St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-12-14
MonipeIier Gossip.

MONTPELIER Dec. 1O-A sleepy lot of
law makers quit busiress at FIVE O'Clock
this morning, although the formal declar-
eight o'clock. and the legislature of 1904
passed into history, entitled to credit for
having enacted few measures ofreal
Notwithstanding the attorney-gen-
eralship, caucus reform, the amended
license law, corporation taxation, per-
manent school fund. automobile regula-
ton, etc.,-entitied to credit also for the
sensible makeup of its membership from
the smaller towns. with a few exceptions.
and remarkable beyond precedence for its
considered by it. Like all its predecess-
ors it has been criticised tothe limit, but
it has averaged with them in most par
ticulars, and beaten them in some of its
characteristics.
Am Educational Move.
One of the most significant enactments
of the session was that OF the bill Great
ing a permanent school fund. 1t was
introduced by the committee on educa-
ton. and provides for the appointment
by the governor of six commissioners to
investigate the subject and outline plan
for establishing such fund. Meanwhile
the war claims fund of $24O,O 900 re-
ceived from the national government is
to be held intact to form part OF that
fund, and is to be invested and the in
come distributed in a way to equal1Se
school advantages.
Did Not Commute.
Two years ago the legislature was
persuaded, by impassioned appeals to its
sympathy, to commute the death SEN
fences of three murderers. The same
thing was attempted last Wednesday in
the case of Mrs. Mary Rogers, convicted
of horrible murder at Bennington, but
the house decided to let the law take its
course and, by a vote of 139 to o. re-
fused to commute this woman's sentence.
Mr. O'Sullivan Of St. Adams city, Mr..
Archibald of Manchester and several
others argued against the states thus
taking human lite, but to no effect. The
peculiar details of the crime and the
entire absence of any evidence warrant
ing doubt as to the woman's guilt and
her responsibility. held the house firmly
to the conviction that she ought to suffer
the penalty. On Friday, however, the
house adopted a resolution providing for
an inc uiry into her mental and physical
condition, but this was killed by the
senate a t midnight of the same day; so,
unless something new develops, the
woman will be hanged February g..
The Plurality Bill.
The one measure that has been
"ping popged'' back and forth between
the two houses more than any other
during the session-the bill providing for
election of representative by plurality On
the third ballot-was finally left an open
question by the refusal of the house,
about 400 on Saturday morning, to
concur in the senate's proposal to amend
it by making plurality effective on the
first ballot. The introducer of the bill,
Mr.. Chedel of Stockbridge, says he has
accomplished what he Started out for
namely, the defeat of plurality on the
first.
Woman Suffrage.
Municipal suffrage for women came
very near to being an assured fact. AS
was briefly stated last week, the bill as
passed by the senate was ordered to a
third reading ia the house on Tuesday
afternoon by vote of Ill to 1O4 The
viva voce vote that followed, on the
question of its passage, was apparently
very close, and before the speaker could
call for rising vote in order to satisfy
himself as to whether yes" or mo "
predomina ted, Mr.. Blanchard of New
port moved that the bill be ordered to lie
and be made the special order for
Wednesday morning. This was agreed
to, and when the measure came up the
next day on the question of its passage,
it was killed, 1874 to 100.
Hot Shot from a Committee.
The special committee appointed to
investigate state institutions recommend
the removal of Superintendent Cakes of
the state prison and the directors of the
state prison and house of correction,
considering their retention detrimental
to the best interests of the state. Super
jntendent Cakes is severely scored for
appropriating to his personal and family
uses certain supplies furnished by the
state W1LuOul dCCOuulIuS IOI luCu, DIS
we'll as for extravaganza in the purchase
of articles for use by the institution. The
directors are even more severely scored
| for lax attention to their duty in behalf
of the state ) for allowing irregularities
and unnecessary expenditure by the
superintendent; for authorizing salaries
| not warranted. in the appointment OF
| the superintendent wives as house
| keepers" at $25 per month; and, SO far
| as one director is concerned for handling
| the public business to enhance personal
| profit and advantage. Supt. Morgan OF
| the house of correction escapes special
criticism, and the management OF the
Vermont Industrial School is endorsed
as highly satisfactory.
The Amended License Law.
The bill reported by Senator Slack and
his associates on the joint committee on
temperance, amending the license law.
was passed by the senate on Thursday
without debate and without opposition.