St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-11-12
OUR MONTPELIER LETTER.
DEAR CHILDREN:

| DEAR CHILDREN:
When horse attached to a carriage
runs away he usually makes good pro
| gress, but he doesn't accomplish much ir
the way Of beneficial results. Last week
both houses worked steadily, and their
| path is streWn with the ruins and relics
OF mlsht legislation knocked in the head.
So the legislature made good progress
and also accomplished something by
preventing good many things being
done. As a rule, only about one bill in
. is tit to live, and that only after it has
been trimmed and dressed up and put in
proper shape. Sometimes the good
might accidentally suffer with the bad in
saving only every fifteenth bill, but the
coed accomplished by the slaughter
would more than counterbalance any
possible injustice. In Vermont legisla-
ton, it is better that hall dozen posi-
bly, innocent bills should suffer rather
than that one thoroughly bad one should
creep through.
Up to Saturday night 4O6 bills had
been introduced in the house and not far
from 10 in the senate. Including the
private bills to which there is no obec-
ton, the legalzation of grand lists and
all that, possibly one in eight or ten will
get through finally. And regardless of
the actual intrinsic merits OF the case the
tate of bill is very largely matter of
chance, Scarcely bill ever passes but
could have been over helminglv killed
by few well-chosen words at the right
time and in the right place, and vice
versa. 1t all depends on a momentarv
impression, straw, prejudice or favor
itelsm, or a thousand and one other
things of a moment. 1t is one of the
little wheels within the great life wheel
of chance.
The new license bill will very probably
be in print in these columns by the time
this is, so it is in your hands. A sena-
torial member of the committee saws that
the bill as reported is the strongest and
most vital prohibtory measure ever sub
mitted by a legislative committee. But
as to that you will have an opportunity
to form an opinion and must do so. The
committee has done its duty, and, be-
lleve, done it thoroughly, conscientousv
and well. | told you so. The bill is out
In the open, now, and after it has been
properly discussed it viii be enacted in
about the same form in which it came
from the committee. Wait and see.
The bovine tuberculosis crater is still
heavlng and at frequent intervals emit.
ting clouds of steam and smoke, but the
situation is practically unchanged from
last week. Sometimes little fire and
mud escapes from the assures, and no.
body can decide whether it is going to
subsde or devastate all the surrounding
country. The chances are that a com
promise bill will finally be adopted which
continues the present system, but wbi III
will most Likely curtail the powers of the
commission in ordering the killing of
stock right and LETT
For several weeks past a bill has been
incubatlns for the removal OF the capitol
building from Montpelier to Burlington,
and 1t came in the other day via Mr..
Warner OF N,rgennes. The bill requires
Burlington to furnish a site and deposit
$3.50 600 in bonds in the state TREASURY
as an evidence of good faith, before any
thing can be done in the matter. The
bill is IN no sense a joke, and has a ire
mendous force behind tirom all the west
side in general as well as Burlington in
| particular. Just the same, there are so
many cond lions and the proposition is
sueh an important one that nothing can
be done hastily or is likely to be for n
long time to come. The capitol may not
always remain at Montpelier, hut its
removal will be the work of years at
least. The west side will not be unani
nous for Burlington as a site, either
On the contrary, quite the opposite
Rutland opposes the scheme already
Ga the whole, Montpelier may rest easy
for ew years longer.
The agonizirg idea of Mr.. Bundy Of st