The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-10-12

THE UN
trustee shall be discharged. This pro
vision is simply one of convenience ant
to prevent the trusteeing of trivia
sums of money. 1t Is not in any sens
an exemption since If the credit in tn
hands of the trustee exceeds ten dol
lars it is all subject to the truste,
process.
Section 1913 exempts from the oper
alton of the trustee process the pro
ceeds of property exempt from attach
ment of execution. The long list O
articles so exempt in Section 1905 con
sists in part of things necessary only
to his work. The same humane con
sideration which has led to the ex
emption from attachment and execu
ton of such apparel and furniture "a
may be necessary for sustaining life
a certain amount of food and fuel, as
well as cows, swine, poultry, horses
wagons, etc. land has exempted from
the trustee process their proceeds ii
sold, ought to exempt a certain amount
of the wages of a workman, which is
often his only means of securing the
necessaries of life.
Our exemption laws were original
ly drawn with reference to a farming
community and have no proper refer
ence to the case of employees, indus
trial or otherwise. The latter seldom
have cattle, horses, sheep, oxen, wagons
and other such property now exempt
by law. In their case that which needs
protection for the necessaries and COM
forts of themselves and families is a
certain amount of their wages. l rec
ommend that the law be so amended
that wages or compensation due the
principal debtor for work and labor
performed by him in person should be
exempt to the amount of ten dollars,
anu IlldI WdSCo OllJ III NANCpo VI tiitet
amount should be liable to the trustee
process.
CAUCUS LAW.
The present caucus law was enact
ed by the last Legislature in response
to a strong demand for some legisla-
ton in this direction. There had been
gross abuses in caucuses in some parts
of the state and where these abuses
had existed they were liable to occur
again unless prevented by some eff
fective caucus legislation. Caucus
abuses may consist in the voting in
caucus of men who are not legal
or the voting in a party eau
Gus of men who really do not belong
to that party and have no honest pur-
pose of acting with it, or the influence
ing of voters in a caucus by corrupt
and improper means. There should be
some way to prevent all of these
abuses.
The most advanced method for that
is a primary election law,
and such law is being introduced in
many states. 1 do not believe pri-
mary election law is necessary in
Vermont or that it would be accept
able to the people at this time. Some
simpler method is all that is required,
but to effectively prevent persons vot-
ing in caucuses where they do not be-
long there must be a registration for
caucus purposes at some time before
the caucus, and a sufficiently long
time before so that the registration
will not be made in the heat of politi-
cal contest. The present law has met
with considerable criticism; but that is
apt to be the case with the introduc-
ton of any radical innovation. Only
a small per cent of our towns have
made use of the caucus check list and
where it was actually used it worked
Much fault was found
with the Australian ballot law soon
after its passage. 1t was said that it
was unnecessary and cumbersome, and
many desired to repeal it. Now we
are all substantially agreed that it is
an excellent law and it has the prac-
tically unanimous support of our peo-
pie. l believe that criticisms of the
caucus law will rapidly disappear as
we become more accustomed to its
operation and that in principle it is as
simple as any law of this kind could
be and be effective.
The most unsatisfactory feature con-
nected with it is the manner in which
4 voter may announce his political
preference. 1 would suggest such
change in the language of the registra-
ton as will clearly not extend 1T be-
yond its necessary scope, which simply
IS that a person registering with any
political party has an honest purpose
to act with it as a loyal member
thereof would ordinarily do. 1t should
De considered also whether the meCnod
Of taking the registration can be in
any way simplified and made more ac-
1t is only in a small por-
ion of Vermont where caucus abuses
have occurred or are likely to occur.
rhe caucus check list, therefore, should
continue to be optional in its operation
and should be used only when desired
by reasonable number of the voters
n a town.
With such slight notifications as
nay be made to simplify and make
more acceptable its registration pro-
visions 1 think the caucus law should
be retained. The whole ten