The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-11-18
SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT BILL
The House Looks ASkance at
Weights and Measures
ALSO SOME IGNORANCE
Bill Went Against Powerful Opposition
in the House Yesterday-Reason
for Which Is Not Appar-
ent Now.
ALSO SOME IGNORANCE

The weights and measures bill had a
narrow escape from being killed in the
House yesterday morning when it came
up on its passage. There was DISPOSE
tion on the part of the House to delay
action on the bill, and when some of its
friends opposed any putting over a sus-
picion was created that something was
wrong with the bill This suspicion was
famed by those who would like to see
the bill killed during the noon recess,
and although the friends Of the measure
would have liked to call it up at the aft
ernoon session they did not dare to.
As It is, the bill is ordered to lie and
probably will not be taken up until after
the Thanksgiving recess.
During the debate on the measure at
the morning session, the argument for
delay was that the members had not had
time to become familiar with the bill,
and Mr., Batteli Of Middlebmy made tne
rather astonishing statement that be
did not even know a substitute bill had
been introduced The members who
wanted the bill to 60 over also stated
that they desired to consult with their
constituents about it, and it is feared
that when they come back the bill will
be either killed outright or emasculated
SO that it win be worse than no law
If any measure has ever received care
full and intelligent consideration at the
hands Of committee, it has been this
one, Not only has the committee spent
much time upon it, but the commission
appointed by Governor Prouty went into
the subject thoroughly, and their lSnowl-
edge has been freely at the disposal of
the committee.
Public hearings have been held, at
which have appeared some of the lead
ing authorities of the country on this
subject, prominent lawyers have given
their advice and object lessons have been
provided for the legislature, SO it would
seem that there was absolutely no ex-
cuse for any member not being informed
about it, The action taken yesterday is
discouraging for Mr., Rabbit Of Rock
ingham and the committee on internal
affairs, who have worked so hard on this
matter,
Mr.. CARL of Canaan, whose droll
speeches have been enjoyed BIZ the House,
appeared in new role yesterday after
noon, when he told the House what aileu
the ventilating system, he being one of
the committee appointed by the speaker
to look into the matter It seems that
the gentleman from Canaan is a mechan-
zeal engineer, and he had the figures to
show that with the amount of heating
surface in the ventiating system it was
Impossible to take in the volume Of air
it was doing and warm it enough to al.
ford the proper temperature in the
House. Mr.. CARL certainly appeared to
know what he was talking about and
it remains TO be seen if the state board
of health, which accepted the job, ana
the contractors who put it in, will bear
him out when they arrive to devise some
means to remedy the trouble.
49,
Speaker Howe seems to have selected
a good conference committee to meet a
similar committee from the Senate in
an endeayor to straighten out the trustee
process tangle In Mr. Fletcher of Cav
endisl he has man thoroughly ac-
quainted with parliamentary practice
and legislative usage. man whose wits
require no sharpening and who can ii
occasion require it, insert the knife as
gracefully as any man in the House Mr.
Mr. Webster of Swanton can certainly
be depended upon to protect all of the
dignity of the House in the matter He
is a game fighter and while stubborn, as
is necessary, knows how to yield a point
when he sees it is to his advantage And
then there is Mr. Cory of Montpelier
to throw oil on the troubled waters, in
which gentle art2he has no rival in the
House. All in all, it is hard to see how
the committee could be improved on.
On the Senate committee they viii
probably have to meet Senator Archibald.
who will be sorely grieved if he is de-
prived OF a chance to take part in the
mix-up. The senator is essentially a
fighting man and is thoroughly yersed
if the use Of all the weapons that will
be used in a contest of this sort If he
only can feel certain that he has the
Senate back of him, there need be no
looking for any backing down on his
part, If the result be that the legislature
is ripped clean asunder and kept in SEES
sion until the Fourth Of July. II is
doubtful if he knows the meaning Of the
word surrender, and those who have felt
the lash of his biting sarcasm have rea-
son to know that when he fights he
fights hard He is likely to have as one
OF his associates Senator Porter of Gale /
donia, who can also be depended upon
to hold mp his end in the controversy.
Meanwhile everyone is hoping that the |
consultations Of the committee may be /
public.
Yesterday Afternoons Doings.
The session OF the Senate yesterday
afternoon was short The president APP 4
pointed Senators Powell and Clark for
the investigation of the state detective /
service The Senate killed its own bill /
regulating empaneling OF juries.
The House, on the other hand, had a
very busy afternoon. a grist OF bills /
were killed, as follows:-
II. PSI, relating TO fishing in Lake /
Dunmore.
H. PSI, providing for a nonresident /
fishing license.
II. PSI, relating TO hunters licenses.
II. 800, relating to hunting. i
II. Sl4, relating TO hunters licenses.
H. 81. prohibiting ohstructing high +
ways with weeds.
II. 357, for the protection Of game