The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-10-22
Therefore II Killed Demurrage
Bill Forthwith
SLAP AT PUBLIC SERVICE
Mr.. Babbitt Told the House He Thought
1t Was Giving Too Much Power
to the Vermont Commission.
The Legislature Adjourns.

There are indications that this general
assembly is somewhat sensitive to criti-
cism and is going to be controlled TO a
more or less extent by public sentiment;
in which respect it may be said to differ
from the legislature of 1908. This was
shown by hesitancy in adjourning yester-
day, for the members apparently did not
relish the criticism that followed last
weeks adjournment from Friday until
Tuesday. 1t was the general supposi-
tion that it took joint resolution to
adjourn from Friday until Tuesday, until
someone looked up the constitution and
found that it was only an adjournment
for more than three days that required
the consent of both houses. The way
the feeling ran yesterday, either house
would have been only too glad to kill
such a resolution originating in the other
body, to gain the reputation of being
workers. As a matter of fact, the work
is all cleaned up, and it is only the
committees that have anything on hand,
and only the more important OF these
Not a great many OF the members
are staying over Sunday, and those have
AtOrLlN EUllE W IOfL EhudU 4AllEN 1bE
the review of the troops by the governor
and the laying of the hotel corner stone
at Burlington. Senator Powell was alb
sent yesterday, supposedly at his home,
putting the finishing touches on what
viii be without doubt the most preten-
tious occasion in the hotel annals of
Vermont. Those hostelries that were
opened with mere ball or banquet will
have to sink their heads in shame, now
that the Vermont hotel is rearing its
bulk on corner stone laid by the gov
ernor Of the commonwealth.
In the House yesterday afternoon, the
bill Incorporating the trustees Of the
Vermont soldiers home was ordered to
lie and be made special order for next
Tuesday afternoon at o'clock The
bills amending the charter of the E. & I.
Fairbanks company Of st, Johnsbury and
the Farview Casualty company of Barre
were read the third time and passed.
The House also adopted the joint reso-
luton allowing the joint standing COM
mittee on the industrial school to visit
that institution. The committee left
for the trip last night.
Three bills were killed on adverse
committee reports. Two were bills in
troduced by Mr.. Pittridge of Leicester,
to make the office OF state highway COM
missioner elective by the legislature, in
stead of appointive. Mr.. Pittridge made
a valiant defense of the bills, but could
not overcome the adverse committee re-
port. The other killing was, in a way,
slap at the public service commission,
at whose instance it was introduced by
Mr. Bryant of Ludlow. 1t was the bill
empowering the commission to establish
a code of demurrage rules. uniform with
those OF other states Mr.. Babbtt of
Rockingham. a member of the judiciary
committee that reported the bill ad-
versely. told the House that the COM
mitee considered that this was enlarg-
ing the powers of the commission too
far He said the state now had o.
hour demurrage rule, and it wanted to
hang onto it and not have it in the
power OF any public service commission
to shorten il.
Mr.. Babbitt is the Vermont repreA
sentative of the New England demurrage
committee, that, in conjunction with the
Boston chamber of commerce, is fighting
the attempt of the interstate railroads
to get a 4S.hour demurrage rule, and
it was evident that he knew what he
was talking about when he opposed the
bill Mr., Shaw of Stowe. Mr. Bronson
of Hardwick and Mr.. Daniels of Warren
supported Mr.. Babbtt's views, and the
bill was killed without a fayoring vote.
Attempt to Equalize Taxation.
In the Senate yesterday afternoon,
Senator Barden of Rutland introduced
a bin, whose purpose it is to equalize
taxation. It is proposed to do this by
making the following amendments Mon
ey loaned in this state on real or person.
al property mortgages as security, rate
Of interest not exceeding AZ per cent,
such money not exempt in excess of list
ed value of property so mortgaged; rate
Of interest to be specified in the mort
gage and note When more than AZ
per cent. is paid upon indebtedness
claimed to be exempt, person so paying
may recover interest as provided by law
for recovery of usury,
The bill also provides that existing
mortgage debts are subject to this act
by recording in town clerks Office in
the town where the mortgage is record
I'd, signed by the parties, and rate of
interest such debt shall bear. Persons
claiming exemption under this act shall
state tax inventory amount on which
is claimed. interest paid and
names of persons owing such debts. No
deductions for debts owing shall be al
owed a taxpayer. Savings banks, trust
savings banks and trust
companies and insurance companies hold
ne indebtedness exempted under this
let may deduct such indebtedness from
gross amount on which they are re-
luired to pay state taxes. Senator Bar
lens bin was referred to the grand list