Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-10-31
THE LEGISLATURE.
A Week of Work and Attention
to Business.
The Number Of Bills Many Less Than
UsuaI-The Windham County Re-
count-The dwelling Of Admiral
CIark's Portrait
Montpelier, Tuesday, Oct. q

Clark's Portrait.
Montpelier, Tuesday, Oct. 2S.
The Windham county senatorial
tangle is rapidly nearing a solution
and it is probable that the contest
started by G. H. Davenport for the
seat of Senator Spencer of Whining
ton will be dropped. The votes of
the town of Brattleboro have been
closely canvassed by the Senate cleo
tions committee through their clerks,
H. c. Shurtlef7 of Montpelier and E.
]. Waterman of Brattleboro, and the
result of their investigation does not
show material difference in the re-
suit as announced after the election.
Brattleboro's vote, in the recount,
gives possibly 28 more votes to Mr..
Davenport than were credited to him
at first The difference lies mainly
in ballots which are more or less de-
fective and over which there is still
considerable discussion. At the most
the clerks found only 28 votes to be
accredited to the contestant, and that
number may be lessened when the
Senate elections committee, composed
of Senators Downer, Sutton and Sib-
| ley, acts upon the work of its clerks.
1t is understood that Mr.. Davenport
| is willing to abide by the result of the
count of Brattleboro's vote, and if no
material discrepancy is shown will re-
| linquish the contest. Senator Spen-
GERS majority in the county, based
on the corrected returns from New
| fame, was 321 votes. 1t is manifest,
| therefore, that if Brattleboro, the
largest town of the county, gives him
| NfO n
recount in the other contested towns
| could not break down Senator Spen-
GERS majority. The latter is perfectly
willing, and, in fact, anxious to have
the matter looked into thoroughly But
| ii is likely that further contest will be
| dropped.
The legislative session is now just
half over and the volume of business,
as measured by the number of bills in
| troduced, is small as compared with
that of two years ago. Up to today
| only about one-quarter of the usual
number of bills of a session have been
| introduced This shortage is main
ly due to the absence of the custom
airy grist of bills legalizing the grand
| lists. In the actual work of legisla-
ton good progress has been made.
On convening yesterday for the
| fifth week of the session nearly all
the members were in their seats pre-
pared for a week OF work The in
teresting features of yesterdays ses-
sions were the killing of the defective
ballot bill in the House and the legal
| interest bill in the Senate. Consid-
cradle argument was started in both
houses on these bills. The defec-
tive ballot bill was that introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. Spencer. 1t pro-
vided that a ballot defective in one
| particular should be thrown out al
| together. On the question of pas
sage Mr.. Porter of Wilmington moved
| to strike out the exception in regard
to ballots for representatives and JUS
| tices. The motion was lost. Mr.
Perrin of Berlin and Mr.. Pinney of
Bridgewater opposed the bill on ac-
count of its unfairness to the obtuse
voter. Mr.. Pape of Barre city, Mr.
| Smith of Northfield, Mr.. Bundy of St.
/ Johnsbury and Mr.. Porter of Whining
ton, all Democrats, opposed the bill.
The bill was killed.
The Senate bill which brought out a
discussion was on the changing of
the legal rate of interest to per
cent. The bill was reported adverse
| ly by the committee and it was finally
killed.
Other important legislation yester-
day was on the Senate bill to protect
milk dealers and to make a deficiency
appropriation Of $175,000 to pay the
expenses of the assembly and other
demands against the state. Both
bills passed the Senate and were
brought to the House today. The de-
ficiency appropriation bill was rush.
ed through the House Immediately. it's
third reading being dispensed with.
The House bill, Mr.. Gales, relat-
ing to the preservation of the survey
| or-generars papers, was passed by the
Senate in concurrence, while the
Windham county court house repairs
bill was laid on the table at the re-
| quest of Mr.. Gale of Guilford who tel
egraphed that some changes were de-
sired.
Senator Phelps of Washington
county introduced a bill that is of in
terest to the larger towns of the state,
its main purpose being to bring the
expense of the laying out of new roads
or streets partially on land owners
who are specially benefited thereby.
The work of the legislature last
| week, on frludy, not covered Dy Inc
Phoenix, consisted of a new weekly
payment bill introduced in the House
by Mr.. Lawrence of Rutland in place
of the bill which he withdrew a short
time before, and a humane society
bill presented by Mr.. O'Sullivan of st.
Adams. giving corporate humane So
cieties the right to prosecute. The
House passed the bill penalizing the
presiding officers at freemen's meet
ings if votes are counted before
o'clock, and the one abolishing the Of
flee of judge advocate general.
In the Senate Friday there was only
short session in the morning. A
bill allowing women to hold the Office
of town treasurer was introduced by
Senator Annis of Orleans county and
one by Senator Russell, providing that
physicians shall report to state board
of health all cases of tuberculosis, and
for tuberculosis commission of five
members to be appointed by the Gov
ernor.
The business of today's session has
been of small importance. In the
House, on motion of Mr.. Bundy of st
Johnsbury, the vote of yesterday pass
ing Mr. Conland's bill to pay Henry ID