Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-11-01
LADIES' WEEK
AT CAPITAL,
rns GENTLE sax REPRESENTED
IN LARGE NUMBERS.

IN LANCE NOMpeNo'
More Social Events than Ever Before
Crowned by a Magnificent Cover
nor's Ball, Business Not Neglected
Meanwhile, Weekly Payments
Passes House, Beef investigation
saueiehed. Woman Suffrage Takes
Usual Course. Railroad Rate Bill
and Taxation Measure Proposed.
Capital Punishment Hearing,
The fourth week Of the Vermont legis-
litiye session is commonly observed as
ladies' week, Then the wives, the
sisters, cousins and aunts OF the members
swarm ia to see the wheels turn, 10 at
tend the numerous social events and TO
inspire the gentlemen with their pres
eRCe. ladies' week never talls 10 serve
real purpose and one that tends To the
ultimate benefit OF the sessions work.
Through the medium OF the visitors, the
members OF the law making body become
better acquainted with each other and
better qualified TO deal with each other,
This year ladies' week surpassed all
previous festive seasons in the number OF
lady visitors, the interest taken by them
and the success OF the various functions
in which they bore the leading part,
While il was inevitable that the coIngs
outside should distract attention some
what from the work at the capitol, yet u
proved a welcome and resttul break, and
the members returned with more ayidIty
for their labors after the week had-closed.
II should not be understood that but
little was accomplished last week. On
the contrary, much was done. The House
took up and finally disposed OF several
matters that always occupy time and are
better handled early in the session than
late. The Senate kept ON its plodding
course. Both houses are well up with
their task, and the prospect OF final ad-
jourament by Thanksgiving time is good.
Various subjects were dealt with as
follows last week.
Weekly payments-The House passed
the Jackson bill compelling weekly pay
ments by corporations OF the wages OF
employees. There was prolonged debate,
both on question OF third reading and
passage. The bill was pass d by vote of
i6l to 10. Those who supported the bill
were Jackson OF Barre city, Mead OF Rut-
land, Senter OF Montpelier, Cady OF
Mortified, Carr OF st. JOhnsbury, Pierce
OF Hardwick and others, while Archibald
OF Manchester, Evarts of Windsor and
others opposed. The fate OF this bill in
the Senate is uncertain.
Capital punishment-An interesting
public hearing on this question was held
in Representatives hall Monday evening,
at which Lawyers Redmond OF Newport
and Enright OF Windsor and Representa-
tive Bole OF Coventry favored abolition,
while Rev. j. Hall Long of Bethel and
Prof. Il. A. Bishop of Montpelier opposed
abolition. The House judiciary COM
mittee will, it is understood, report in
favor OF abolishing hanging, but the
chances are the bill will not pass.
Woman suffrage-Ladies' week always
brings this subject to the front, and 1t is
an unwritten custom that the house
which first deals with the question shall
pass the bill granting municipal suffrage
to taNpaying women, depending upon
the other house to kill the bill later. The
hearing on Mr.. Shaw's bill was at the
same time as that on capital punishment,
and Representative Hapgood made hit
by remarklng that the two subjects were
properly associated inasmuch as Vermont
hangs every woman it can get chance to,
while 1t commutes every man. "Let us
permit women to vote, as well as hang"
be said, whereupon Ed. Finn OF SPRING
field went into spasm and nearly shook
the dome with his sonorous shouts OF
laughter. Two ladies spoke for suffrage
one of them from Colorado, where all
women vote. Representative Latham of
Milton said the women don't want to
vote. The Judiciary committee reported
the bill favorably, ana it passed the House
by big majority after a short debate in
which Shaw OF Marlboro, Finn of
Springfield, Dewart OF st. Adams city and
Scott of Brandon favored the bill. The
bill is now before the Senate.
State fair propositionThe bill OF Mr.
Evarts of Windsor, providing for a state
fair commission and that the state should
back such an enterprise, failed of passage,
after sharp debate In the House by a