Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-02-11
LEelsLAruRe DEFENDED.
Editor Bennington 5anner Speaks
Good Moro for Lass LaEnentea.

Good Word for Lase Lamenkea'
So much has been said in reproach Of
the recent legislature and 90 little ~
recommendation Of 1t that the Banner hesi-
tater to enter the discussion IN disagree
rneut With the majority Of the state news
uaners for the reason that the editor OF
thie naper wns q member Of the iegisla-
tive BODY and IL therefore undoubtedly
dispoaed 10 view il more lenientiy than
other editorial writer's Of the state. Be
cauae Of this connection, however, the
writer cannot but be better informed 80
to the actual work OF the Legislature than
those who have viewed il only from the
outside, and we win endeavor to speak
only from actual knowledge and with -
little prejudice As possible, says the BEN
ningtnn Banner, whose editor was me
representative Of bis town in the House.
On this page il reproduced some Of the
comments Of several leading state papers
on the work OF The Legislature and from
this II will be seen that 1t is severely crit
icised, both for what It has done and for
what il has failed to accomplish. Some
Of the harsh criticism is perhaps de-
served, but much Of it We feel sure il not
only not deserved, but is made without
fair study OF the situation as it actually
existed.
The legislature OF state is the great
general court to which any and all citi-
zens can apply on any subject, without
employ ing lawyers, without paying dock
ct fees. term fees or court charges, and
with the expectation that they whit be
given fair consideration By the duly
elected representatives, OF the people. The
legislature recently in session bad before
II $50 cases set for hearing-e22 bills and
IS foint resolutions. More than that
some Of these bills and resolutions COW
cred more than one subject and many
branches Of each subject. There was
one bill that covered 1853 printed pages,
another OF 100 pages an scores Of from a
dozen to so pages.
II takes some time to dispose of $50
cases and give each of them 3 hearing. It
takes just a. long on an average to con-
slider the bills and resolutions that are
killed Is Cor those that are passed and Oft
en- attempts to revive them in order 10
modify them into more acceptable form
! makes them consume even more time.
Consider too that the jury on these cases
was composed OF 274 men, from all walks
OF life and representing Nil sorts Of con-
dieting interests. Our wonder Is. net
! that it took 20 long, but that il did not
take much longer.
Even the severest critics of the Iegisla-
ture have stated repeatedly that this
body has had more important matters to
J consider and more vexatious questions to
, act upon than any other previous Yer
mont legislature OF this generation. This
Is manifestIy true. After long stagna-
tion. Vermont Is growing. II il chang
: ing IRON q rural to a manufacturing state.
+ Corporations are taking the pIRcs Of in
diriduals in doing business and the cor.
poration question alone 10 one form OF
another--charter taxation, control, exien.
sion, etc. took from a third to . half Of
the time of the session. The character Of
our population Is changing from the pur.
] pilgrim stock TO the composite American
of the goth century. Labor and capita
begin to appear IN legislative councils
The increased demands Of high pressur
4 methods OF living aud doing business
1 have taken within the granite walls a
i Montpelier the place OF the old academic
arguments over capital punishment ans
woman suffrage. The question Of manu-
Q 81 training and industrial education hav
/ usuFped the position in debate once hel.
by the town versus district system o
schools Scientific forestry, conserva
tion of the states resources, are subject
9 OF anxious aud earnest consideration il
e place Of auctioneers' licenses, Tickle
: naked pond and Tightening up the liquo
law, prominent few years ago
We do not mean to say that the logisla
y ture has NOT done any foolish things. /
: has-and what legislature has nota Onl,
. the faults Of preceding Vermont legisla
. lures are forgotten in contemplation .
= the faults OF this. Neither do we meal
= to say that the legislature has no
+ spent time over trivial matters. IT ha
n and il is right that il should. No
all the interests OF the state and its peopl
are great interests and the rights Of smsl
le clients must be considered as we'll a
y those OF the great ones Likewise we ar
4 willing to admit that it was what nigh
be called q scrappy body. But there
nothing like fight to bring out tn
;. facts. There is said TO have been troubl
Is even in Heaven once upon = time and tru
: dition has it that the world has been ed
!, ucated through this disagreement.
= What we mean to convey is our SINGER
be belief that the recent legislature worke
ut hard and earnestly to solve the man
:, problems that were placed before II. III
writer hereof has been in attendanc
70 upon every session OF the Vermont legil
>. lature for the past IS years. Longer an
is more continuously, we believe, than an
IL other news or editorial writer In the stat
!. save one, and be believes beyond que
ton that no preceding legislature has gor
TO so searchingly into details and probab
ds effect OF proposed measures as has Il
=. legislature OF 1908. Committees haS
worked increasingly night after night nj
Ill midnight and later in an honest effoI
to sift out the truth and place it befoi
the Legislature in straightforward form.
It il said the legislature was q failul
because it failed 10 enact q new tax Law
Il may be 30, bat We doubt it. Even II
state tax commission after two years .
study and Investigation failed to agree o
n q remedy. Was it strange that the iur
or OF the general court composed OF Fl
at members could not get togetherf "
n think not. The Remington member ,
N the state tax commission favored the alb
= lition OF Offsets. Practically every bus
= ness man in town signed q petition asI
~ ing that offsets be retained. Was
~ strange that the members disanreedq n