The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-10-14
LEGISLATORS SHOW
DESIRE TO DEBATE
They Took Up an Apparently Trivial
Matter in the Adjustment of Rule
20 and Made Quite an Argu-
ment Over II.

4 hlNht WV 49,
i The little l5.minute debate in the
House yesterday has since been the topic
OF as many hours Of speculation as to
the why and wherefore Of it. 1t osten-
sibly grew out Of the discussion Of the
day before on the motion by Mr.. Fletcher
of Cavendish to rescind rule No, q, which
under a strict parliamentary ruling was
probably not debatable, as it was a
motion that had to lie q hours. Yester-
day the motion was clearly open to de-
bate, and the ball was opened by Mr.
Amey Of Brighton, whose remarks, with
out taking up the merit Of the ques-
ton, were, as he said, an explanation
OF his position OF the day before, which
the gentleman has evidently diseoy-
cred was not exactly correct. Ii
was an excellent illustration of taking
back water gracefully, and showed that
Mr.. Amey has real ability as a speaker
and that the prediction that he is to be
one of|the House leaders, at least so far
as prowess IN debate IN concerned, is
likely 10 be fulfilled. Mr. Amey's tai
ent as a speaker is no new thing, for
it has not been hid under a bushel all
his days He had il way back in the
time when he was a student at Dart
mouth college and made use of it in
stumping the state OF New Hampshire
Tor the Rep no it was not; and, all
though it il not natural to write Of
Vermont spellbinder as speaking for any
other than the grand old Republican
party, it was the Democratic party for
which Student Amey stumped the state
of New Hampshire. But that was in
his young and callow days; also before
he moved to Vermont.
After Mr. Amey had admitted the
incorrectness Of his position of the day
before with as little revelation as was
possible, Mr. Hunt OF New Haven pro-
eeeded TO stand up for the constitutional
right, privileges, prerogatiyes and APP
purtenances OF the present legislature
and denounced the dastardly attempt OF
the Legislature of 1908 to fetter and
shackle the law making bodies of the fu-
ture IN defiance OF all right and decency,
Now Mr. Hunt was distinct surprise
to the House, for few If any of the mem
bers were looking for any such clear-cut
exposition OF constitutional law from
the quiet little old man with the heavy
gray beard and the gold-rimmed glasses,
who had up to this time been scarcely
noticed in his seat IN the rear of the
House
Who the deuce is Hunt was the burn
ing question on every hand, and it was
answered BY those who knew him with
the statement that Mr. Hunt was
graduate OF Middlehury college, a lawyer
admitted to practice IN three states, who
after spending several years in the West
had returned TO his native town. where
he was leading the quiet life Of farmer.
Then came another surprise, in the
person Of Mr.. Wright OF Westminster,
who showed that when occasion required
il he was some talker." He is down on
the books as a farmer, which, il true,
az 1t doubtless is, il is a safe bet that
he takes prominent part in the dis
cussions at the grange meetings.
1t was quickly learned that Mr.
Wright did not want the rule abolished,
and it later appeared that his reason
was that there is prospect of an attack
on the lines of his town, and that he
suspected there was some Interior motive
in the motion 10 do away with the
rule,
Mr.. Webster Of Swanton, the Demo
cratic floor leader. took advantage Of
the occasion to let the House know that
he was also .eapable-not only capable,
but also willing-to take a hand in any
little oratorical scrap that might come
along. He also wanted to retain the
rule.
All of which entertained the House a
whole lot, but did not entirely settle
the question OF why so much fuss over
such an apparently trivial matter. The
wise ones of the House figure il out in
this way: that il was the first chance
to take a whael at Mr. Fletcher Of Cav
endish and il constituted a notice TO
the urbane Mr. Fletcher that his title
to the leadership OF the House, which
has been pretty generally accorded to
him. was 90 be contested.
Be the cause Of the ruction what Il
may, rule No. % stays; but IL anyone
desires to have a bill introduced affect
ing bank charters. town lines, changes in
shire towns. and who has neglected 20
publish the notice as required by the law
of 1909 Ell they have to do Is to take
it to the Senate. which is more liberal
in its way of doing business and has
no such rule.
-:os-
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