Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-12-22
The Legislative Record.


ie not one single act OF general impor
g ance was passed.
lie Now all this might be true and V,
q the assembly might have acquitted
:. self handsomely. An assembly shout
not be judged so much by the tremer
u dous overturn it makes in genera
l. laws as in correctly interpreting tn
9 desires of the people concerning them
II would be great mistake for a leo
> islative body to shake things upsid,
/, down in a way the people did not de
sire simply to show that they had dom
something. Nothing could be NOR,
open to censure. Unless there is
J well-deiined demand for change ii
existing statutes, or for some acts te
deal with matters not before regulated
the statutes should be let alone.
What evidence is there that the re.
cent session did not do pretty much all
that it was expected to dop What acts
Of real Importance, for which there was
an unmistakable desire among the peo-
pie. were slighted9 The legislature is
not the originator Of laws-merely the
agent for doing the will of the voters
who send the members. SO we say
that the absence of what some may
deem important legislation proves
moi that the recent assembly was un-
worihy--but that there was no call for
such changes and that the assembly
took the conservative course.
A great many acts of private i'm
portance and relating to municipalities
were handled with care. This branch
OF legislation is not to be ignored or
deemed of insignificance. Such bin
as the Central Vermont reorganiza-
ton, for instance. is of more real con- |
Germ to the state than the acts of whole |
sessions in the past have been. When
a person or company has such n
measure, 1t is Of extreme importance
to them,and when there are many such.
the Legislature is justified in devotino
time to them and is not
amenable to criticism because
II was not atthc same time considering
matters of general moment. +
But It is not true, as charged, that ,,
The late assembly made no impression
on the statute books worthy of such a {
body. No one who reads carefully the
icts issued last week can arrive at such s
conclusion. We would instance 8
'mong the acts Of general importance
No. 50, improving the public roads 8
md establishing the stare highway g
ommission-thc entering wedge for n b
ystcm OF good permanent roads in |.
'ermont. =
Nos. l26, III and l2S, embodyno n n
adical change in the states policy to- n
Yard its prisoners. in line with the adj {
anced ideas OF prison reform adopted .
. Oiutt ctsttCS.
Nos. 40 and "A, the two-cent mileage II
Nv, with penalty for infringement of in
re same, must be considered acts of s.:
rhine importance. tn
No. 50, enabling towns so yotino IN IL
ose their town liquor agencies. will q.
'yiewed as important legislation in
me localities where sentiment is ST,
'ainst the agency system. pa
No. 10l, relating to posting of en- by
osed land to forbid fishing, is the rel
ost important change in the fish law nn
ade in years. ~, W.
No. 80 revolutionizes the whole sys- me
n of fish cultivation in streams and cor
hardly be passed over as trifinc
NO. los, shortening the open deer clio
lson, while not of interest to a laroc yea
mber. is an evidence that the assem- '''
responded to the desires of the.
'ple. +.
70. rs, prohibiting the use of trad ant
stamps, is important legislation to and
ious localities. tior
'ur great agricultural class is GER bus
lily interested in such acts as: ano
70. 81, creating a system OF state s
ervision over tests of milk and cor,
im CO..,
o. 81 calculated to protect farmers tere
inst the knavery of dishonest pros
'mery and cheese factory MANA nua
!. '''" graz
Q. So, compelling an ANALYSIS OIL =
'entrated commercial feeding stuff. alwa
well as No. ITO. restoring the ~ 10 I
MY on noxious animals. the !
he Legislature of '9s deserves credit liber
What it did. as well as for lots that pota
Ight have done, but Didn't. II a. ing
sservcs probably about the usual are {
''''''S'''' o"' We haraiy with
: ''o''- so ii