St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-11-23
MONTPELIER GOSSIP.

giving fSCSSS, uufluS WHICH SIOIm VIII
dows can be put on, coal bins looked
after. and other seasonable festivities
can be INDUCED in, the legislature will
resume business on Tuesday, Nov. 20,
and keep at it till the slate is properly
cleared. The almanac isn't as generous
as usual this year, since it gave the law
makers eight or nine days less between
the opening date and the day before
Thanksgiving SO, with many important
matters not disposed of, there was no
other course than to come back for say
couple of weeks, and it was thus ere.
solved" without opposition in either
house, to adjourn on Friday. Last week
was busy one, and fairly long sessions
were the rule each day, to say nothing of
late hour committee hearings each even
ing. Such features as capital punish
meut, a town line fight. and the treat
ment of a governors veto. gave special
zest to the weeks proceedings, and "full
houses were frequent.
A New Fish Bill.
The committee of game and fisheries
presented, on Friday, an important
measure intended to cover points con-
tanned in thirteen different bills intro
duced in the house and referred to this
committee. It prohibits the taking of
fish by graphing; makes the open season
for trout and kindred fish from May LIST
to August LIST in brooks and streams,
and to Sept. LIST in ponds and lakes, but
owners OF artificial ponds may take fish
therefrom between Feb. LIST and Sept.
LIST; changes the open season on wall
eyed pike, pike perch and pickerel. except
in Lake Champlain, to run from May
LIST to Nov. LIST; prohibits all fishing ex
cept by angling; limits the take OF brook
trout to 10 pounds in one day and OF
lake trout and longe to 25 pounds; pro-
hibits the catching of trout and black
bass for commercial purposes; provides
that stocking of waters by land owners
shall consist Of placing therein annually
not less than 1000 fry or 800 fngerlings
to each half mile or less of stream. or
acre Or less of pond, and affidavit thereof
to be filed in town clerks office and to be
open to inspection; repeats the sections
permitting seining under license.
Passed over the tetOs
The passing of the witness fee bill over
Coy. Bells veto was an episode of more
than ordinary interest. Both houses at
tended to this piece of business on the
same -Thursday-th vote in the
senate being "a to 6, with no debate
whatever, and in the house 176 to IS,
with just discussion enough to give en-
phasis to the feeling in favor of the bill.
The governors disapproval was based
on the ground that such an increase of
the fees would create an army of 'proies-
sional witnesses and bring about a cor
responding increase obligation. Neither
senate nor house agreed with him. 1t
was held by speakers in the latter branch
that the passage of the bill was matter
of Justice to the man who was required
to leave his business and serve as wit
ness. getting therefore, in many cases
under the present law not enough to
cover his expenses. This bill becomes
law twithstandipg the veto. It allows
county court witnesses two dollars day,
and those in justice court one dollar.
To Elect an Attorney-GeneraI.
On Wednesday forenoon, Nov. 80,
Joint assembly will elect an attorney
general as the result Of the passage of
bill creating that Office. The announce
ment in last weeks CALIFORNIAN that
this bill had been killed was true enough.
But this is one of several measures that
haven't remained dead after they were
killed. On Wednesday the house "took
~ I'll I,ocI, reoors;dered Senator SJacr- q
attorney general bill, which the senate
had endorsed without opposition, or
dered it to a third reading, and on the
following day passed it. After many
years the legislature has decided that
such an officer will be valuab member
of the state administration. At least
three candidates are in the feld-Col. A.
A. Hall of St. Adams, J. 6. Sargent of
Ludlow and Representative c. c. Fits
OF Brattleboro. After this year the cleo
ton is to be by popular vote. At the
outset it was hoped by many members
that Senator Slack would be candidate
for this new Office, but, in spite of indica-
tions that he would have strong support
in both houses, he has refused to enter
the race.
Plain Talk by a Committee.
claims has worked nights examining
the vouchers in the auditors office, and
its report was made to the legislature on
Friday morning. The committee dis
covers that the auditor has kept his ac-
counts correctly, but it uses some plain
English in regard to extravaganza at
state institutions in the purchasing of
supplies at retail prices instead of whole
sale; and characterizes the business
management as loose and uneconomic.
The committee say that trustees and d.
rectors do not give sufficient attention to
these institutions, and it suggests that
the auditor himself should be relieved of
some of the detail of his Office so that he
could more frequently visit state insti-
tutions and supervise their expenditures.
The committee also suggests that the
state officers and members of boards