The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-12-09
EDITORS IN SESSION.
Various State Issues Discussed in
Profitable Meeting.

An informal meeting or the edit
orial writer's of Vermont was held
in this city Friday with morning
and afternoon sessions. The
object of the meeting was discus
sion of State issues along progress
sive lines, the purpose being that
mutual exchange of ideas would be
beneficial. The meeting was well at
tended, great interest being shown
in discussions and it was generally
conceded that it was o,ae Of the most
profitable gatherings of Vermont
newspaper men ever held.
Among those present were: ]. L..
Southwick, of the Burlington Free
Press; Frank l.. Greene, of the st.
Adams Messenger; Frank E. Howe,
of the Bennington Banner; Franklin
FISHER and NJ G. Reynolds, of the
Burlington Suburban List; L.. p.
Yhayer, of the Vergennes Enterprise;
w. j. Bigelow, of the st. Johnsbury
Caledonian; John B. Chase, of the
Lyndonville Union Journal; ]. W.
Sault, Of the Ludlow Tribune; l..
b. Johnson, of the Randolph Herald;
H. G. Whitehill, of the Waterbury
Record; Howard G.. Rice, of the
Brattleboro Reformer; C. r. jana
son, of the White River Junction
Landmark; Frank T. Parsons and w.
H. Crockett, of the Montpelier
Morning Journal, c. A. G.. Jackson
and E. A. Mutt, of this city.
The meeting was called to order
in the forenoon by H. L. Hindley,
and j. l.. Southwick was elected
chairman. A committee consisting
of l.. B. Johnson, J. w. Sault and E..
A. Mutt was appointed to prepare
from lists submitted by each man
present list of subjects for discus
sion, and in the afternoon the fol-
lowing schedule was taken up, al
though it was not possible to touch
on all the subjects mentioned:
/. On Material Development
highway Improvement permanent
trunk lines; State or local control;
expert supervision.
2. Forestry-Extension and con-
troll by State; encouragement to in
dividual forestry; how to finance it.
3. Advertising Vermont-How best
to attract summer tourists; develop
ment of summer accommodations /;
State convention for the advocacy of
progressive ideas; publicity depart
ment for promoting State interests.
3. Changes In Constitution-Re-
moving time-lock; basis of represent
tation; State election in November
and Legislation in January; require
two-thirds majority to overcome We
to; Legislative members ineligible to
offices filled by Legislature; no COM
mutation of murderers by Legisla-
ture; no special legislation for cor
porations.
D. Court Room-Reduction of Su-
preme Court to three members; ell
limitation of assistant judges; i'm
proved minor courts.
6. acknowledgement school
system; provision for State Normal
school and agricultural schools. by
sinking fund or otherwise; mini
mum wage for teachers and higher
standard of qualification
J. Taxation-Uniform appraisal
of property; taxation reform by tax
ing all property once and not taxing
evidence of it.
3. Labor-Employers liability or
methods for caring for unfortunates /:
ten dollar wage exemption from
trustee process.
9. Liquor-Proposed changes in
law.
10. Elections-Caucus regulations
and primary law; election of county
clerks and officers by popular vote;
use of money in politics.
II. Federal Constitution-Accept
ance of income tax amendment; cleo
ton of Senators by popular vote.
IL. Administrative Reforms-Uni-
form system of municipal accounts
and accounting; uniform village
charters: State control of telephone
lines; publicity in newspapers of all
pubic notices; regulating care of
the poor by counties instead of cit
les and towns; economy in State ex-
penses; publicity of department
news and appointments and nomina-
lions to the Senate; revision of House
and Senate rules.