Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-03
MANY COMMITTEE HEARINGS.

opposition to the bill.
MANY COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
This has been busy evening for
committees. nearly every room in the
state House being occupied by either
Senate, House or Joint committee.
The Joint committee on game and
fisheries considered several bills now
in Its hands relating to the open
season FOR brook trout which range
all the way from March to May for
the beginning Of the open season. In
the Senate chamber, the House com
mittoe on education gave n public
hearing on the bill providing for moro
systematic and certain instruction I'm
hygiene and tcmJ erauce in the pub
lie schools. Among those who fav-
ored the bin were e. j. Ferguson Of
Burlington, Edith n. Wills Of Tun-
bridge. Mrs G.. =. Denny of Mont
pelier.
ON THE AUTOMOBILE BILL.
The representatives on the commit
tec on highways and bridges gave a
largely attended public hearing on
the House bill Introduced by Mr.. Mar
tin Of Essex relating to the registra-
ton of automobiles and the dispos-
tion or registration fees. a score of
automobile owners from all parts OF
flo state we're present. The bill deals
principally with registration fees
which range from ten to ffty-iive
dollars according to the horsepower
of the machine.
! J. W. Gordon OF Barre dwelt upon the
unfairness and inequality Of the bill
| IL is discrimrates against the poor man
! in favor Of the rich man who owns the
! high priced car and further than that
Mr.. Gordon believed the bill If enacted
! into law would be declared class legisll-
ton and consequently demonstrations by
the supreme court Gen. Z. i. Bates OF
Bennington also opposed tho bill along
the same lines as did Mr.. Gordon.
Lester II. Greene OF Montpelier. secre-
tary and treasurer Of the Vermont Auto
mobile club. presented 40 letters from
automobile owners in the state in response
TO n COPY OF the bill under discussion
which had been sent them. Some of
there letters were read and the Others
were LEFT with the committees All of
these letters opposd the bill. The burden
of these letters was that the registration
fec should be governed ny the actual
cash value Of machines.
PRECEDENT FOREIGN TO STATE.
Representative Barber of Bratteboro
opposed the bill as wrong In principle
Value Is the only correct ana SOUND
principle as n basis OF taxation j. the
proposed measure becomes law hundreds
of automobile owners in the State VII
he obliged to sell their machines. the
| bill should be killed. 1t is establishing
precedent that Is foreign to Vermont.
Secretary of State Guy w. Bailey was
called upon TO make statement as tf
what standard would be followed In es
tmating the horse power OF automobiles
Secretary Bailey did not feel inclined tt
makesany definite statements along ttes'
lines at this stage OF the game but hi
was willing TO submit to the committed
q formula under which II the bill be
comes law he should figure the horse
power OF automobiles.
II was brought out at the hearing tina
TIE life of an automobile is short ant
that insurance companies will take NJ
risks on machines after they have beer
run three years.
Representative Allen Martin OF Essex
who introduced the bill. ably supported
It,
During the early part OF the evening
the electric lights went down and 1t Wa:
necessary to resort TO the primitive
methods Of lighting the Senate chamber!
ana Representatives. hail with gas.
BILLS PASSED BY SENATE.
Routine business occupied the attention
OF the Senate this morning. Several bill
| hot prta 70 rp1Iinp 10
fore the Thanksgiving recess were rea'
the third time and passed. Among then
was the one making the salary OF tn
sergeant-at-arms $500 per year and th'
House bill relating to the appointment o
officers of the Vermont National Guar,
, on the Governors staff.
CEDAR WAXWING BILL PASSED.
The only semblance of 4 debate IN III,
! House this morning was over the bill
which allows owners OF fruit trees :,
shoot the cedar waxwing under certain
) restrictions. This bill had been one
, killed in the House but the vote refusin;
, 1t third reading had been reconsdere,
and the bill had been ordered TO lie.
, was favored this morning by Mr. Divol
, Of Rockingham and opposed by M Crof
I OF Berkshire. The latter declared il woul,
= he opening the door to general destruc
ton Of song birds. MIR. Croft demande,
= the yeas and nays on the passage Of til
Z bill and it passed the House by a maiorit
+, Of t01.
The House this morning = fused t
/ concur in the motion OF Mi GooGall O
, Nottingham that the calling of tho roI
he dispensed with. The roll call shove
exactly ol1 members present ana
- ! absent.
:. The bin passed by the House this mora
= ing making amendments and addition
20 the act Incorporating the Central We!
mont Railway company authorizes tina
corporation to so into the steamshi
! business.