Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-12-14

legislature has attended TO business the pas
week However, much important work hal
been done aud important matters given NOR
consideration than is usually the case in The
closing days. synopsis Of the past week II
proceedings will be found below
sixty.fuur seats were vacant in the hous'
when IL began work last Friday afternoon
During the day ten new bills were introdu
ccd in the house from the committees. A
its afternoon session the senate killed b!
a vote Of ten 10 twelve a bill providing tina
persons who are residents Of the state fol
only three months Of the year should b.
obliged to take out hunters licenses, ant
passed the house bill requiring dealers II
evergreen trees 70 take ont licenses. In th'
house the bill providing for assessing
state tax on interest-bearing deposits in ma
tional banks came up as special ordel
Mr. Gibson wished 10 amend the bill by
increasing the tax from two per cent t'
two and threc-fourths per cent, but the re
port Of the committee was sustained and th'
Bin ordered 70 a third reading. The house
passed in concurrence the senate bill relat
inc to the salary of the superintendent Of tn,
state prison. house of correction anc
state industrial school This bill fixes the
salary at 81 900 aud sustenance. Bills es
tablishine municipal courts in Swanton ant
Bellows Falls were reported adversely iron
the judiciary committee and refused third
reading
Both branches Of the legislature held re
gular sessions Saturday and large amount
OF routine business was transacted, although
the attendance at the afternoon session was
very small Two long railroad bills, one re-
visng the general statutes in regard to ran
roads and the other creating board OF
railroad commissioners and defining its pow
ers and duties were both given third hear
ing in the house Saturday afternoon. Dur
ing the day Senator Daley from the joint
committee on game and fisheries reported an
omnibus bill which amends and repeals vari
GUS statutes relative to fish and game now
In force and takes the place Of about twenty
i've bills on this subject in the hands of the
committee Senator Dalcy's bill makes the
omen season on trout in streams from May
Is to August Is instead Of from May
TO Septemher / and cuts ont the first fifteen
days in September from the bird hunting
season.
Monday was a duh day at the capitol The
house was in session for less than an houl
in the afternoon and the senate adjourned
before ! O'Clock, Resolutions consratuia
ding Colonel c. @. Benedici. editor Of tho
Burlington frtt IEfhS hPNh tNNNhhAH A't'
cightieth birthday were passed in both
houces Mr.. Darling Of Chelsea from the
judiciary committee introduced bill in
the house putting the city and municipal
Judges of the state on a salary and abolish
ing the double fee system in criminal cases
Tnder the provisions OF this bill the city
Judges OF Burlington and Rutland will receive
a salary of 81, 500 each and the judges of
Barre. st, Albans Montpelier and Benning-
ton $1,000. The house passed without de.
bate the bill providing for the support OF
the government which carries an approprla-
ton of about S8O1, 900 annually. By un-
animous consent Mr.. Senter of Montpelier
was given permission to introduce a bill
which provides for printing in pamphlet form
the constitution of the state of Vermont for
free distribution to the pupils of the public
schools in the state. The only thing ap-
proaching debate in the house Monday
came on the bill which gives laboring men
SO wages which are not liable to trustee
process. Among those who favored the blll
were Mr. Porter of Wilmington and after
II had been amended so that it shall take eff
feet July l, next instead of from its passage,
il was passed by practically unanimous
vote.
The sensation in the legislature Tuesday
was of course, the report of the legislature
investigating committee which is given else
where, Much business was transacted dur
ing the dav in sharp contrast to the lethargy
displaved Monday The senate passed in
concurrence the bill assessing state tax on
interest. bearing deposits in national banks
and also the general railroad bill. The house
INDUCED in lengthy debate Tuesday morn
ing on the bill providing that a physician
who issues prescription for intoxicating
liuuor when he knows it is not needed for
medicine shall be fined for the first Of
fense 5000 and for each subsequent ohense
$500. This bill was finally killed, only
thirty members of the house voting for lts
oassage Mr. Nichols of Richmond, from the
general committee, introduced an automobile
bill as a substitute for the several measures
on This subject now in the hands of that com
mittee The bill provides that dealer s
license shall be $25 and drivers license
S.. that the speed limit shall be 20 miles
an hour outside of villages and cities with
a penalty of from $50 to 5000 fine for the
first offense or thirty days Imprisonment.
The bill contains no recommendation OF pro
visions for closing any highways of the state
AGAINST automobiles The bill creating
hoard of railroad commissioners and de
6ning its powers and duties was passed by
the house after it had been amended so that
the salaries of the commissioners shall pc
81 900 annually instead OF 3i'ooV onu '"",
tbe chairman shall receive $500 addltonai
instead of $500. The salary of the CLERK
of this court is to be fixed by the board ana
anproved by the government, The house
killed the bill which provides that second
class license places can only sell Intoxicating
LIQUORS to persons who purchase it for their
own use. The Brattleboro and Newport
municipal court bills were read for a third
time and passed with slight amendments,
Governor Proctor signed the weekly payment
bill Tuesday.
Christian science had its day in the house
Tuesday afternoon when the bill granting
followers of this belief equal rights under the
constitution with boards of medical regis
tration came up for discussion. Mr., De-
wort of St. Adams made a long speech IN
hehaf of this bill. but it was killed with
few dissenting votes number of bills pro-
nosinr relief from the evil Of double-taXa-
tion were slaughtered by the house at the
afternoon session Mr.. Dewart's bill, which
nrobibits deductions from debts owing and
proyides that money loaned at rate OF IN
terest not exceeding four and one-half per
cont for investments in Vermont may be
exemnt from taxation, was laid on the table
pending the report of the special committee
on double taxation. The bill to grant liquor
licenses TO summer hotels in no license towns