St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-10-14
LEGISLATURE NOW In SESSION.
A Full Report of the First Week Pre-
liminarieS.-Real Action Begun on
Tuesday MOrning.-LegiSlative Notes.
IFrom our Regular Correspondent. ]

[From our Regular Correspondent
The Vermont Legislature of 1908
opened its session promptly on time
Wednesday and nearly every Senator
and Representative was in his seat The
work of the forenoon was by way of
organization and but one contest devel-
oped Thomas c. Cheney of Morris
town was the unanimous choice for speak
er and Charles A. Plumley of Mortified
was elected clerk of the House and he at
once appointed as assistant, Harry A.
Black of Newport.
The fight for the honors of the chap
laincy was waged by five candidates and
on the second ballot Rev Alfred J.
Hough OF Montpelier was successful In
the senate E. w. Gibson Of Bratteboro
was elected president pro tenn and
Homer Skeels of Ludlow as clerk The
clerk appointed as his assistant Guy
Page OF Burlington. Rev. NJ. W. Far
man, well.known as the blind chaplain,
was again elected to that office in the
senate. The organization of the House
and Senate and the choosing of seats in
the afternoon constituted the work of
the first day
Thursday, known as Governors day,
was the gala day of the week aud by
C,u,n,ap yst,,rt ,4oe ,,a~L.I Ia. t,,,, a., s
the strongest messages ever delivered
before the joint assembly, Montpelier
was filled with distinguished guests from
all over the state and the House Of
Representatives was crowded to its
capacity both in the forenoon to hear
the retiring message Of Gov Proctor and
in the afternoon to hear the message Of
GOV. Proutv. Both these messages were
characterized by keen knowledge OF the
affairs Of state and furnish most
valuable guide for coming legislative
action.
The paper Of Governor Proctor was a
scholarly presentation OF the condition
OF state affairs at present and covered
fully all matters of state finance, state
institutions and commissions, highways
schools, banks, corporations and tax
alton. The total receipts OF the state for
the two years Of his administration were
nearly two and one quarter millions OF
dollars of which there is now an unex-
pended surplus of more than 500, 1000
The state institutions are all in good
condition, but there is need of further
accommodation at Waterbury for the
care and saie-keeping of the criminal
insane. Governor Proctor recommended
that the Court of Claims, the state fish
hatchery at Roxbury and the titled
officers on the staff of the Governor be
dispensed with, and that the regular
officers OF the state militia be called upon
to do the honors as members of the
Governors staff in place OF the TIN
soldiers now performing that duty, but
of course the Governor did not refer to
them as "tln soldiers
The retiring Governor also recommend
ed that the railroad commission be given
such powers as to enable them to per
form their duties for the best public
good; that the work now being done by
the tuberculosis commission be taken up
and carried on by the State Board Of
Health; that all liquor licenses be
granted by state commissioners instead
otlocal ones and that all license fees be
paid directly to the state treasury; that
the tuberculosis cattle test be made com
pusory as to all suspected herds; and
that the law as to trustee process be so
amended that the laborer could hold ten
dollars and the attaching creditor hold
only the sum in excess of ten dollars.
Mind you, have only given the gen
eral statements that he recommended,
but he went into details as to all of these
except the one as to trustee process and
by his logical argument made it plain
that each was backed by sound common
sense and business judgment, In fact his
whole message was SO filled with sound
economic principles that many of his
hearers thought there was nothing left
for Governor Prouty to say in his
inaugural message