St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-10-26

Correspondence of the CALIFORNIAN
MONTPELIER, October % The
lawmakers hopper, at the capitol,
has been kept fairly full during the
past week, and results of the grind
ing are beginning to appear. The
number of bills already introduced
is large enough to warrant the COM
mittees getting into line for business,
and several of them are hard at
work sitting the measures assigned
them and trying to kill off legisla-
ton that has no Importance TO it.
There is quite a disposition in some
quarters to do away with useless en-
actments, that have heretofore con-
sumed so much time; but to how
great an extent that can be done it
is not safe to predict. The habit is
on, and it will be hard to break it
up.
THE NoxIOUs ANIMALS.
The fox, the lynx, the rattlesnake,
are biennially made the subjects OF
legislative debate, and a good deal
OF eloquence is expended over the
placing Of bounty on them. The
wolf and the panther also come in
for some attention, but their depre.
dations are not sufficiently frequent
to stir up the wrath Of the farmer to
white heat. The house had lively
time on Wednesday last, over bill
imposing bounty on the luckless
heads of certain animals. Somebody
tried to cut the bounty on rattle
snakes down to paltry twenty.
FIVE cents, but this was defeated, and
the figures were finally fixed as fol-
lows: Wolves and panthers, twelve
dollars; lynx, five dollars; foxes, six
ty cents rattlesnakes, one dollar,
and the bill passed in that shape, on
Thursday. In order that members
OF the house might see snakes with
out indulgence in a high license direc-
ton, an imitation OF RATHER was
DISPLAYED on q table in the hall.
PATRIOTISM IN PRAYER.
The senate chaplain, in his petition
on recent morning. touched on the
pending negotiations between the
United States and Spain, land
asked that the peace commission
might be firm for the truth and de-
mand all that was just in the eyes of
justice" He also recognized the I'M
furling Of the American flag over
Porto Rico.
THE STATES ATTORNEY AGAIN.
II the states attorney expects any
relief from The salary certificate ele.
ment in his official career, at this ses-
sion OF the legislature, he is likely to
be disappointed. A bill recently in
PRODUCED provides for an annual re.
port on the part of the grand jury,
to the Judge of the county court, re-
garding the efficiency-or lack of it
with which the states attorney has
performed his duty; and the charac.
ter of this certificate will have an i'm.
portant bearing on his relation to
his salary.
THE NORMAL SCHOOLS.
The introduction of a bill giving
the Normal Schools at Randolph
Castleton and Johnson a new lease
of lif. to August, 1920, has been sup
plemented by the distribution OF tn,
report of the special board appoint
ed two years ago to look into th'
Normal School question. As thi
board recommends the maintaining
of schools at each of these places
the passage Of the bill in question
seems foregone conclusion.
THE STATE OVERWHELMINGLY.
The contest over the election of {
State Superintendent of Education
eliminated on Thursday afternoon
when Mason S. Stone was again
chosen to that office by a vote O
I'll to 81 for DR.. Dunton of Poult
ney. The latter's friends stood b,
him Loyalty, Mr.. Walker of Fai
Haven making the nominating
speech and several others cordiall
endorsing the nomination. The fac
that the democrats had agreed t.
, stand by Mr.. Stoue was made tn
} basis of some plain political talk b.
the opponents of that gentleman
and some sharp shots were fired O
! both sides. The result of the ballo
was something ola surprise to all cor
cerned, for on the previous evenin
the atmosphere at the Pavilion wa
heavily charged with Dunton sent