Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-09-27

that Congressman Haskins will take
| ample time TO learn the real desires Of
the republican patrons of the office
and some think that mn appointment
may be made to take effect in Janu-
/ airy when Mr.. Cannon's present term
would have expired. The active can
didates who have petitions in the field
are ]. II. Blakely. l.. S. Hayes and D.
| NJ. Thayer Each seems to be receiv-
ing good support In the way Of sigma
| lures and If signatures decide the mat
ter the outcome is problematicnl
ATTORNEY GENERAL Fits MAKES
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS.
Pursuant to tho statute requiring the
attorney general to submit to the general
assembly biennialy a report Of the cases
tried by him, together with such recon-
mendations concerning the criminal laws
OF the State and their administrative, as,
In his judgment the good of the State
demands. Attorney-gen G.. e. Fits has
prepared his first biennial report, which
Will be submitted to the Legislature at
the coming session. Mr.. Fits says he has
hearings. He says. In regard to the dis
tons submitted by various State officers.
He reviews the work OF the committee
who investigated the State institutions
and says that he spent 90 days in the in
vestigation. including the preparatory
work. taking dispositions and attending
hearings. He Says in regard to the dis
eliminating freight rate, which the report
OF the committee alleged to have been
maintained several years by the Central
Vermont Railway company In violation
OF sections 1901 and 1902, Vermont statutes
1t Will be noted that there Is no penalty
provided for the violation OF either of the
statutes above cited. The only remedy is
in behalf OF the party aggrieved by way
OF civil suit. l recommend and urge
that statute be passed imposing "A severe
penalty for the violation of the provisions
of either said sections of the law" The
report touches briefly upon the disposition
or the numerous murder cases and other
criminal cases in the trial Of which the
encouragement assisted, and notes a
lack of uniformity among the Justice and
municipal courts in the manner of handl-
Ing prosecutions for misdemeanors. In
some places respondent is prosecuted
both for intoxicatosl and breach of the
peace when the testimony to support each
charge Is Identical. This is double prose
cution for the respondents and doubles the
rees OF the officers. The report recon-
mends that such double prosecution be
prohibited by law. AS to the taxation of
costs OF commitment, when a respondent
Is committed to the House Of Correction
IN default of payment Of fine, the report
shows that person committed from Rut-
land has TO work out an alternative sem
tence to pay commitment fec of 56
cents. person committed from ST. AL
bans under the same circumstances would
have to work out an alternative sentence
10 pay a commitment fee of sl256. Mr.
Fits recommends that the statute fix the
commitment fee at level rate applicable
to all parts Of the State. He also recon-
mends that tho statutes be SO amended
that the allowance OF 10 cents per hour
FOR the detention of a prisoner by an
o1lcer previous to commitment shall apply |
only IN cases where there is not accessible |
any suitable Jail or lookup for holding
the prisoner. Mr.. Fits recommends that
the statutory definition of petit larceny
be stealing of money or property of not |
exceeding s2S In value" instead of s.. as |
at present. with all increase OF the maxi |
mum penalty 10 six months imprison-
ment. Under the heading Express Bust
ness IN Intoxicating Liquor" the report |
says AT several points along the border
or the State there has grown up a bust
ness of shipping Intoxicating liquor into
the State by express companies chartered,
IT would seem, solely for the purpose of
delivering liquor In Vermont, although
they hold themselves out to do a general
express business. 1t is difficult under the
present statute to handle these cases, and