The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-11-09
Harris's Me1ange.
Absent Friends .
MONTPELIER, Nov.6.

supposedly be on hand at 10 a. M, tomo1
row. Tho lost to sight since last Friday
four days, they are to memory and tn
people dear, about one thousand dollars
day The bill allowing members ant
officers to vote here passed and went tt
the House Friday but it was an absolute
ly useless document after the adoption O.
the adjournment resolution.
1t was thought likely that the legisla
ture would adjourn over Tuesday, but
not that it would embezzle both Satur
day and Monday. AS matter of fact
en- by this senseless adjournment without
the return of any equivalent Every
body seemed to expect only an adjourn
ment over Sunday from Saturday after
noon, when Northrop of Fairfield leaped
into the arena with his joint resolution
providing for an adjournment from Sat
urday afternoon to Wednesday morning.
The large majority of the members who
really wanted to go home Friday but
didn't have the courage to inaugurate a
movement for such long adjournment.
jumped at the chance and in spite of the
brief and hurried protests of two or
three, carried the resolution by large
majority. 1t didn't get through so easily
IN the senate, but was carried after lit
tie discussion by vote of IA to 9. All
this to show you how it came about and
the money goes.
The House is hard working body
while it works. Never have | seen a
House which transacted so much business
in so little time. There are two reasons
for this. One is that it does not talk but
acts. The other is that it has presiding
officer of extraordinary parliamentary
ability, full of energy and with the tact
of rapid fire execution of work. The
business does not lag for second but
goes like shot off shovel. Hardly any
speeches worthy of the Lame have yet
been made in the House and the time is
consumed in rattling bills in and out. A
dozen in a batch are passed or killed in so
many minutes. The committees keen
their work well up, and report without
loss of time. In the House Friday So
bills were permanently disposed of in
about 70 minutes. The total number in
troduced in the House to date is 385. In
the Senate, 109 Under the rules today
would have been the last day for the in
PRODUCTION OF bills without the consent of
two-thirds of those present, but, owing to
the long adjournment, Friday was the
last day. Therefore those that come in
hereafter must have the approval of two
thirds the membership. A dozen or two
always get in this way. and so a few more
may be looked for.
The local option bill was introduced
Thursday by Clement of Rutland in the
Senate and Houghton of Putney in the
House, at the same time. The bills are
of course identical and are introduced in
both houses simultaneously in order to
expedite matters. The Senate end of the
joint committee on temperance is favor
able to the bill, and will therefore report
it favorably. A careful poll OF the Senate
with all present shows that the bill will
pass that body by majority of two, un-
less some minds change. In the House the
committee on temperance is made up
uEfavorable to the bill and there will be
an unfavorable majority and a favorable
minority report Probably today in the
vicinity OF l05 votes can be had in the
House for the bill, out of a present mem
berShlp of 244. therefore present con-
ditions al that the bill cannot pass the
House. But majority of the members
believe with good reason are at heart
favorable to the principles of local op-
ton. They believe, however, that they
represent prohibition constituencies and
dare not vote as they think. If the vote
was taken by ballot instead of by a yea
and nay vote, the bill would pass and
nobody would ever know where the votes
came from to pass it. As it is a d, zen or
two favorable to the bill dare not take
the risk of scorching at home. 1t is DOS
sible that majority may be gotten Tor
the bill but at date of writing | hardly
think it possible.
The longest bill yet in is Senator Glenn
CdJ . Jill lONlolnS JIlc laws dutCIlUg cor |
porationS or rather, all the incorporation |
laws. There are 1913 sections in the bill, |
the lOngeSt-outside code or a railroad |
introduced in either |
house.
The bill creating a department of in
surance was introduced in the Senate |
Friday by Senator Brown of Burlington. |
1t is claimed by the friends of the meas |
ure that an expert official of large expert
ence and practical knowledge of insur-
ance matters should be at the head of this |
and it is also claimed-and |
figures are given to prove it-that in that |
way the work can be done at half the ex-
pense to the state. Very likely the bill
is being lobbied for. do not know, but
it is certainly being lobbied against by
Secretary of State Rowland and State
Treasurer Bacon, the present commits
sloners. The question should be decided
on its merits, regardless of the outs who
want to get in, or the ms who want to
stay in. Whether it becomes a law or
not it should be decently and fairly con-
'idered. If not, then a bill should be
passed directing that all fees be paid into
the state treasury and that the two COM
missioners be paid fair salary. In any
event the present principle of addition,
division and silence is all wrong.
a measure concerning which many fav-
)rable words are being said is that to es-
-ablish hatchery at Swanton for the
breeding OF lake fish. Missisquoi river is
he natural home of the pike, it is repre-
'ented, and hatchery there would be of
yast benefit in developing the product.
This is not an experiment but the taking
proper advantage of an assured fact and
he taking possession of and building up
If what would soon be an immense and
profitable industry. The bill contem-
)lates the appointment of third fish
for this purpose and asks
IN appropriation of $1,000 to inaugurate
he work. Not another cent will ever be
lsked for. Beside pike, shad, sturgeon
md possibly whitefish and bass would be
,ropagated The bill is spoken kindly of
~ many, but whether sufficiently many /
AN be made to see the wisdom of it is
ret a question.
The House is a conservative body and
'lings fondly to the traditions of their
athers. 1t believes with Gov. Stickney
hat bill should not become a law un-
ess it is plainly an improvement on ex-
sting methods. A case in point was the
)ill providing for the election of town
representatives. by plurality vote a t,r
he third ballot. That wasn't the w..
heir fathers did the business, and so the