St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-11-18

apply to debts for the necessaries OF life.
The majority of the committee are OPP
posed to this last amendment. The
matter was debated at some length
last Saturday, but on account OF the
absence of some of the senators it was
thought best to await final action until
more were present. The situation is
promising for a closely contested fight
on the passage of the bill. Some are
opposed to the bill because they think it
a measure in favor of dead beats" but
Senator Gleason takes the position that
the bill will serve an injury to the honest
working man in that il the bill becomes
a law in its present form the merchant
will go onto a strictly cash basis and
that the poor man will often be embar
raised by this impairment of his credit.
Senator Gleason for the minority OF the
committee said he had made a careful
canvass among the laboring men OF his
constituency and found that practically
all of them favored his amendment.
They think if the original bill becomes a
law that they cannot buy even the
necessities oflle without the cash to
pay for it and that in case Of sickness or
other misfortune their families will be
made to suffer. They say they are will
ing to be trusted if they do not pay their
honest bills for the necessities OF life. The
Senator made an able presentation OF his
side of the case, and said that although
the republican party had promsedit dur
ing the enthusiasm of political cam
paign he could not support it after he
had taken the oath OF Office and sworn
to serve the state as in his own honest
Judgment seemed best. He believed
in legislation for the benefit of the poor
man who was honest and did not be
lieve in making laws which benefited the
dishonest man, although poor, if by SO
doing it might work even a slight injury
to his honest neighbor.
Senator Gleason takes this position
from the purest Of motives and the
ability with which he maintained his
position will make him many friends in
the Senate, even if his amendment does
not prevail Senator E. b. Finn spoke
against the motion to amend, but his
colleague Senator Sherwin, favored the
amendment The matter will be tried
out at some time when there is full
attendance and the further debate will
be very interesting.
The tax question has been discussed a
great deal in the committee rooms and
about the corridors, but the question
has not yet come up in either house. A
largely attended public hearing was held
last week and John Senter explained the
purpose of the several bills carrying out
the recommendations of the commission
of which he was a member. The three
measures on the subject of taxation
provide that all offsets be abolished, that
intangible property be exempt from tax
alton. but that it pay a small tax of
perhaps one half of one per cent. The
measure which has the best chance of
passage is the bill providing for a tax
commission which shall have control
over the administration of the tax laws
Many of the members think this will
remedy the present evils and that one
radical change is enough to make at this
time. 1t is certain that some one of
these measures will be adopted.
There was well attended meeting of
lawyers from all parts of the state
present to discuss the district court bill
before the judiciary committee last week.
1t is not probable that the bill in its
present form will pass 1t is probable,
however, that several district courts will
be established but it will not be
general law.
COLBY STODDARD.
Montpelier, Nov. 16, 1908.