Deposits---Co1. Haskins Goes Gum
ning---Bills that Have Excited Lively
Discussion.
| MONTPELIER, Nov. II, 1896.
While an unusually large number of bills
have been introduced this session it Is
found on taking account of stock that a
very large proportion of them are of pri-
vate or corporate nature, and that of the
public bills that have any prospect of
enactment but few are of much Importance.
1t now seems certain that no changes of
note will be made in the school system or
the highway system. The election laws
may be slightly changed, and out of the
much-mooted double taxation question
may possibly come the exemption from
| taxation of money loaned on real estate at
four and four and one-half per cent. The
present state boards will be continued,
with possible reduction of salary TO some
of them, but no new boards will be created.
Special appropriations will be confined to
monument for Antietam battlefield. A
| state tax of about fifteen cents on the dol
lar will be assessed, not wholly to meet the
| expenses of the present biennial term, but
to cover also the deficiency caused by the
special appropriations of 1894. Finally,
with no now apparent necessity for an all
night session even, the usual adjournment
will be had on the morning before Thanks
giving.
The house and senate bills to date cover
about 1000 printed pages. Hitherto it has
been customary to print only the public
bills, but this session all are included, and
each member has before him the copy of
everything that he is required to pass upon.
| on thrOnnh uEill 70
because they have not been exposed to the
bIoadest daylight. Each legislature is
called upon to grant good many acts of
incorporation. The newly-created cor
porations and bodies polite are added to
the large number already in existence,
which are liable to call upon the succeed
| ing legislature for additional rights and
privileges. Thus this class of legislation
has constantly increased until it has be-
come very prominent feature in the work
of the session. The committees on cor
porations, excepting The house judiciery
committee, are rider worked than
any of the othe4s. Most of the parties
who come to the legislature for grants are
not bashful in the asking To protect the
rights of all parties concerned by perfecting
and proposing the necessary amendments
is very arduous, and nttentim es 2 -EeE4-
delicate and difficult ,sSt. IA great many
of the acts and cAa9ASs asked for are
drawn by attorneys in such way as to
protect the rights of ALL are not opposed
by any faction in the community inter-
ested, and are easily disposed of.
Innocent Looking Bills.
1t is usually the short, inoffensive look
ing bills that stir up the strife. A few
days ago the citizens of the incorporated
village of West Derby read in the papers
that bill had passed the senate setting
the real estate of large taxpayer out into
the town, so that he would not be subject
to village taxation. A delegation was dis
patched post haste to Montpelier, the men,
ber from Derby meantime got a stay of
proceedings, and on arrival of the delega-
tion the full house and senate committees
of about 20 members spent good part of
an evening in trying the case. Last even
ing the committee held hearing to deter
mine, if possible, the relative rights of the
Barre Water company, who wanted to en-
large their supply by taking two small
streams in Williamstown, of rival water
companies in Barre who didn't want the
large company to get any larger, and of
the people of Williamstown who didn't
want to spare the water.
Tonight the committee had a hearing
|
which it was expected that several rival
factions would appear in war paint, but
peace was finally patched up by the con-
testants among themselves. 1t will be ad-
mitted by all, we think, that the demands
on the Vermont legislature of today are
very largely in excess of the demands for
the period of twenty years ending with the
establishment of our biennial terms in
1870. Yet the average length of our reg
ular sessions including and since 1872 has
been 90 1-2 days, equivalent to an annual
session of 27 "a days. The average length
of the regular annual sessions for the
twenty years ending 1869 was 40 1-2 days,
difference of nearly 80 per cent on an
even basis of business.
Railroad Charters Asked for.
Several of the most important charters
asked for are for railroads which, if built,
would not only develop large resol rces, but
would make the capital much more access
ible. The proposed Rutland and Mont
peler road would shorten the present rail
distance between the two cities by about
40 miles. 1t would traverse country rich
in timber, and afford more direct line
from the granite quarries in this section to
many points of destination.
The Copperfied Mining company ask
1Or Jne rlRuJ 10 connect Jnelr mines Dy fall
wifi the Passumpsic road, with the plan
of ultimately extending the line westward
to WilliamstOwn. Vermont copper, which
is claimed to be superior in quality to any
other in the United States, has not been
successfully mined for some years, for the
/, reason that it has cost so much to get It to
market. With machinery recently invent
ed and all-rail communication TO the mines,
1t is claimed that the success of the new
: company will be assured, and that 1t is de \
! tined to become the largest single ente
prise in the state. Several electric roa0s
will be chartered, which, it is claimed, will
! be built, and which will make valuable
: cross connections between the existing
railroad lines.
A bill only awaits the governors sigma
, ture which will doubtless meet strong dis
! approval with the younger portion of a
' good many families. 1t provides that no
person shall sell, loan, furnish or give to
' any child UNDER twelve years of age any
D pistol, revolver or other firearm designed
I for the use of gunpowder with leaden bu'
/ lets or shot, under penalty not exceeding a
] fine of fifty dollars. 1t also provides that
! any child having such firearms in his pos
4 session or control shall be fined.
( A hearing was had this evening on the
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