Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-11-17

enort TO retain hanging would have Great
ed strong impression. This slip was
taken advantage OF by Hilliard OF Cabot, a
minister, who asserted that the aim of the
clergy was simply to insure the sanctity of
human life and not from bloodthirstiness.
This brought up Mr.. Darling OF Chelsea,
who, in a two minute speech, fervidly OPP
posed capital punishment on the moral
ground that the state has no right to slay
citizen, and that it cannot be expected
that the citizen will have more regard for
human life than the state has. He held
that the period and the chance to repent
should not be cut off by law.
f Mr.. OSullivan OF st. Albans city resent
ed the reproach cast upon the clergy, but
spoke for abolition.
Grout of Derby spoke for capital pun
i ishment The murderer has forfeited his
+ right to live by taking the life Of another.
/ We have as much right to take his life as
/ his liberty. The murdered one and his
/ family should not be forgotten.
Mr.. Fits of Brattleboro, a minority
member of the judiciary committee, made
the strongest argument for retention Of
capital punishment. He said il was not a
/ question OF pity-we all feel that inn
+ pulse-but of duty to the state The pun
/ ishment should be adequate to the crime.
/ Our statute now provides life imprison-
ment for several offences, but all OF them
/ far less helnOus than cold blooded muir
/ der He cited cases where murdereIs have
/ lured their victims into Maine so as to be
subject to life Imprisonment as a lesser
penalty than the hanging prescribed by
neighboring states. A convicted murder
er in Rhode Island has already killed two
keepers in the effort to escape. In YER
mont Carr, who killed a man and served a
I term for manslaughter, later committed
murder and was hanged for it.
/ Archibald OF Manchester, who is Mrs.
Rogers attorney, pleaded for abolition.
l lie dwalt on the enormity of hanging and
quoted Scripture freely to show that the
Mosaic law had given way to a milder
gospel. He argued from figures that in
Maine, where the penalty is life imprison-
ment, murders were less numerous than in
New York with its electrocution. He
asked for a trial OF the life penalty. Kill
ing the murderer does not help the muir
dered one or his family. II is more like
revenge.
Mr.. Proctor OF Proctor defended capital
punishment as the best deterrent to the
commission of murder. That 1t is more
dreaded than life Imprisonment appears
from the invariable application for COM
mutation. Swift and certain death to the
murderer avoids the chance OF i'll ll-adyised
pardons by tender hearted governors.
Mr.. Miles OF Barton made a calm and
iorceful argument for retention. He took
up the points already advanced on the
other side and answered each effectively.
We should not be controlled by our
emotions, but by our reason.
Mr. Blanchard Of Newport considered
that members here were responsible, as
the supreme power OF the state, for taking
human life and that il was time for Ver-
mont TO abandon IL.
Mr.. O'Brien OF south Burlington said
that six western states that had tried life
imprisonment had gone back to the death
penalty.
Newton OF Reading spoke for abolition,
iwelling on the risk that always exists OF
putting to death innocent men.
There was q roll call on the question Of
third reading which resulted adversely,
1853 10 50. Most OF the members from this
section voted with the minority, among
them Morse Of Randolph, Davis Of Bethel,
Galusha OF Royalton, Darling of Chelsea,
Hutchinson Of Braintree, Miller OF Barn
ard, Chedel OF Stock bridge, Downer OF
sharon, Daley OF Hartford, Tilden OF Rox-
bury and Comstock OF West Fairlee, while
among those voting no were Greeley of
Rochester, Jones of Hancock, Crane OF
Brook Geld, Webb OF Granville, Granger OF
Williamstown, Hanson Of Tunbridge, |
Kendall OF Straford, Ackerman OF Ver-
shire and Sherburne of Pomfret.
This ends the capital punishment BUSH 1
ness, as there is no bill before the Senate.
There Is no chance OF Communication for
Mrs. Rogers-in fact, her case has tended
to check the sentiment in favor OF abol- 4
ishing the death penalty, the feeling being 4
that she should hang for her dastardly 4
crime and that the change should not be
made to suit her.
The House got into the talking mood \
and followed with red hot debate on the .
Lowell Albany town line bill, finally re-
versing its action Of Friday and killing IL, 4
i46 to s.. The argument that prevailed 4
was that il would be disastrous prece-
dent to put ont an unwilling town plot /
OF barren land that another town wanted .
to get rid OF.
The new rule for measuring saw logs .
came in for discussion and was kicked out,
after passing third reading.
Unexpectedly, the Senate bin creating .
the office OF attorney general was killed, 4
50 to 90, without debate, after a favorable .
committee report.
The proposition TO raise the state high .
way tax 10 eight cents was knocked out .
by the efforts Of Pape, Bullard, Kicker .
aud others who showed how it would rob .
the large places for the benefit OF the .
small, back towns. The lstters repre- .
sentstives did not make an aggressive .
light, and some Of them even spoke 4
against the bill a. unjust.
The House passed bill giving authority 1
20 issue teachers certificates 10 Instructors I
in special branches.
Two Of senator Fish's bills got through T.
the House. one requiring testing OF
scholars, eyesight and hearing, and the
other giving state board Of health su- .
thority to condemn unsanitary school .
buildings. The former had a close call,
Il to67. They now go 10 the governor.
BY new House bill. the state is asked /
TO appropriate $4,000 for a isnitors house .
and repairs TO the Bennington battle mon
ument, providing s1750 is subscribed for F.
the same purpose.
The House killed a House bill fixing 4
town highway tax at DC, one making
selectmen referees in case OF dispute As TO .
money paid out by road commissioner, /
one requiring towns to raise . tax for .
permanent highway work, one providing .
8 general charter for Vermont cities.
The House gave Miss Kimball a nice .
little ad. for her book, vermont for 4
Young Nermouters, joint resolution
passing that win look real well on the .
book s title page.
Among House bills passed by the House
was one Incorporating Lake Morey Iele-
phone and Telegraph Co.
The senate Tuesday forenoon did moth i
ing, but its members fitted over to the .