Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-12-08
BILL. KILLED.

BILL. KILLED.
IF. 9lG-Relating 10 salary Of probate
:udrn of Manchester district. T'avora bly,
reported. with proposed amendment max
ing salary 500 instead If 500. which Wa
disagreed to, SG to Il. The third reading
was then refused. 81 TO -.
TIIIRD READING ORDERED
II. 4o2-ror tn. protection of horses
against the spread Of CHAMBERS; with
amendments.
H. 4N;-Providinc for index FOR births.
marriages ana deaths: amended to date
back to 1861
ELL KILLED
II. 4ll-Incroase of salary for prot alta
Judge ot Pennington district. Commit 20
prnposcd amendment making thc nSGre
500 instead Of $1,000, which was disagree
70 Mr. blanchard of Newport opposed
the bill, which although flvorahly r..
ported. was refused third reading
READ THIRD TIME. AND PASSED.
H. Calculating 10 the cutting % bushes
by the roadside.
H. 39i-Relatins to the record OF abate-
mcnts.
THE CAUCUS ELL.
s lG-Providng for the preparation and
use of a caucus check list, came IN on its
passage. Mr. pape of Barre city opposed
the bill because of its claboratcu"SS. lie
attacked the declaration feature as
against the personal liberty and rights
OF the freeman. IL didn't think We
needed any such mechanism and regarded
it as a slap in the face of every voter.
TIC would vote for III" last two sections
imposing a penalty for bribery, but would
never vote for such a bill as this, ana
hoped il would not pass.
Mr. Archibald of Manchester said that
the bill was intended to insure purity in
the caucus. He cited rrront caucus in
Rutland, where more republicans wcro
enrolled than there were voters of all
PARTIES combined. II is Ia remedy such
evils that this bill is presented. If a 20.
| ter hasn't convictions enough nm May -
say where he stands in politics he can hc
depended upon TO waver and probably
could be bought for 8.
Mr. Kicker of ST. JohnsburY described
conditions in his town and said it ap-
peared 10 him that such al law as this
would keep democrats out o! republicans
caucuses, and nc favored it,
Mr.. Lewis OF Troy told OF the tmc and
thought put into caucus reform in ro-
Spouse 10 public demand. IIc defended
this bill as providing only what IS rish,
and just.
Mr.. OSullivan Of s. Adams city said
| he had been one of the committee az
pointed To prepare caucus hill hut he
dis-lvowed responsibility for the main
feature. Of this bin. lie did not approve
| of the declaration and registration, but
believed in a simply ANA carefully pre- pared
check list system that Will stop caucus
packing and other dissraceful methods
lie thought a Simpler bill than this might
have been brought in lie saw no ncces-
sity for pledsing in advance.
Mr., Taft OF Waltham said he didn't
favor such caucus law as this.
Mr.. Shcr@in of Jamaica moved a pro-
posaI OF amendment eXcmpting towns Of
less than 500 population from the provis-
ions OF the bill
Mr.. Blanchard OF Newport didn't want
the bill amended. Try if two years and
change it then il it doesn't work well.
Mr.. Lewis said no town would have to
operate under this Law unless certain
per cent. of tho voters asked for II,
Mr.. Fits of Rrattlcboro explained how
this particular hill Was made mp and pre-
tho political element in this discussion BY
the House.
! \ great evil exists in the government
| of the caucus in this state. He ro-
viewed the question from n political
standpoint. saving that the Republican
party stood pledged to a caucus law
aud tho democrats would criticisc If II
was not done. Two years ago tho DEM
/ ocrats invaded the republican caucus at
| Brattlcbolo--cven democratic town
| committeeman from llinsdale, ~ H,
| got safely over the ctussfng and voted
The party caucus properly belongs TO
those who fairly and honestly affiliate
| with that party and are willing 10 go
on record thus. The objection to de-
| claring ones preference Is not fair
ouo---evcry voter does this when he
enters a caucus. llc should do so long
enough before the caucus Ia be remoN-
ed from the insidious influences sur
| rounding the caucus. This bin is not
/ so elaborate as has been described, but
i the easiest, simplest, cheapest and best
/ system proposed. lie defended in de-
tail the various PROVISIONS Of the act
and rcfuted the arguments against