Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-10-06
ORGANIZED.
Vermont Legislature Elects
Officers and Begins its
Biennial Work.
A SURPRISE IN TAE HOUSE..
Rev. j. X. Fuller of Barton Landing
Eeoted Chapiain-Hon. Kittrcdre Has
| kins Speaker of tho House and Gen.
J.J. Mccullough President Pro
Tom of tho senate.

Montpelier. Oct. 5.-With regulation
Legislative weather nearly full seats in
both Senate and House and a small num-
her of spectators tho biennial session OF
the General Assembly of Vermont began
it's work this morning In the Senate
Lieut.. Gov. y. W. Fisk presided and in
the House Secretary of State Chauncey
w. Browncll called the body to order.
Prayer was offered in the Senate by Rev.
\. y. Lewis. pastor OF Christ church of
this city and in the House by Or. NJ. II.
Buckham, president OF the University of
Vermont Without single exception
both chambers were organized by elect
ing the list of officers published in yes
;crdays Free Press. Tho only addition
/ to make to the list is the appointment of
Walter *. Farnsworth of Rutland by
Secretary Powell as assistant secretary Of
| the Senate.
! Tho only change In the list given yes
terday is that the chaplain of the House
will b. Rev.'J. X. Fuller. pastor of tho
Congro gational church at Barton Land
/ ing. This came as the greatest surprise
of the day. 1t was generally supposed
/ that Rev. A. y. Lewis was to be elected.
| His friends had arranged to have d man
second the nomination OF Mr.. Lewis but
evidently had failed to ask anyone to
nominate him, When nominations were
called for one would suppose that the
House felt that IL would not need any
praying this session for every one stuck
to his scat as though rivetcd down. AZ
ter prolonged silence, which seemed like
one OF those lulls in a prayer meeting.
when they wait for the spirit to move, c.
+. Ranncy arose and presented the name
of Mr.. Fuller. This was all the House
was waiting for and rs soon as they could
get n name men were on their feet 10
second 1t and a viva vocc voto quickly
made Mr.. Fuller chaplain OF the House,
So far as known there had not been any
canvass In his behalf and this spontan.
cous honor is all the moro pleasant.
The Senate was ready to do handsome
thing by Gen. j. q. Mccullough by CIV
ing him unanimous election as president
pro tcmporc After taking tho oath OF
office and being presented to tho Senate
Gen. Mccullough said:
GEN. McCUI.LOCGH'S SPEECH.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Sen
ate:
1t goes without saying that you hav,
my sincere thanks in acknowledgment
Of this distinguished mark of your con
side-at!on, especially SO by reason of th'
manner of its bestowal. The secrctar!
came to me a moment ago and wanted Il
know who was going to place me in nom
ination. i replied l did not know, where
.. upon my colleague (Scnator Batchelder
said Il think will do 1t II no one cls
5 will"
Gentlemen OF the Senate, l orce hear,
the finest and best presiding officer II
this country say that that man was bcs
. qualified TO MI the position of presiding of
pccr over any deliberatve body who him
! self allowed the members OF that body 4
: do all the talking. While | shall no
claim to approach the standard l hav
, just suggested, 1 yet shall obey the In
- IN hou
ming violate the precept, or disregard tn
. first and cardinal rule of a good presidin
: officer. DESTROYS of retaining the goo
. opinion you have already evinced by you
, vote, l shall content myself with express
!. ing my sincere acknowledgements for tn
!, distinguished honor you have conferre
\ on me. l assure you in rcturn-and thi
:, Is the best compliment l can pay you
" that IL Lieut.. Gov Bates is ever so pai
tial or so ind.crcct as to call me to pre-
: eide over this body, that l will enforc
:. your rules with liherality. with ahsolut
!, impartiality and with absolute justice.
IS ELECTION OF CHAPLAIN.
v The election of chaplain in the Scna,
: must have been a surprise to even III
/ friends OF that gentleman who had worl
= cd so faithfully in his behalf. His vol
only eight. The absence of Senat,
III Young OF Newport was the only thin
l. that saved tie in the contest over II
IS secretaryship of tho Senate. The adhe
N ents of Messrs. Fletcher and Lapoint con
r hlned their force and the ballot was
for Powell and II for Fletcher.
Il That the House made no mistake in 1
ie choice for speaker was shown by Il
&c promptness of Mr.. Dickey in making Il
ot election unanimous and tho words spoke
n: by Mr.. Haskins before assuming the du
III les of his office. His remarks concernir
al
u OF bills and tho viciousness of laws of u
certain validity arc q guarantee of
H. honest effort 10 have the record of III
House clean one. Mr.. Haskins is q
rk ready busy arranging his committees al
s. believes that ii the House will remain
cr session Friday he may be able
no announce them in fun and thus enat
er the members TO return Monday fully Q
Sanizcd and ready for work. Mr.. Ha
kins' speech in taking the chair follow
'n SPEAKER HAsKINs SPEECH.
i'll Gentlemen OF the House OF Reprcsen,
Ii tiVes:
ro l sincerely thank YOU for the honor "
RS. have conferred in electing me to prcsi
he over the deliberations Of this assembly
rk the ensuing biennial term. While rcco
WI nizing the position to which YOU have
generously assigned me as one of dist
OF guishod honor and authority, l am Il
sit unmndful that 1t Is also one of labor n
l., responsibility. In accepting the office,
on can only promise to bring to tho dischar
RS. OF its duties my earnest efforts to the Z
'ly tent of the ability | possess, and to
ds with fairness and impartia!ity towards
'er But whatever may be my efforts, as yo
on presiding officer l feel that l shall {
re- far short of meeting your expectation
ri or OF satisfying myself even. except
receive that which is yours 10 give, a
which now invoke, your cordial coop
alton and support
ON You will pardon me II indulge In
tn. slight disgression from the usual NAM
Pc of address on like occasions to this, J
ng come together here. each of us, represe
am ing particular local constituency: y
md ] trust, we shall not forget that in n mi
mt broader and more important sense, and
rn- our oath OF office clearly implies. We
Nr. also tho representatives of that grea
the constituency.-the people of the VIII
elk. State to whom we must render an
of count of our stewardship when our lab
Mr. here are ended, / have always felt. a
still ,lo feel. that the great danger.
matters of legislation. is in attempting &
Accomplish too much. and in the cndea'
TO to effcctuatc the repeal or amendment
rry existing laws before their efficacy
SIT been fairly tested. The member OF n
(islative body who aims ~ Introduce