St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-11-05
OUR MONTPELIER LETTER.

| Stent TO occupy him Iol an nun VI
two. When he returned and found the
lob unaccomplished he naturally asked
the Young man what he bad been dong
Catching rats" was the ans Htr. How
many have you caught "WeIl, when
get the one am waiJng 'or and two
more l will have three During the past
week the legislature has accomplished
more than that in quantity, at Last,
but as to the quality that rem Tins for
the verde. OF history.
The house adjouruel rom Saturday
noon until Monday afternoon, but the
Adjournment might as well have been
from Friday. AS usual large numbers
OF the members of each house went home
Friday night, and although some bust
ness was transacted Saturday it was
pract calIy a dead day except for what
little work the committees did. The
weather continues the yiest possible,
wet, dlizzly, NASTY, dreary and depress-
ing atmospheric pail hangs continually
over this micro batic chasn in the hills.
lust the weather, location and atmos-
phtre to devote ones entire time to rum
and tuberculosis, and these two subjects
OF primary Importance continue to receive
the attention to which they are entitled.
Firstly, as to the regulation of spiritus
termenti. The press representatives are
given to understand, on the best OF
authority, that very consi lerab'e prog
ress has been made in the direction of
preparing a liquor bill for submission,
and that the work is largely completed.
In fact, it would not be surprising if the
bill was reported any time now. The
committee properly eXpecs that it will
be exhaustiv,ly discussed by each house,
and very likely amended in some respects,
but the bill will repr, sent the most care
full ard conscientious work Of the ablest
men of all shades of opinion and it is
doubtful il it can be much improved by
the committee Of the whole. 1t is under
stool that the bill introduced by Mr.
Russell of Chittenden, the first one intro
duced in either house, is used as basis
and framework, with additions from the
desirable and practical of the others.
The opinion Of Hon John Young of
Newport, contained in an able paper read
before the annual meeting of the bar asso-
citation, created a considerable hutter
last week, that able jurist expressing the
belief that a referendum allowing the
people to adopt or reject a proposed law
would be unconstitutional At first
thought this was assumed to knock the
bottom out Of the proposed liquor bill
with so.called referendum attachment,
but a little consideration will assure
one to the contrary. The license refer
endum bill is in fact not referendum at
all. The people have no power whatever
to kill or place in force the bill. The
only proposition to be submitted to
them is whether the law shall 60 into
effect the first of March next or Deem
Der 1, 1904. If they vote yes" the bill
will take the place of all liquor laws
now on the books next spring. If they
vote mo- the matter will be postponed
until another legislature has an oppor
tunity to alter, amend or repeal it and
meanwhile the present law will remain
in force. The distinction is plain enough
isn't it?
1t now locks as if the legislative hydro
phoba on the subject of bovine tubercu
losis might be eradicated by the bill IN
PRODUCED Friday, ostensibly from th'
committee but really from the pr SEN
cattle commission. In it considerable
concessions are made to owners of dis
eased cattle in the matter of killing anC
the price per animal to be paid and tn,
intention is to conciliate the insurgents
and harmonic all opposing elements
The bill appears to be fair and moder
ate one, and with some further amend
ments Of an immateiial character tt
catch the extremists will very likely be
come law. Generally speaking, the re
suit of the hearings has been to uphold
and endorce + he utork nj he cc m n, sc in n
and the overwhelming present sentimen
is in favor of its continuance along tn
same line. lis arbitrary powers ma,
properly be curtailed ia some instance
without destroying its seulness, ant
such a revision is contemplated by til
new bill In fact, the concessi IN mad
in the bill practically by the commission
: ers thems elves, ADM that. The final out
come, therefore, may be forecast alonl
these lines.
The usual desultory and talf-heartet
attempt to accomplish female suffrage t.
greater or less exteut is-or has been
. III N'iN>nN'' Jul allouu'' " iolulnS
, The fact is apparent at til s session as i
has been through all the legislatures O
the past, that no considerable body o
the women of Vermont want TO vote O
are at all interested in the matter. The,
utter y refuse to tie drawn into the dis
. cussion or to interest them: elves in III
I subject. The writer is in accord wit