Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1900-12-06
CORRESPONDENCE.
HAS PASSED INTO HISTORY.
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work OF the Legislature REVIEWED.
Body Without Leaders No New Legs.
Iation OF a Radical Nature.
Montpelier, December 3.
Friend Belknap and Constituents:
Although lost to sight, the memory Of
the legisla ure of 90 is yet mighty dear,
and VII remain so for many a weary
month to come. In the language Of the
revered litany "we have left undons those
things which we ought to have done, and
we have done those things which we ought
not to have done, and there i, no health in
us"
In all the drcary waste of weeks of fruit
less endeavor that which will linger longer
in the minds OF the ordinary taxpayer and
hit him the hardest is the act which appro-
pirates or provides for the appropriation OF
one and quarter millions of dollars to
pay "current expenses during the next
two years"
In quarter of a ceptury's experience
! with Vermont LEI slatures, never formed
the acquaintance of one just Ike that Just
deceased. 1t had no leaders who led.
Those who should have done so shirked
the responsibility and avoided me kin ,
names tor themselves. 1t was a regim mt
with every man private. 1t contained
good material and was fully up to the
average in this re'pect, but the material
was awfully and hopeles,ly raw. And it
didn't improve with age, largely because
of the lack of leadership and directing
hand. l spesk mere especially Of the
house. That body talked very little, less
than any house in all my previous knowl-
edge, and where anything was said it was,
wa, as rule, badly stated, blur derng
and Ineffective. Scarcely measure passed
but what coul have been killed by keen
and pertinent thres-minute speech, and, on
the other hand, not bill which wa, amrn-
able to argument but what it could have
been carried in the same way. But at the
critical moment the man was not ready for
the emergency. And so the house dritted,
week after week, without any definite idea
Of what it wanted, Whatever was done
did not appear to be guild by intelligence,
but impulse. Everytbirg went heller KEEL
ter in the direction in which it happened to
be pointed when the operator pulled the
trigger. Individually the house was made
up Of sound, level-headed business men,
as rule, who intended to do the RICH.
thing, but they were out of their element
They did not mold into compact and
eff -ctive working force.
For these reasons, the acts which for
tunately or otherwise survived and became
laws are accidents. They could not be
otherwise. The sight Of them will aston
ish the men who made them. and they will
wonder how in blazes it all happened.
In the senate, the company of 80 we're
all captains, with the exception Of two or
three privates. A +" cave OF the winds" it
was, for fact. SAFEGUARDING sprung
spontaneous, ELUSIVE, overwhelming from
the senatorial intellect. As q rule, only
one talked at time, but speech was gen.
orally in progress. As matter of fact it
was q senate Of at least average ability,
but it was not. we'll balanced. 1t was
shaded from hopeless conservstisu,-the
bourbonism which learns and forgets moth
ing--to the extreme Of rad'calism which
would break down all established barriers
and reform" everything in sight and out
Of sight in one comprehensive omnibus
bill With senate so made up, Of course
the result was continual scrapping and
pickering, with an occasional compromise
on some important matter which lett it
simply mutilated.
TIE most utterly indefenseble record
made by the senate was in the constl tu-
tional amendment. OF the four proposed
only one was saved, and that one OF the
lesst consequence. All those killed we're
Just and proper for submission and espec-
tally that which provided that an amend
ment might be proposed at any regular BIZ
ennial session hereafter. The entirely un-
iu,ti6able killing OF this prevent, the con-
sid ration of any more amendments unit
1910. and ties the hands of every senate
un il that time. II they had not dec ,n,ly
treated any other amendment they nigh,
at least have given their successors in the
legislatures previous to 1910 an opDortun-
iiy to consider the wishes OF the people and
the public welfare in this regard The re.
suit is that they simply p rpstuated their
legacy for ten years.
The last night OF the SESSION was per.
| 1ect type OF tne many laSt legislative nlghta
that have gone before. The two houses
wrangled and quarreled and disagreed and
took rsces. o. and the scene was either one
OF sleepy lta-gy or wild disorder. Ii
comparatively peaceful intervals besuti-
fal 1925 watch was presented the speaker
BY the house, gold headed cane to the
sergeant alarms and sum OF money TO
the long distance telephone young lady.
Along toward daylight a recess was taken
until A. N. when final adjournment came.
| The scenes in the chambers, vestlbules and
corridors Is the morning sun came stream
ing in was one OF all pr-vading dirt and
disorder and it must have required the
energetic efforts Of small amy OF sweep
FRS and cl sners for at least twenty-four
hours to have placed the build ng in it,
usual neat and spotless condition.
Uncle Warren of Weather,6 Id, in his
continuous happiness because OF tn psss-
age of his bi ! giving his town two highway
districts, broacbed three barrels OF apples
in the lower vestibul- late in the afternoon
and AFTER everybody bad eaten and capi d
Ill RI. ron, dor -ore cd