The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-12-24
FORESTRY BILL
BECOMES A LAW
Measure of Great Importance is
Signed by Governor.
WORK BEFORE LEGISLATURE
AL the Important Problems Left for
Consideration at Adjourned Session
Offset May Be Abolished on In.
debtedncss Over $1,000.

-OHsct may be AD0iished on II
debtedncss Over $1,000.
Both houses Of the legislature wei
in session a few minutes Saturda
morning and then an adjournment wa
taken until Monday evening, Jan.
1909. Every member of the legisl,
ture so far as known went home Sa
urday and Montpelier has resumed il
normal "after session" quiet.
Sixty.eight members of the hous
were in their seats Saturday mornin
and half dozen senators. just be
wished them all Merry Christina
and Happy New Year and response
and cheers were vigorous and sincere.
During Friday and Saturday Stat,
Treasurer Il. ii. Deavitt paid ou
about $4,000 in debentures for mem
bers of the general assembly. Up I,
the date of adjournment the legisla
ture has been in session GO days. Eacl
member was paid s75, making $l95 il
all that each has received, leaving 8;
due on the next payment.
Among the bills which were an
l
governor is the one establishing for
estry commission. This bill is regard
| ed as one of the most important that
has yet been enacted into law. II pro-
vides for commission of five made
up Of the governor, the director of the
experiment station at Burlington and
two men TO be appointed by the gov.
ernor all of whom shall serve without
pay. 1t also provides for the employ
ment of an expert forester at salary
not TO exceed S2500 per year. and the
commission is empowered to accept or
purchase waste lands for forestry pur-
poses.
This same bill abolishes the board
of agriculture. creates a commissioner
of agriculture, and enlarges his pow
to exceed $1,000 per year to be fixed
bv the governor, he to be appointed by
the governor by and with the advice
of the senate. The appointment of the
forestry commissioner rests with the
governor.
Governor and Mrs. Prouty and
Aaron, II. Grout secretary of civil and
military affairs, went Saturday to their
homes in Newport for two weeks. The
state house is again in the hands of
the sweepers who will give it another
thorough cleaning before the legisla-
ture recOnvenes early in the new year.
The important measures yet to be
disposed of are the tax problems, the
purity Of election laws, the. public util-
tiles bill, the employers liability act,
the normal school question, and the
taxation of railroads.
There is hope that the tax problem
will yet be settled satisfactorily for
The interests of the state. After the |
house had voted down the offset bill,
/ committee consisting of two mem
bers from each county who voted |
against the bill was appointed to act |
with the committee on taxation. 1t
s understood that this committee is
lbout ready to report favorably on
ill abolishing offsets in excess of
1000, making tax on intangibles of
ne-half of one per cent and creating
commission to administer the tax
avs. In fairness to these members
ng offsets it must be said that the off
ct bill, which was killed, stood alone,
nd it has since been found that many
f them voted against it because there
7as no assurance that the intangibles
ill would pass. They did not want to
bolish offsets unless they had some
ssurance that they were going to get !
he benefit of lower rate of interest. S
therefore,, the committee propose to
ombine the bills so that if one passes
he other will also pass. The new 4
on taxation is composed of 9
ne eight members of the committee t
ho first reported the bills and 2S
embers who are on record as voting 7
ers can agree with the eight it is E
certain that the report they I
lbmit will be accepted by the house. :
heir proposal to permit man to off d
It his debts to the amount of $1,000
i'll let in practically all of the farm 7
IS and poor men to the extent of
leir whole debt, but will prevent the u
-oss abuses practiced by the mer- o
lant and manufacturer. While it is a
ain to be seen that this is COM e
omise measure and the principle is t
wrong as under the existing law, n
It the many abuses will be impossi- p
e and the farmer will get an advan-
ge over the merchant and manufac-
rer. But even at that, it would CO
we to stay on the statute books for ii
years in order to even up the ad- at
lntage.
The purity of election bills will not +,
t through without struggle. They y, a
ntain some very stringent features, az
long which is the clause forbidding d, d,
e free transportation of voters to '"
d from the polls. The public utili-
IS bill, putting all public service cor bl
rations under the supervision of the q
ilroad commission, will be fought to r
g bitter end by the telephone, com ia
nies. Several employers liability
assures have been introduced, but Tt
g one most likely to pass is the one ev
plying only to corporations. The tn
rmal school question is yet unset nc
d. Some favor an appropriation of ca
1000 to fix up one Of the present
lools. Others have in view more ca
borate school building which shall tn
in keeping with schools of other sill
ties and they think an appropriation wi
$4,000 at this time will delay for ho
ong time any further action toward
, central first-class school, The tax on
on of railroads, although at first hi hi,
supposed to be a very serious te,,
asure, has assumed proportions NO NO
ich make it serious matter for the ca, lag
lroads of the state. Mr.. Howe of >"l
Johnsbury introduced a bill provid- J
80 on each $1,000 of their ap- In
isal. The bill was reported ad- kn
selv by the committee on railroads, WI WI
Mr. Howe carried the fight on to dis
floor of the house and showed that !
average tax rate in the state is pei
nut $16 on $1,000 and that hereto Ja'
e the railroads are only paying the
nut So. 1t being generally under gia
I'd that railroads are good paying ant
perties, he did not see why they {
uld not pay at least three-fourths Tai
much tax as the farmer, merchant figl
manufacturer. The house heard die
ng arguments on both sides and uni
sed tbe hill bys an overwhelming tba