Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-11-16
OUR LEGISLATIVE LETTER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE


discussion of the respective bills some
of the senators spoke lightly of the
house and were promptly called to or
der by Lieut.-Gov Slack who stated
that it was not in order to comment
upon the action of the other branch
of the general assembly. What might
easily have developed into a strife
which would seriously impair the
work of the legislature has now been
settled temporarily and will doubtless
have happy ending.
The house had lively debate Fri
! day over the so-called education bill
providing for training courses for
teachers. The bill was introduced by
DR.. Bryant of Ludlow and provided
that approved high schools and acad-
emies might have courses for teachers
and that such courses should be under
the supervision of the state superin-
tendent of education. There was no
opposition to the merits of the bill but
many members thought it ought to be
under the supervision of the board of
education rather than the superinten.
dent. It was a fight between the nor.
NAL schools and the friends of the su-
perintendent of education and each
side lined up for the fray. It is said
that the friends of the normal schools
are maintaining powerful lobby here,
and it seems equally true that Mr..
Stone has mis- friends pretty we'll or
ganized. This house is evidently
anti-normal school and they supported
the measure and killed the amend
ment. Mr.. Billings of Woodstock
stated frankly that he had more con-
! fidence in the board of education than
! he did in the superintendent of educa-
! tion and that called out the statement
from DR.. Bryant that it might as we'll
be made plain that this was a fight
| backed by the normal schools against
| Mr.. Stone. If that is the case Mr.
Stone has won one victory. 1t is but
natural however that the normal
schools would fight a measure which
provided any other means of prepar-
ing teachers for their work. The
fight will probably be carried to the
senate.
Not one word about the liquor laws
has been heard on the floor of the
house with the exception of the scores
of petitions which have been present
ed asking for the repeal of the pres
ent law and the passage of "state-
wide, up-to-date prohibitory law "
Mr.. Hunt of New Haven has intro
called for in the petitions. His bill
provides that no licenses would be
granted in any county unless a major
ity of the towns in that county vote
yes. and as far as we can learn that
would mean no licenses would be
granted in any county. One or two
changes in tho present law have been
proposed but they have been killed
without debate and it does not look
as though any radical changes75would
be made. The legislature of 1908 gave
the encouragement unlimited author
ity to employ detectives and it is said
that nearly $500 has since been spent
in Orleans county and there has been
but one conviction there for selling
liquor within the past two years. It
would seem that the present law is a
pretty good prohibition law. A joint
resolution has passed calling for an in
vestigaton as to money spent under
the act Of 1908 and will doubtless re.
suit in saving many thousand dollars
to the state. 1t is not charged that
the Encouragement has squandered
} or misused this money but it is felt
that there should be a reasonable
limit placed upon the amount which
may be paid out for "spotter" evi.
: dence. Spotter evidence never stopped
liquor selling and never will. That
town or county is pretty well off
| whose wickedness is not visible tC
the naked eye.
This legislature has one thing al
least in its favor. It is striving to
! stop some of the financial leaks. A
! bill has passed both houses forbiddine
, the payment of fees to justices of the
r ! in ~
where a municipal court has jurisdic
tion and the payment of fees to towr
grand jurors in towns where the
/ states attorney resides. Justices
| and grand jurors have collected thou
sands of dollars during the past year
in towns and cities where municipa
court judges and state S attorneys are
! paid salaries for doing the work. Thi!
bill passed the house relating to jus
tees only and went to the senate anC
was killed The killing was said tt
be as the result of lobbying done BY
, interested parties from st. Alban
) and Burlington. But some one witt
an eye to business called attention o
the senate to the facts and the bill
was reconsidered by the senate ant
then the senate went one better ant
! made the bill apply to grand jurors a
: we'll. The bill was then sent back t.
: the house and met with approval I
: was said in support of the bill tina
the town grand juror in Burlington
has been earning more in fees thai
the total salary of the states attor
ney of Chittenden county.
The skunk and musk rat bill ha
passed the house after one of tn
q most entertaining fights of the ses
g sion. 1t was entertaining because
: was not of such serious nature as t
a forbid levity. The object of the bil
q is to prevent the destruction of skunks
h during thaC period of the year whe
d the fur is about to become valuabl
viz from Sept. Is to Nov. l. Nj
Woodruff of Burke moved to strik
out the protection on skunks and fcz
es and for a moment it looked a
though that was the sentiment of tn
l. house. Mr.. Woodruff thought
- skunk or fox was worth great de;
h more dead than alive. Mr.. Ives {
is Mt. Holly spoke of the skunks pc