Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-18
Legislature Also Killed $50 of the
Proposed Changes to Yer
mont Laws.
MUCH IMPORTANT WORK
Dropping Of Direct State Tax viii
Please Taxpayers-Corpor Tax
Bill Will Bring More Revenue
Court OF Claims Will save Much
Expensive Legislation.

Expensive Legislation.
Montpelier, Dec. 15.--The Legislature of
1902 will go Numbering" down into his
tory with "a record of having. considered
total of 1M measures of which only one
half became laws. There We're introduced
in the House 469 bills and in the Senate
235, and of this number 354 passed the
scrutiny Of both branches and received
the governors signature, while "a grand
total of $50 were either killed or died
peacefully in the committees. OF the ;,54
new laws the House Is entitled to the
credit OF 23j and the Senate 1l9, which av-
erages very nearly the same in both
branches. The General Assembly of 1900
passed 81 measures, 1895 regular session
o5S, and 1896 a total of 333.
| Never have the eyes of the whole State
been on the law making body Of Vermont
as thus year. Every move made by the
Legislature has been followed with the
closest of attention in all sections, while
on the other hand, the members of the
| General Assembly have not been unmind-
/ full of the close scrutiny placed on their
actions. and 1t was not an uncommon thing
/ to hear n member give answer that he was
waiting to hear from home. In many in
stances members with pronounced views
]
have put aside their personal persuaslons
/ to answer the demands made on them by
their constitutions. Probably no Legislature
| for years has been as sensitive to the criti-
Cisms of the press, and it may he truth
fully be said that the press of Vermont
has shaped tho policy of the Legislature
on the important measures.
1t is only natural to suppose the license
local option law the most important bit
of legislation enacted during tho session
1t Wis certainly the apple of contention
! The appearance of the Battcll dspensary
bin almost upset certain well regulated
plans. and the papers again showed their
influence by insisting that this latter meas.
ure did not hl the bill
| Probably a section of the act that has
escaped attention is that the check lists
for Voting shall be prepared as for free
mans meetings, and that the voting itself
shall be conducted in accordance with the
laws governing such meetings. This will
mean that the county clerks shall furnish
tho ballots.
| Already the prohibition cohorts are lin
ing up to fight the bill. Senator Emery OF
Chelsea will probably he chairman of The
committee Of fifteen which is opposing tn,
law.
senator Emery il authority for tn,
statement that Joseph Battel of Middle
bury VIII contribute 900 to the func
raised TO help the work of agltatng tn,
question.
The farmers Of tho Legislature have no
hcCn as interested in temperance subject:
as they have in the question of tubercu
losiS and the new cattle commission bill
while not suiting everyone, is considered
n happy medium. The subject of boVin'
Tuberculosis WAS under discussion fo
weeks and weeks by the farmers, who il
the end formed a permanent organization
which they made sclf-perpetuating $,
,I,.
turc can take up matters where preceding
sessions left off. The bill WAS known al
the Russell cattle commission bill intro
duCed by Senator Russell of Chttendci
county and amended by the committee
The law calls for three commissioner
appointed by the governor, the abolish
mcnt of the compulsory test, stringen
rules for the control of the foot and moutl
disease and the shipment of cattle into tn
State. In another bill shippers are pro
tected.
Possibly before all other interests, tn
fact that the session of 1902 did not lev.
a State tax is of more consequence from
financial standpoint to the towns that nj
most any other piece of legislation. Thi
is the first time for years that the direc
tax has been dropped and the importanc
can he readily understood when 1t is real
lied that the Is cent tax assessed durin
the past biennial period aggregated SOS,
Il cents.
The committee on WAYS and mean,
went into the subject carefully with thu
auditor and treasurer and became ron
WINGED that the State could get along 70
two Years without the direct tax IN,
committees was of the o,vnton there mich
ho q doGcionCv ~ $40 90 hut had eren
homes mar rho new corporation tav hi
would sion into tha breach and mai,
GOOD vow NEARLY ali
Tha cornorotion tox hiu is or., of III,
most imnnrtant measures naesed Anon,
cher thiros II ,ro,idoe +bot al, oor,,rn
tions 90 n,bar Ctotae do,,c h',str''ts T. I,
Varroon, met roais,or w.. b.s e.
~ Iar,, rna,,,iri,,c, ranist ratto,, ,a o.,
nto,,, n,r,or,,;rne oo,,,d 1900 =, na a
800 ~ ',,l ~ H. .i. . - a.'r
l..1isst '''s.' 80. ,r'.aa ~ -.
,om' 49,. onn,oro,;ors Az nJ'
~ W &C. - W. - - ~. - 80
49, is1n.a - ~
.', .i"S.o oil. NJ ~ , w tn.ous' Nv
81, S, .h Nv io,is,t ~, POI a.'o'n ~
on my uaS VI icsiest a''o.' VIC sfch.ci w
ices they pay: ohocl 'ho past arrange
lle't ou' Oh olate cpllo'etlo.is uesifin'
10 40 business mere nave "rltten 10 IN
state commissioner ior information u
regard registration wen ihloriiieu 'her
was no Ia" RECURRING rtsIstIa.ior ina
was the last tne corliiisS'oher ihEariapi.
hearo from them untl ne stuniplco OF
tner place OF business wltnlh ,ne state
Ihen ne PROCEEDED 10 correct the cor
poration tax. the efiicient WORK or thi
department ~ aduihB 10 TIE income
the state every gay
The vote OF the SINAI towns showe
la tVNlt fla.ak I1n