St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-11-26
OUR MONTPELIER LETTER.
A Resume of Legislative TransactiOns
During the Past Week.


sent to the capital for the express pur.
pose of enacting a license local option
law - that is, a law including several
grades OF straight" licenses to selleither
indiscrminatey or restricttdIy - have
had their way, seconded by the demo
cratic members with one exception (Mr
Gallagher OF Crattsburyt, and the most
significant legislative contest that the
state has seen for many a year closed
about ten O'Clock Friday night with the
passage, by the house, of the composite
liquor bill, made up of parts of the three
or four license measures introduced DUR
ing the first half OF the session.
1t was warm fight, with two DAYS
debate, and many of the speeches on
both sides Wtre impassiored Efforts. The
arguments cen'tred mainly around two
things-the deslrability OF keeping the
party PLEDGE and the comparative
values, from constitutional and popular
points of view, of the respective r, feren-
dums. The minority made a pluckv
stand and will carry into the open field
where the next battle is to be fought
some strong weapons of warfare. The
majority asserted that, after the episode
of June 10 last, the party faith would be
violated by the passage of any other
sort of bill; the minority were as loyal to
the republican party as their opponents,
but held that the Battell bill, with its
state store feature, its elimina ion of the
element of private gain, and it's possible
licenses for hotel keepers and druggis S,
as fully met the demand of that famous
platform plank as did the other measure.
The majority insisted that the 1eferen
dunn attached to their bill was constitu-
tiona|, W bile the other was not; the mi
nority held their rlte endum to be the
only one which gave the people a straight
opportunity to accept or reject the law,
and that the majority referendum was
purely on the heads | win, tails YOU
lose, basis.
The minority pleaded earnestly that
the open saloon should not be thus let
loose upon the state; the majority ex-
planned that no town was to be COM
Yelled to have the open saloon, and seve.
raj of the most ardent advocates of the
license bill emphaticaly stated-mirablle |
dictu that the people in their towns
did not want the open saloon.
The democratic member from St. AL |
bans-"ho, by the way, made perhaps
the most telling speech on the license side
OF the question-pictured pitable con-
dltion OF things undtr the prohibtorv
law, and appealed for a change to the |
system. He confessed that he
was not sure it would bring better re.
suits, but wanted the experiment made. |
He remarked, incidentally, that the ma
Jorty referendum was no referendum at
all, and the democrats were willing to !
vote for it. Excellent speeches were also
made for the license bill by Mr.. Fletcher
OF Cavendlsh, Dir. Conland of Brattle.
boro and Others. Mr.. Bailey of New
bury was a candid and careful leader of
the minority, and Mr.. Dixon of Hard !
wick, Mr. Ddrtt OF Springfield, Mr.. Bat |
tell OF Mlddltbury and Others made
strong defense of the principles of the
Batt,ll bill. The house was packed dur.
ing the debate, and the interest was in
tense from start to finish. 1t was a
relief to all concerned WHEN about four
O'Clock Friday afternoon, Mr.. Peek Of
Brandon, though himself loaded tor a
81 eech, waived his chance and moved the
close OF debate.
The first vote taken was on the substi
tuition OF the Battel bill for the maiori,v
Till, this amendment being proposed by
the minority. 1t was lost by yea and
nay vote of 146 to 81, the Caledonia
county members putting themselves on
record as follows:
Yeas-Messts, Batten OF Staunard
Clement OF DanviIe, Gillian of Ryepate
Hoffman OF Whetlock, Kinersonot Peach
am. Meacham of Barnet, PIlsburv O
Sutton, Russell OF Kirby, Simpson of
Shtttleld, harrington of Walden. Dixon nj
Hardwi,k. Nals-Messrs. Bundy OF St
Iohnsbury, Burts Of Newark, Davis ot
Burke, Graves of Waterford. Mr. Bailey
OF Groton and Mr.. Hubbard of Lyndon
were absent.
The text move OF the minority was to
amend the majority bill by substituting
the referendum OF the BatteIl bill for that
attached to the other. And here was
noted the effect OF the debate on the 1eter-
endum feature, for this amendment was
lost by margin of only 26-proving
concluslvely that the defeat OF the major
ity referendum was prevented only bv
the votes OF the democratic contingent
VINO, while not as party in favor OF the
referendum principle per Sc, turned in
with the republicans who wante1 fine
Incense bill Just as it stood, referendum
and all. The Caledonia county members
voted thus on the referendum feature;
Yeas MtSSrS Rattan, ot S4a,.,-1