The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-11-28
sENATE-MORNING.
Wednesday, November FL.


Passed.-S. 90, amending Sec 1871 V. s.,
relating to peddlers. s. 118, am ending Sec
1924 V. s., relating to telegraph, electric
light and telephone companies as amend
ed s. 40, providing for the registration
of births, marriages and deaths, with amend
ments.
Capital punis 1ment.-S. So, to abolish cap
ital punishment. Senator Baldwin was OPP
posed to the bill because it was a radical
change in our laws. Only very few States
have abolished death penalty. Iowa once
abolished the death penalty but returned
to. the old law. 1t is the principle the
world over to punish murder with death.
Senator Royce said the existing law is a
relic OF olden times. It was a mistaken
idea to think that a man should be put to
death. The bill would place murderer in
confinement 80 that he could not commit
murder again, and for reformation. La
most cases murder is committed without
thought; either from alcoholism and hard
ened intellects or in the heat OF passion. 1t
Is almost impossible to convict man and
have the sentence executed without petit
tions coming to the Legis ature to have the
sentence committed. The people are in adj
vance OF the law and do not believe in capt.
tai punishment. The moral sense OF the
people is against the death penalty.
Senator DeBoer spoke from the point of a
layman. The lawyers had studied the
question. He was in favor Of the sOvereig ign
| right OF human life. There are improve.
ments in manner Of puniahment OF crime, as
we'll as in the matter Of manufacture.
| Punishment by death Is nothing more or
less than murder by those who execute the
sentence. The great trouble is we do not
| have law to fit the crime He would have
| a la that would set the murderer to work
and use the proceeds to support the family
| Of bis victim.
On the question of third reading Senator
D,I.l ~, a a
| they were yeas II, nays IA. the president
voted no, and the bill was refused a third
| reading.
Senator Dunnett called up S, II, provid'
ing for the election Of railroad commission.
| ers.
friends of the bill is to have the people So
lect these officials. and all officials in a judi.
! cial capacity are elected by the people and
answerable to them. There is feeling
throughout Vermont Of suspicion, and
| while perhaps there Is no reason for this
| there should be confidence in these officials
Senator Dunnett aaid the railroad com.
missioners are intended to stand between
| the railroads and the people of the State
| The question is, How shall we appoint q
commissioner who shall do justice to the
railroad managers and the people of the
Ssate. There is a suspicion that the com
| mission is a humbug and is run by the rail.
|
is slap at the Governor, but the speaker
believed that the Chief Executive would be
glad to be rid of this duty of appointing the
| board.
Senator Walker saw no course better
| than the one now in use.
Third reading refused, yeas u, nays IA.
Passed in concurrence.-H. So, amending
statute relating to appraisal OF diseased ami
mails slaughtered by the cattle commission
H. 149, relating to the dairy products and
| their limitations, was read third time and on
motion Of Senator Royce ordered to be re-
committed.
Passe in ooncurrence.-H. 25l, to pre-
| vent pollution of waters of WillouRhby
lake. II. 262, to pay for circulation of the
public Acts of '9S II, go, relation to col
lection OF taxes by trus 90 process
| Adjourned.
HOUSE-MoRNING.
Final adjournment. Mr.. Abel OF West
Haven introduced joint resolution pro
viding for the appointment of special
| committee OF two Senators and three Repre-.
sentatives to report as to the earliest practi-
cal date tor final adjournment. Adopted.