Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-11-21
YESTERDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
The Senate Orders the License Bill
to a Third Reading.
Thursday evening, Nov. 2

on the important legislation of the
present session. The Senate had or
dered to a third reading the license
local-option liquor bill recommended
by the majority of the temperance
committee, and the House had treated
similarly the Russell cattle commits
sion bill. These two measures consti-
tute the matters of major Importance
before the assembly In addition, the
House had considered to some extent
the same license bill that the Senate
passed along to it's third reading.
The debates were followed in both |
houses by very large audiences, the |
galleries, Hobbies and floors being |
filled with people. The discussions at |
times reached considerable degree |
of acrimoniousness but it was evil |
dent that the senators, particularly, |
were endeavoring to keep the debates |
as free as possible from Objectionable |
features.
The result of the vote on the license |
bill in the Senate, sending it to third |
reading, was somewhat of a surprise. |
1t was conceded by the Battellites that
their cause was lost there, but the vote
of &c to 4 was entirely unexpected.
The vote had been generally placed
at 10 to 70, but the turn toward the
came evident that the license support
ers were in the majority. Even some
of the avowed out-and-out prohibition
lists voted for the license measure,
although they had made strong objec-
lions to 1t. Notable among the num-
Der was Senator Walbridge who intro
duced the Ross prohibitory bill early
in the session. Another member, who
had been a supporter of the Battell
bill, was Senator Spencer of Windham
county who changed his vote when
the final vote came.
Senator Spencer explained his posi-
ton briefly. He said: 81 had hoped
the people of the state, and particular
ly of Windham county, would be sat
isfied with the Battell measure. be-
lieve the plank of the Republican state
convention is complied with in the
minority report. but Windham county,
I find, is not willing to have the bill.
Therefore l can no longer stand with
the minority and / shall not vote for
the substitution of the Battell bill for
the license bill as is moved" On the
next question of substituting the ref
erundum sections of the Battell bill
for the majority bill, Senator Spencer
said he believed the sections of the
former were better and that they COM
piled fully with the demand of the
Republican state convention. He be-
lieved the reference to the people
should be put off until early spring.
People" he said "are not now con-
versant. with the provisions of the bill
and | think the reference should be
made March / instead of January l as
the license-bill referendum stipulates."
Then again when the vote on the third
reading came up and each member
was stating his reason for vot-
ing for or against the license bill
Senator Spencer said, 81 am going to
vote for the committee license bill be-
cause I am politically bound, not from
my personal conviction
After the failure of the attempt to
substitute the Battell for the license
bill, the Battelites attempted to
amend the bill several times, but each
time we're met with refusal. Senator
Emery of Orange county was the lead
er of the Battell faction. Senator SUIT
ton also attempted to amend the bill,
but failed.
However. there were some amend
ments made, chief among which was
to give one-half of the license fees in
stead of three-fourths to the state.
This was quite vigorously opposed by
the small towns. It was further
amended by STIMULATING selectmen
shall appoint license commissioners
within 16 days instead of 60
After the amendments had been
made and the senators had made their
Confessions" the vote was taken on
the third reading, resulting as follows:
Those favoring third reading, Senators
Backus, Moves, Nelson and Royce OF
Rutland county, Brown and Combs OF
Franklin county, Brownell, Sutton and
Russell of Chittenden, Cartwell and
Sprague of Addison, Downer, Greene
and Howard of Windsor, Graves OF
Caledonia, Jackson of Lamoille, Law
renee and Spencer of Windham. Mayo,
Phelps and Sibley of Washington
county, Sheldon and yelling of Ben
nington, Tracy of Grand Isle, Wal
bridge of Essex, Wilcox of Orange.
Those opposing were Annis and jack
son of Orleans, Emery of Orange, and
Stiles of ST Johnsbury. The third
reading will come tomorrow. In the
House after long discussion the Dill
was made a special order for tomor-
row morning.
The cattle commission bill went 10
a third reading in the House by vote
of 1852 to 73. The discussion occupied
all the forenoon and part OF the AFTER
noon session The opposition to the
bill rested mainly in the fact that the
bill was thought to be incomplete.
McFeeters of Enosburg moved 10
amend by providing for a practical
farmer as secretary of the board. The
amendment was adopted. A second
amendment, proposed by Batteii OF
Middlebury, was adopted, requiring
that carcasses of slaughtered animals
be buried, the hides to belong 10 the
owners.
Mr.. Gale of Guilford wanted per
sonal and sectional feeling set ASIDE
and the question settled for the best
interests of the whole state. he
thought the bill very fatally defective
as it required no compulsory test ana
confers no special powers on the com
mission. He suggested several other
defects in the bill and opposed its pas
sage because it would wipe out a num-
Der of desirable and necessary lea'
lures in the present law.
The intention is to read the bill the
third time tomorrow, that is, In case
the legislature does not adjourn TOO
soon. II is generally expected by tne