News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1910-12-21
Montpelier Letter
lDeferred nom last week.l


Legislature of 1910. They worked hard
and did considerable in the way of dis
posing Of routine business, but the
things accomplished could not compare
with the work of the first week after
the Til lnksgiying recess. 1t was not
the fault of the MEMBERS nor of the
speaker, circumstances seemed to stand
in the way of rapid progress on matters
of great state importance. The trouble
must, in a large measure, be attributed
to Leroy Kent, for his case came up
early in the week and took considerable
time. His case is now hope,essly set.
tied ana out of the way. That case
again put the Legislature of 1910 on
record as Legislature Of courage. II
the members can stay here long enough
TO tucker out the lobbests, the state
and people will see some good legisla-
zion. The strongest lobby III recent
years has been working overtime during
| the past thrHe weeks on the socalled
| Champlain Realty bill. Every body here
knows that eight or ten lawyers have
been here almost constantly working for
the passage of the bill but they only
secured three votes when the bill finally
came up for passage. 1t was a hot fight
and was the means of uncorking about
all the oratory there was in the House.
Warner of Cornwall said "Let the lion
roar in the Lobby" and Mr.. Amey of
Bright on, in the most eloquent plea of
the session, shouted "Shall the people
rule? The people do rule and the Cham
plain Realty 90 which IS an Offahoot
of the paper trust, have withdrawn
another DILL Of nature simi ar to the
one so overwhelmingly voted down.
THE INHERITANCE TAX BILL
The bill ere sting tax upon the e.
tates of deceased persons was introduced
by Mr.. Fletcher of the Ways and Means
reading without dissenting voice aud |
when the question came up for passage
iC was expected that there would be |
strenuous opposition, but only three or
four members spoke against it aud il |
was passed by the House almost unani
mOusly, not more than half a doz' n |
votes being cast against o. The bill J
provides for mail tax on inherit tnces. !
the tax being fixed On graduated |
scale and made to apply to direct inher-
itan ces az well as collateral inhefitauces. |
This will provide considerable revenue |
for the state and will make possible |
some of the measures looking toward a
" New Vermont Mr.. Fletcher may
well feel highly complimented by the
support given to his bill The bill must
yet pass the Senate, but it is not proua.
bic that the Senate will turn down a
measure of public nature which has re-
C lived such solid support in the House.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Another bright spot in the history of
this Legislature is that the Senate seems
to have buried the hatcher and the evil
deuces or bad blood have been wipe
out. There has been a time wnen good
legls alton was imperilen OY the person
al feelings of some of the Senators, but
they have risen to the occasion ana
while there are yet differences of ho1t 81
opinion they are seemingly without
string. Last week the Senate by two
thirds vote, and in nearly every case by
Il unanimous vote, p opposed several
to the s ate Constitution
The ole of most interest to the people
Is the one changing the time OF general
eleeti Ill to November instead of Sep
jember. The others give the Governor
| real veto power; that the legislature
shall not commute sentences; M mbers
If the General Assembly shall not be
appointed to offices cIea ed by the Gen
'ral Assembly permitting Legis allure
o pass So called Compensation Acts and
few minor changes made necessary by
hese amendments. The Senate refused ,
o permit the Constitution time-lock to ,,
,e removed. These amendments must i,
)e agreed 70 by the House by a majority
'ote, agreed 10 by the next Legislature,
no finally submitted to the people
hey cannot take effect before 1918.
THE STATE FAIR
The Strife Fair bill has passed the v
louise with an appropriation of $1,000
alter a bitter fight. rhe b
ounty fairs were after help and they e
id not propose to see the state fair get :
he money until they too had some as. t.
urances of support. There was other
pposition to the bill but the majority
f the members thought the state fair to !,
e splendid Vermont institution and /,
here was plenty of evidence to sup "a
ort them. The original bill called for n
10000, hut upon the recommendations o
+ the committee the appropriation was
ut to s., 900 and when the vote was Ia
en- not one was cast against it. A bill
as been introduced TO help the county
iirs and by their remarks on the floor q
the House many of the friends of the s.
ate fair are by duty bounn to help the n
ounty fairs. Both bills are so drawn as
, protect the Agricultural inter ests. v
THE TAXATION LAWS
Not word has been heard from the V
on Ways and Means regard S
" tax reform with the exception of the W
X commission bill which has been re- v
)rted favorably and passed by the Il
ouse. Two years ago the leaders of o
re House and Senate sought to pass o
lis creating tax commission abolish "
x offsets and placing a small tax on s;
The offset bill was reported 5,
rst and killed which of course resulted ID
the death of the intangible bill which u
flowed. 1t is pretty generally believed ~
lat had the tax measures been properly N ~