Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-20
Billings Bill Would Make Super,
intendency of Education an
Appointive Office.
WANT One MORE HOLIDAY
Bill Will Be introduced to Legal
ize Columbus Day-Webster
Defends Measure to Per
nit Fall SEEMING

Montpelier, Oct 1a--The bin introduced
In the House Friday by Mr.. Billings OF
Woodstock, to make the office of state
superintendent of education an appoin
tive Instead OF at present, an elective
office. Is considered by come an attempt
to dispense with the services OF Hon
Mason s stone Now this idea does not
come from the father or the bill, for
his purpose IN introducing II is not
known but from the quite geisrai opin-
ion that the only way to secure Il change
is by some such move as this.
Now this does not I'm ANY way mean
that there Is any widesp spread desire for
n change. nothing of the sort, simply that
Mr. Stone Is regarded as such an astute
politician that any attempt to supplant
him, so long as he wants the office, would
stand about ms much show as an endeav-
or to change the basis Of representation
In the House OF Representatives.
STRONG IN SMALL TOWNS
Indeed, IT is IN this very basis Of repre-
sentation that Mr. stones strength lies
This means that he is strong in the
smaller towns, the rural districts If
such they may he properly called in
State that Is in itself great rural com
munity. The State superintendent pos
sesses to marked degree the qualities
OF the glad hand. the winning smile and
the unctious way that count for so much
In the rural districts. These are the peo-
pie Mr.. Stone gets right-next-to. knows
them all by name, knows their relatives
and don't forget to inquire after them,
sees that the girls have chance to
teach. gives them free entertainments
with what a facetious press has termed
his "Unce Toms Cabin Show" Oh yes.
they are strong for Mason Stone and
they are also strong in votes in the gen
eral assembly
EDUCATIONAL. STANDING Low.
There is no gain saying the fact that
Mr.. Stone has made a good superinten-
dent of education, has done a whole lot
for the State, yet the standing of Ner-
mont in the roll of States has dropped
to point whore every staunch Yer
monter is ashamed to have IL mentioned.
Very likely Mr. Stone Is not to blame for
this, but II is one Of those things that
raise the question of whether or not
there is something wrong with the
States educa tional policy and the man
at the head has to shoulder the blame.
Then too Mr. stone Is in the same posi-
ton that nearly every man who has
held office for long time finds MIN
self, whether justly or not. confronting
the feeling that he has held the office
long enough In some of the larger towns
there Is a feeling that the superintendent
devotes too much of his time to the rural
schools, which is perhaps as it should be,
but the feeling exists Just the same
All of which Is of course, no sufficient
reason why Mr., Stone should not con-
tinue to hold his office. The only real
cause for change in such an office as
this is the chance to do better and while
II Is not certain the State can do this at
this time. the passage of Mr.. Billings &
bill would render 1t easier to make a
change IL the time ever does come
as the 3oint assembly at which a State
superintendent is elected comes next
Thursday the bill. II enacted into law,
will not affect the office for two vears
to come. 30 there IL no need for MIR.
Stones legicn Of friends to he unduly
alaTfl
AFTER LEGAL HOLIDAY
The lecture on The Flag Amer
lea and Opportunity" by Professor
j. c. Monaghan OF Notre Dame
University, for which the use of Repre-
sentauves' hall has been granted on the
evening of October 90, turns out to be the
first move by the Knights OF Columbus &c
secure the passage Of n law making Col
umnus day a legal holiday in this State
as has been done In several States. Tha,
there will be some opposition to this is
predicted by those who know the futlity
OF trying to make day a real holiday
generally recognized and observed a I such
by the bulk Of people by legal enactment
IT is pointed out that It has been the mol
Icy of the State to do away with Legal
holidays that were not generally observed
such as for instance Fast day, and to &c
slow in creating new ones unless Their,
was moro universal demand than We,
exists for Columbus day.
one or the more prominent members OF
the Legislature said he was opposed To n
Tor the reason that 1t would open tn,
door for an ODD Fellows holiday. &
knights OF Pythias holiday, a Masoni,
holiday and so on almost without end
WOULD LEGALIZE SEEMING.
Representative Webster o, swanto, Il
quite optimistic Of the success Of N,
bin he has introduced 10 permit fan seIn,
fishing In Lake Champain. Mr. Web
ster thinks II the members VINO are IN
familiar with conditions as they exis
along tho lake can be made to understand
that fail soining Is very different matte
from spring SEEMING that his bin will q,
through. He says that the State fish an,
game commissioner favors fall seining
that the pending fisheries treaty betwee,
the United States and Canada permits
In Lake Champlain, that the Canadian
always have and are now enjoying
small revenue from 1t and that he cal
see no good reason why the citizens O
this State who own farms aions the lax
should not have the right to fish
RELIEVE COST OF LIVING
Mr. Webster says that some of tn
game fish. which 1t is the policy of tn
State to protect for the enjoyment O
Its piscatorially inclined citizens and 70
the attraction Of similarly inclined sum
mer visitors are taken with seines In tn
fall and that the only fish taken ar
those generally recognized as CONNER
cial fish, such as shad. pouts, sucker
perch, mullet, sheephead, pickerel an
the like. The greatest revenue to be oh
tained from fall SEEMING in the part @
the lake where he lives, Mr. Webste
says Is from the shad. or more properl
white fish. These, he says, can only b
taken In the fall and by nets and az the