Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-02
THE LEGISLATURE
Continued from LIST page.)

go The debate was started by Mr. Papc,
the Democratic member from Barre city,
who denounced the declaration feature Of
the bill as an interference with the rights
and liberty OF the voter and as directly
opposed to the principal OF the Australian
ballot. This burden. with some vari-
atoms. was taken up by other Democrats
Mr. Billiard of Burlington taking occa-
sion to refer to Republican employers
whose Democratic employees did not al
ways feel free to vote as they wanted TO
for fear of losing their places. Mr. Fits
made "A strong speech in favor Of the bill
and explained it's effects in the direction
of open. fair and honest politics. He in
structiVely analysed the declaration fea
turc. Every voter. he said, declares his
preference when he enters a caucus; he
should do so long enough before a eau
Gus to be removed from the insiduous in
fluences which surround It. He charac-
terized the bill as the simplest and best
system now available and held that IL
would prevent the packing OF caucuses
and save the caucus to the party to which
it rightly beongs-doing away with odd
rounder' and imposing a penalty for using
money to influence voters.
Remarks in support Of the bill We're
also made by Mr.. Archibald Of Manches-
ter Mr. Kicker OF 81. Johnsbury. Mr.
Lewis of Troy, Mr.. Grout OF Derby. Mr.
/ Butterfield NJ Weathersfield, Mr.. Chedel
Of Stockbridge, Mr. Miles of Barton and
others-the prevailing idea being that 1t
was a step in the direction of a democrat
ic reform and was worth trying.
Twcnty-siX Democrats and 43 Repub-
Leans voted against the bill. ~ members
We're either absent or did not vote. The
Windham county delegation lined up like
this: For the bill-Mr. Hastings Of Ath-
ems, Fits OF Brattleboro Corser of Put
ney Willard of Townshend. Campbell of
Rockingham, Nutting of Westminster
Against the bill-Mr. Marsh OF Brookline
Ryther of Dover, Walker of Dummerston
Johnson of Somerset, Fits of Wardsboro
Porter OF Nottingham, Brown of Will
mington. Wright of Vernon. Sherwin Of
Jamaica, Melendy of Londonderry. Wood
of Windham. Absent or not voting-Mr
Miner of Halifax. Shaw OF Marlboro. Ty
Ter Of Guilford.
8rattleboro Street Railway Bill.
The bill authorizing the Brattleboro
Street railway to cross the steam rail-
| road tracks at grade. in extension of the
| line to Hnsdale, was reported favorably
! yesterday by a majority of the commit
| tee, with the suggestion that II he amend
ed by striking out the words lat grade"
| Mr.. Grout of Derby. chairman
| Of the railroad committee, IA
vored the amendment, with the idea that
the matter could be left to the railroad
! commissioners for further adjustment.
! Mr.. Fits vigorously opposed the amend
/ ment, which, he said. would take the life
out of the bill. He read a petition signed
! by 400 property holders Of Brattleboro
! praying for the passage Of the bill as it
was drawn, and he maintained that the
| adoption of the amendment would block
! the enterprise entirely Brattleboro peo-
/ pie did not want the bill passed mt all If
] prrnnf In1 An ava 100 or o.,
underpass would be an impossibilty on
| account of the great cost. He ridiculed
| some Of the methods for crossing sug-
gested by the railroad companies, and
said Brattleboro did not want to he lcft
! to the merces of railroad commission
/ in this matter. He maintained that cross
ing at grade would not increase the pos
! sihility Of accident.
Mr. Campbell of Rockingham and Mr..
| Nutting of Westminster spoke in favor OF
bill as originally drawn. Several speeches
were made in favor of the amendment,
but it was voted down and the bill passed
| after the adoption of an additional
| amendment suggested by the committee
and to which all parties concerned had
| agreed This simply covered the matter
of appeal from findings of the railroad
commission as to rules and regulations.
Defeated Legislation.
Several fish and game bills have been
refused third reading the past week be-
cause they conicted with the substitute
bill reported by the committee
The senate has refused to interfere with
| the present law taxing dogs, and has kill
| ed two bills relating to the form of bal
lots, 1t also rejected a measure providing
a mode of payment of money by COM
J missioners for road work, and slaughtered
the bin passed by the house providing for
the lighting of covered bridges GO feet
| long.
The house failed to see the necessity