St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-12-12
The DOingS at Montpelier.
Important Legislation Crowded into the
Past Week.

The solons are tending strictly to
business this week and expect to adjourn
sine die the last of this week. Among
the bills killed the past week were
two temperance measures, one which
undertook to interfere with granting
licenses in towns adjacent to towns
which had voted no license, and the bill
which disenfranchised a man for five
years and subjected him to long term
of Imprisonment for giving or receiving
drink as an inducement to vote.
The House passed the bill giving a
charter to the Vermont Development
Association without a dissenting vote
and the Senate will doubtless do like
wise. This movement is receiving hearty
support throughout the state and is sure
to be of great benefit to the state. The
usual hedgehog legislation appeared one
day last week and was promptly dis
posed off, the bill offering a bounty on
the animals being killed
The House on Thursday ordered to
third reading the bill creating perman-
ent school fund and regulating the duties
of trustees of state institutions, and the
Senate bill regulating telegraph and tele-
phone companies. The cattle commission
bill was passed after being amended so
that tuberculosis was not declared to be
a contagious disease.
The board of directors of the state
prison and house of correction and the
trustees of the industrial school were
abolished by the passage of Senate bill
No. SO, which creates board of control
for penal institutions. The trustees of
the state hospital for the insane are not
affected by this legislation.
Among the bills passed is one intro
duced by the Orleans county senator,
incorporating the Clyde River Electric
railroad. The route of the proposed
road is from Newport to Island Pond
and prominent business men of New
port are among the incorporators.
An animated discussion was precipi-
tated Monday when House bill IS came
up for discussion. This is an act to
relieve parties from trustee process to an
amount up to $1,000. Mr.. Chase
of Greensboro opened the debate by
opposing the bill Mr.. Senter of Mont
pelier thought that the laboring man
should have some exemption, as many
others in various professions and trades
have. Mr. Kicker also favored the BILL
while Mr.. Chedel of Stockbridge opposed
it. Mr.. Porter of Wilmington thought
the bill in right and justice should pass
Mr.. Jackson of the City of Barre favored
it and Mr.. Mead of Rutland city, the
author of the measure, came to its
defense and advocated its passage. Mr..
Latham of Milton favored the bill,
amending it to 60 into effect July l.,
1907. The bill was passed by decisive
vote.
On Tuesday the House passed the bill
abolishing the present board of railroad
+ commissioners and establishing a new
board of three members to be appointed
by the Governor with the advice and
consent of the Senate and fixed their
salaries at 81, 200 each, with necessary
expenses.
The House has passed the bill incor-
porating the Danville Creamery associa-
ton and the Senate has passed House
bill As, providing for a jail in Caledonia
county.
The bill relating to physicians pre-
scriptions for intoxication, introduced
by Mr.. Bole of Coventry, was killed in
the House Tuesday by rising vote.
A new automobile bill was introduced
by Mr.. Nichols of Richmond, Tuesday
which was ordered to lie and be printed
This is a substitute bill for the several
automobile bills in the hands of the
general committee. The substitute bill
provides for drivers license of SIS, anc
dealers license of $25. Outside O
villages and cities the speed limit is 2s
miles an hour, if the same is not danger
Gus to public safety Penalty for frs
offence 500 to 5000 fine, 80 days i'm
prisonment, empounding machine unit
fine is paid. Secretary of state ha
right to revoke licenses. No recommen
dalton in regard to closing any high
ways of the state.
The special committee to investigat
state commissions made their repor
Tuesday and the railroad commission
severely scored. Commissioner Howar
comes in for the heaviest raking, bein
censured for charging for more tim
than the other commissioners, for exce'
sive livery charges between his home an
Hardwick, and for daily telephone me
sages when away from home. Chat
man Smith is censured for acting as a
torney and the special committee ca
special attention to the increased expen
of this commission and recommend tn;
no law be enacted that is an invitatio
| to any commission to "go looking fl
business that the emoluments of the
= office may be increased"
Gov. Proctor signed Tuesday afte
1 noon the weekly payment bill.