St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-09-21
Legislative Expectations.

out by various state papers, will be
composed largely of strong repre-
sentative Vermonters. The conven-
] ing of the states law making body
| is always an event of much interest
! and its possibilities provoke much
| discussion. In one respect at least
| the legislature this year meets
under unusual conditions. Seldom
has there been so well defined poll
| tical reforms that every republican
members of that body is pledged to
| support. We have already stated
that the republican party in state
| convention adopted one of the best
platforms in it's history That
| platform was discussed and adopted
before a single candidate for state
| Office was nominated and in accept
ing the nomination each candidate
endorsed that platform in full So
we may safely expect quite definite
results of this legislative body.
The platform recommends all the
| changes to the constitution asked
| by the special commission appointed
to prepare proposals of amendment
to the legislature, namely: The re-
mova1 of the time lock on proposals
of amendment, the comforting upon
| the governor of the state an effect
i've power of veto, change of the
time of the convening of the general
assembly from the first Wednesday
in October to the first Monday in
January, a change of the date for
holding freemen's meeting from The
first Tuesday in September to the
first Tuesday in November, taking
away from single members of the
house the right to call for yeas and
nays, but allowing a roll call on the
! demand of ten members, taking from
the legislature the power to pardon
or commute the sentence of muir
| der.
Definite legislation exempting a
| certain amount of a laborer's wages
| from the trustee process and the
enactment of an employers 1iabi1-
| ity act are promised in the platform.
A more equal distribution of the
burdens of taxation is favored but not
outlined in the platform.
! Encouragement of instruction in
elementary agriculture, manual
training and domestic science, the
encouragement of forest culture,
regulation of numbering and forest
reserves are also advocated.
A law compelling the publication
of an itemized account of campaign
expenses and greater safeguards for
political caucuses are also favored.
| We believe that in the latter matter
more definite changes of the methods
of conducting the political primaries
than the platform indicates will be
lattempted. There is a growing ele-
ment in this state which believes that
law which gives the voter as full
and fair an opportunity of expressing
his choice for the candidates for of
flee as the present law gives for vot-
ing for the men nominated should
be passed. A bill for this purpose
undoubtedly will be presented to the
legislature and that body will serve
the people and especially the domin-
ant political party of the state vel
if it enacts such a law. The voters
of Vermont will not long submit te
such threats as that issued during
the last campaign to the effect thai
reduction of the party vote would
reduce the power of the town anC
voter in the selection of future can
didates for Office.
The above are but a few of the
changes that will be asked but the1
alone will furnish enough business
: which if properly performed will
: make for the legislature of 1910 {
very creditable record.
Some of the other matters sure t.
be considered are changes in I'll,
liquor laws of the state, a corrup
practices act with proper penalties
amendments to the fish and gam,
laws, quite probably changes of tn,
; public service commission act, law
: relating to public health, regulation
OF the slaughter OF meat Tor none
consumption, the practice of medi
| cine, dentistry and other professions
and many acts for the benefit o
: the farmer" and many others TO
whom the benefit will not be S,
: frankly stated. It has taken som,
i space to simply enumerate thes.
} things. 1t would take large bool
J to properly discuss them. And i
| Will take weeks of hard nresistan.