St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-10-21


the injury is brought about by the gross
negligence of the employer the injured
one may recover damages although the
injured one may have also been negligent.
Under the act the negligence OF the in
jured one may be shown, not as a COM
pete defence to the action, but in miti-
cation of damages. Under the present
law, if the injured one was guilty of
negligence in the slightest degree he can
not recover damages although the en-
ployer was guilty of gross negligence.
The act excerpts from its benefits all per-
sons employed as farm laborers or
domestic servants. Any good lawyer
knows that this exception renders the
bill unconstitutional because it is class
legislation. Whether the exception was
made for that purpose or not will
probably develop later.
Numerous bills have been introduced
relating to the hunting of deer. Some
SdlI III a hlOulH vi suOolihS anu OthNls
want only the day light of one week.
Some want to shoot bucks only and
some want to shoot anything that is
deer. One thing is certain the farmers
are going to have something to say
about the deer legislation this year. We
hear more spirited arguments about it
than any other one topic of converse
ton.
Bills have come in appropriating
sos, 900 for proper celebration of the
tercentenary of the discovery of Lake
Champlain; $4,000 annually for
forestry department; an increase for the
state geologist; and bounty on hedge
hogs. Nearly every member has some
pet hobby that in his opinion demands
legislation and | do not hear any one
predict that the session will be a short
one. However, the committees are get
ting to work and the legislation will
soon begin TO show itself upon the floor
of the House and Senate.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
There is bound to be some deer legisla-
ton and some that is dear.
The eye doctors will have to come to
time if Senator Fairbanks, bill regulating
the traffic in spectacles becomes A law,
1t is reported that c. v Pouin, who
was first appointed official reporter of
the Senate, is recovering from his oper-
alton for appendicitis and will probably
be able to assume his duties in a few
weeks
The revision committee have an 'un-
enviable' Job. Any member who wishes
to introduce a bill makes memoranda
OF the kind of bill he wants and gives it
to the committee 1t is up to them to
do all the work in framing it properly
for introduction in the House or Senate.
1t seems probable that Vermont as
well as the nation will have a pure food
law. One has been introduced by
Senator Kidder.
One OF the best Jokes thus far is on
Senator John Lewis of Troy. The Sen
ator when at his best certainly looks
ministerial, but on the evening of the
Governor reception he appeared dressed
in a fine black suit which to the I'M
known observer left no room to doubt
that the Senator was a distinguished
member of the cloth. 1t was after the
first formalities were over that another
prominent state officer approached MIR.
and Mrs. Lewis and after a courteous in
PRODUCTION of the ladies this state officer
remarked, by the way, Senator do you
have quite a large parish over at Troy
Senator Cory OF Montpelier took a
couple of carloads of members to Barre
Thursday afternoon over the lines of the
Barre and Montpelier Electric Railroad
of which he is President.
Yesterday and today are the days set
apart for the election of United States
Senators.
The honors of being Democratic candi-
date tor Senator will probably be divided
between Harand b. Howe of St Johns
bury and Representative Leary of Burl-
ington.
Will it be class legislation to provide
for bounty on hedgehogs and none on
other hogs'
Hindley's Diary of New Member run
ming in the Rutland Herald is pretty
good reading, but his frequent references
to the member from Jay Peak are at the
expense of a good man. Representative
, Warner is one of the best fellows in the
bunch, despite the fact that he is from
Jay Peak.
) The telephone investigation was nip
ped in the bud A resolution had passed
the house providing for an investigation
} but the author of it saw a light and
, withdrew the resolution.
Colby SToDDARD.
Montpelier, Oct. 10, 1908
Editor Hindley of the Rutland Herald