The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-11-21
CAPITOL JAcK-sTRAWs.
Points on Legislation, Legislators
and Matters More or Less Con-
nected with the Asylum of
wlSdo m on the Hill.

Did anybody, even the oldest inhabitant,
ever see such a LegislatureI Sometimes it
10 funny, Oftener il is sad. The most unac
cOuntablelthings are done with a sang froid
which is Orange county for don't care
Cuss-e dness-that fairly takes the breath
away unless it has been strengthened and
fortified at the annex" Omniscence
stands in awe before such graceful legisla-
tive abandon. What is coming next in the
way OF Knockout surprise in the disposal
of measure would be beyond Bryan to
predict, or any other reader of the future,
Two-thirds of the bills passed by the
House could have been killed as dead as
Bear Swamp by neat three minute speech
at the right time and place, and of all the
bills killed every one, with the possible ex-
ception OF less than a half dozen could have
been passed with an enthusiastic roar
if they had been ably advocated for five
minutes by an adroit speaker who knew
with what he had to deal Things simply
go because they happen to be heau ed in
that direction, and it is the most utterly
regardless Legislature from some points OF
view that ever had its whskers Iuffled by
the fall winds. 1t either kills or passes,
and then reconsders-if somebody happens
to think OF it. II a bill to abolish the legis
lative and executive departments of the
State government could be sneaked in with
favorable report it would be passed with
wboop and q call for more. Probably
somebody would roll over sometime and
move Recommendation, ana then the bill
would be inquired into. The bill to allow
the construction of sidepaths was killed at
first, probably because the House didn't
know what sidepaths meant and took it to
be scheme to raise the price of board at
the hotels When they discovered its real
natul Q, it was reconsdered and passed.
Yesterday the House killed-temporerily-
bill to promote and encourage horticul-
ture. This was the first real opportunity
the farmers have had to vote themselves
dollar in aid OF worthy agricultural indus
try, and they fairly fell over themselves to
vote against it and could hardly wait for il
to be pronounced dead. They swiped it
and biffed it and swatted it with savage
ferocity, and after 1t lay cold, pale clam
my corpse somebody started the story that
horticultural" didn't really mean an APP
preparation to buy colored ribbons for prize
bull pups and then everybody was sorry.
Likewise the laboratory ofhygene bill was
passed because il was generally understood
to mean something good to eat-or drink,
but the Senate found ont in time how it
was about to be buncoed and in revenge
used the bill three weeks as foot ball
The good Lord only knows what is coming
next or what will happen TO it. l am in
cllned to try the experiment of introducing
bill through the committee on the work
house to propagate paralellograms. This
word looks IS If 1t might mean something
stronger than false alarm beer, and il would
probably prosper until it was found out
But words fail me, The resigned calm of
fond hopes fled droops gently over me like
fog on the WnoOski and can only whs-
per that in the midst Of life we are in debt