Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-10-05
LEGISLATURE OPENED
ThOs. C. Cheney Elected Speaker
Of House Unanimously
senate-New Rule Touching the Intro
ductlon Of Bills.

ductlon Of Bills.
Montpelier oct. 4, 1906
Another biennial is on. Another re-
firing governor has said his say and an
other incoming governor has made his
recommendations and given the legisla-
ture his idea of what ought to be done.
And the wheels are turning.
The organization was effected smoothly.
Thomas {. Cheney was chosen speaker by
227 votes to not a single one cast for
anybody else. Mr.. Cheney was nominated
by Roger Hulburd Of Hyde Park and
seconded, among others, by Eli II. Por-
ter of Wilmington, on behalf of the
Democrats. Fred l.. Hamilton was elect
ed clerk and subsequently announced
Chas. A. Plumley of Northheld and Harry
A. Black as his assistants. There was
little breeze over the chaplaincy of the
house, but Rev. G. w. Patterson of Ran
dolph was elected over Rev. p. A. Smith
OF Morrisville. ]. w. Sault of Ludlow
and ]. G. Norton of St. Albans were ap-
pointed official reporters.
Senator Van Patten of Chittenden was
made president pro tenn oil the upper
branch, and w. K. Farnsworth secretary;
his assistant is again Homer L. Skeels of
Ludlow, and the official reporter is ]. A.
Wilcox of the same town. NJ. w. Farnum
was reelected chaplain.
Speaker-elect Cheney responded grace
fully to the honor conferred upon him,
pledging his best endeavors and remind
ing the house that there was important
work on hand and the sooner It was
taken up the better satisfied would be the
people of the state.
Mr.. Hapgood of Peru and Mr.. Burnham
Of Woodbury. are apparently safe, despite
their alleged holding of postmasterships
when elected representatives. Both we're
present at the opening and took the oath
of office without culver.
The first dav was nrtvau I'M n he rOt1-
tine business necessary to get things into
shape; the second day to hearing mes
sages and wondering as to their effect on
legislation.
Some changes have been made in the
house rules, which are expected to facili-
tate business. These include the follow
ing;
Committee on elections increased to IA
members
new committee of seven members, to
whom shall be referred all matters relat-
ing to electric and street railways, called
committee on street railways.
- new committee of nine members to
whom shall be referred all matters relat-
ing to municipal corporations, called COM
mittee on municipal corporations.
A new committee of nine members to
whom shall be referred all bills and
resolutions appropriating money, with
power to originate and report such bills
whenever such bills shall be in the in
terest of economy. called committee on
! appropriations.
Rule touching introduction of bills is
changed to require all bills to be first
presented to committee on revision OF
bills. who must examine each bill within
three days after receipt thereof. revise II
as to form and expression, so far as II
may require revision, committee to certify
to such revision, and deposit the bill with
| the clerk, who shall submit 1t to the
| a. g.
the house, bills to be read first and second
times by title only, unless reading is de-
I manded by member.
A three-fourths vote of all present
shall be required for suspension of any
| rule in the house.
Gov. Bells comprehensive message was
attentively listened to, and his reference
to Senator Proctors gift for a sanatoriun
for tuberculous patients was greeted will
applause.