Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-11-18
THE LEGISLATURE
CONTINUED from 1st page)

property DelOnElIB 10 NluONS VI ullllltI-
ried women.
Making the town highway tax % cents
instead of 20.
Relating to disputes over money paid
out by road commissioners; and to i'm
prove public roads and locate the state
highway commissioner permanently ut
Montpelier.
Providing a general charter for cities
Fifty dollars penalty for Sunday hunt
ing.
TO reorganize the auditors office.
Relative to taking of water for public
uses.
The house wasn't in favor of making
the grower and seller of evergreen trees
take out fifty dollar license, so it killed
the bill on that subject, and the Christ
mas tree man from the city can continue
to get in his work The idea of licensing
nonresident diggers of ginseng was not
popular either.
The municipality of Hardwick is saved
from threatened competition i'm the cleo
trio light and power business by an un-
favorable report on the bill to incorporate
a private concern and let it into that viii
lage. a stout fight for this incorporation
was made before the committee, but no
effort in behalf of the bill was made on
the floor of the house
The effort to have the six-inch trout
law repealed has failed once more: and
the house refused third reading to che
bill allowing cities and towns to unite
for permanent highway improvement.
The senate rejected the bill allowing
savings banks to invest in Texas and Ten
nessee bonds; and the house killed off n
new rule for measuring saw logs and
sound timber.
The house refused to make a close sea-
son for deer for three years to come. by
a vote of 1875 to 60.
The senate has killed the bill passed by
the house charging the powers of mar
ried women as to becoming surety
The attempts to equalze taxation by
exempting money loaned on mortgage at
four per cent or less, to fix the time when
road commissioners shall make their re-
port to the state highway commissioner,
to change the boundary line between Ira
and Poultnay, and to put the repairing of
bridges into the hands of road commits
sioners, have also been defeated
The house killed the bill providing for
the distribution of the orleans county
grammar school fund between Derby and
Craftsbury academies after a warm dis
cussion carried on by Orleans county
members. 1t also killed bill laying
tax on that county for the purpose of
paying Indebtedness and refused to let
Caledonia county tax itself for a new Jail
1t does not favor a 60-hour week for
employees of state institutions. or protec-
tions of fish in ponds in Granville and
Braintree. 1t has rejected the bill taxing
personal estate and debts owing where To-
Gated.
The senate has killed the bill relative
to embalming, and has also embalmed
the measure prohibiting newspaper pub
fishers from collecting for papers sent af-
ter subscription has expired.
The second attempt to make all tele-
phone companies connect was defeated in
the senate,
Passed over His Veto.
Both senate and house took issue with
the governor yesterday the bill pro-
viding for a doubling of witness fees
giving witnesses in county court 50 a day
and in justice court 81 a day. The gov
ernor gave as a reason for his veto OF
the measure that it would bring about
army of professional witnesses, in
crease litigation and make witnessing
profitable. The bill had passed botf
houses without material opposition, anC
the senate, in which the measure orig
mated answered the governors objections
to it by passing over his veto by vot
of "a to 6, without debate.
Collateral Inheritances.
Chairman Proctor. for the committee OF
ways and means, introduced a bill yes
terday for the taxation of collateral in
heritances. Its purpose is to smooth on
certain rough places discovered by tn
state commissioner of taxes. 1t lays
tax of per cent. on inheritances and o.
transfers of stocks or bonds maxim
proper deduction on account of foreig
taxes. 1t Is the opinion of the tax com
missioner that this bill, If enacted int
law, will bring about an increase of som
40 or so per cent in the revenue from thi
particular source.
Plain Talk from a Committee.
The committee on claims, which ha
been examining the vouchers in the al
ditor's office, made a report yesterda
and used some plain English in speakin
lnnGa hlSinaGG a "a
institutions. 1t takes state officers
task for neglect to furnish vouchers fl
all personal expenses, aside from fare
and some minor items; criticises con
missioners and state boards for eXcessiN
expenditures and neglect of proper ecor
omy; expresses the conviction that dire
tors and trustees of state institutions
not give attention enough thereto, ar
finds poor business management
the paying of retail rather than wholesa
prices for supplies. The committee re-
ommends that when the auditor thinl
excessive prices are being paid that
call the governors attention to the ma
ter, with a view to an investigation. TT
committee recommends a reorganiZati tic
of the auditors office. with more cleric
force and proof vault; and that Il
auditor be relieved from much dets
so that he can frequently visit the sta
institutions
Pick-U Ups.
Representative Fits occupied the cha
a part of the time Friday and turn
off business like an experienced hand.
A pleasant little episode on Monday a
ternoon, just prior to the opening of 4
session, was a wedding reception" Civ
Mr.. Durick of Castleton who was ma
ried last week and appeared at the ca
ital with his bride on Monday. His seat
the house profusely decorated al
when he entered the hall his fellow mer
bers welcomed him with prolonged hal
clapping. Gov. Bell and several of I
senators also participated in this lit
departure from routine business.
Notwithstanding the defeat of the hou
bill to give municipal suffrage to WON
measure of the same kind has been |
troduced in the senate, backed up by n
merous petitions asking for that privile
Westminster and Wilmington bel
among the towns from which pettio
come.
There have been several spirited hea
ings over Mr.. Fitts's bill to amend I
charter of the Connecticut River Pow
company, and ut the present time
matter is still with the corporations COZ
mittee. 1t is possible, however, that t
measure will be reported faVorably.
The peddlers' license bill introduced
Mr.. Fits, and the bill to incorporate I
Lucy RuggleS teachers home and aDDr