Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-11-27
ADJOURNED OVER.
Legislature Passed License and Tu-
bercuIosis Bills and Took a Recess.
MONTpFIIFR. Fridal

The sgony-the real, narrowing. heart.
rending agony-is over.
The Vermont legislature has passed 4
high license-loeal option act, to be sub
mitted to the people; has practically
passed the Russell tuberculosis bill; and
falling to complete its work, has taken a
recess until after Thanksgiving, to wit
Tuesday, Dec. I'd.
That's the brief tale Of the real business
end Of this history making session. But
how tame the telling, compared with the
/ doing Grandfathers will tell the story
Of this week to little ones at their knees
in years to come. As the elimination of
the long campaign that has been waged
since last spring, and internationally for
years, its interest and importance dwarfed
every and all like legislative periods within
a generation.
The House for "eurtain raiser,D took
up the Russell bill Wednesday morning,
and, after debating it an hour or more, put
it aside until Thursday, when final action
was taken. There was very strong oppo-
sition in the House to this bill, which
completely changes the policy of the state
in handling this problem, leaving the test
optional with the farmer, giving him 500
OF the appraised value, with limit of $50
on the appraisal, and constituting a new
board of commissioners to administer the
law. Several long and able speeches were
made on both sides, the leaders being
Abbey of Essex for, and Drs. Fish and
Peck against. The whole subject was
threshed over. The bill was finally order
ed to third reading (Which means passage)
by an Unexpectedly large majority, 1872 to
70. 1t was amended in two particulars
while in the House; so that one member
OF the board will be a practical farmer and
the owners OF condemned animals are re-
quired to bury the carcasses. The Senate
will undoubtedly concur in these changes.
On Thursday the Senate took up the Ii
cense bill and devoted the whole afternoon
to debate on il. Nearly every senator took
part in the discussion. The first move
was an effort to substitute the Battell
or minority bill for the majority license
bill. Emery led the Battell forces, while
Russell captained the opposition. The
leading questions were, which bill repre-
sents the demand of the Republican state
platform and which referendum propos-
ed is the constitutional and proper one
A vote was reached late in the afternoon,
20 for the majority referendum and 10 for
the Battell referendum. The difference
between these is this The majority bill /
provides for vote the first Tuesday in |
January on the question Of whether the /
act shall go into effect the first of next /
March or not until Dec. /, 1901. "No" |
vote puts it of until 1904, before which i
time another legislature meets and can re- 4
peal the law. The Battell referendum /
proposed vote at March meeting on the |
straight question Of acceptance or rejec-
ton. A "Non vote would continue pro-
The argument for the majority referen-
dunn was that it was unquestionably con-
having been the kind OF a
that brought in prohibition 80
years ago. The Battell referendum was
advocated on the ground that present
opinion favors its constitutionality; that
/ is square test; and that the vote settles
he whole question, without the POSSIBLE
ty that the next legislature might fail TO
ollow the decision, should it be adverse,
ind might fail to repeal the act.
Other amendments proposed were de-
eated, and the bill finally was ordered to
bird reading in the Senate, 20 to 4, the
our being Senators Emery, Stiles, Annis
md Jackson OF Orleans. On Friday the
senate passed the bill, "a to 1, the lone
opponent being Senator Emery, who went
Town with his colors nailed to the mast.
The license bills were taken up in the
House Thursday afternoon, the tactics OF
he Battell side being the same as in the
senate, to substitute first the Battell
minority bill and, failing in that, to sub
titute the Battell referendum. Another
orange county man, Bailey of Newbury,
ed the opponents Of the majority COM
nittee bill, while Fletcher of Cavendish,
republican, O'Sullivan of st. Albans, Dem
crat, and Ellis of Fair Haven, Clement
republican, led the other forces. The de-
ate continued all day Friday. The House
'as crowded with spectators and the keen |
st interest was manifested. Each side
'as well represented on the floor. Dixon
I Hardwick, Goodhue of Westminster,
.bbey of Essex, Fish of Royalton, Dartt of /.
Dunklee of Vernon and others
ought the majority bill, while Conland of
irattleboro, Stafford of Morristown and
theirs aided the speakers for it. Dixon !
nd Dartt made the strongest speeches for
heir side, while O'Sullivan's eloquent and
ersuasive argument for local option was
lsily the star effort on that side,as it was,
ldeed, of the day, being one of the most
fective pleas ever heard in the House.
The line OF argument was the same as in
ne Senate, though more attention was
aid to the inherent merits of the respec-
We bills. The open saloon came in for
,rcible denunciation at the hands OF the
lttell men, who were mostly prohibition
It's at heart. The talk was often sharp
times personal. The members of the
mp erance committee who disagreed in
ieir findings got in hard drives at each
Their.
The first vote resulted lac for the major
v bill to 81 for the minority bill. The at
'mpt to substitute the Battell referendum
Tiled, 1877 to 10l.
The House came back i'm the evening and
umerous attempts were made to amend
he bill. One motion was To allow the
omen to vote on the referendum; another
postpone the acts going into effect un-
| 1910, etc. All of these failed. Some
nendments offered by the license men
ere adopted, correcting errors in con-
ruction. Finally, the bill was ordered
third reading and, under suspension OF
lies, passed by viva voce vote. The bill
il passed the House is the same as the
ne that passed the Senate except as TO the
vision OF license fees and fines. The Sem
e had II a half-snd- half division be-
yeen towns that granted license, but the
lie small towns succeeded in the House in
-oyiding that three-quarters shall go to
lie state. The Senate will probably yield
lis point.
Final action on the bill came about by
ason of the desire of the House to finish
D the matter before taking the recess n
hich, il had been decided, would be
as the work of the session could
Of be properly finished before Thanks
wing Having done this, both houses
iiourned until Tuesday morning, Dec. I'd.
ms faara kla vrark faf irnngrtanro remains