The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-12-01
TWO SESSION PLAN
Continued from page ID

Continued from page 1 }
reading as rapidly as the work could
be done. The House bill relating to
highway taxes. made a special order
on request of Mr.. Battell of Middle
bury, was killed. though it was a
committee bill.
Abundance of 0ratOry
/ There was an abundance of oratory
in the discussion of the bill relating
to homicide, made special order for
Pas. This is the Amey bill which
permits juries to qualify their YER
diets in certain murder cases and it
was passed by a narrow margin.
The Senate was in session less than
an hour during the day, but disposed
of what business it had on hand with
out debate Some friends of the House
trustee process bill were alarmed
when the Lieutenant Governor an
nounced the appointment of the Sen
ate committee of conference, since he
placed on it Senators Cushman and
Archibald, the proposer and most ar
dent defender of the Cushnhan bill,
and Senator Dale, whose exact posi-
ton was not known. 1t is understood,
however, that Mr.. Dale favors the
keeping of the party pledge.
The claim that the House bill, hav-
ing once been finally voted on in the
Senate, cannot be taken up again even
though it should be recommended by
the conference committee, is not be-
lieved by most Senators to be sound
Not Renewal
Good authorities say the presenta-
ton of the measure again in that man
ner would not be a renewal of the
question within the meaning of the
rule, and that such has been held to
be the case by some of the best par
lamentary authorities in the coun-
try.
1t appears probable that the confer
ence committee may recommend the
adoption of the House amendment and
if that is done rule "a will probably
be invoked in the Senate to prevent
it's reconsideration in that body, but
nct all friends of the Cushman bill
feel disposed to prevent consideration
in that manner. If the conference
committee makes the recommends
ton expected, that is, the substitution
of the House bill, with some unimpor-
tant amendments, it is believed the
Senate will treat with courtesy the
recommendation and at least give the
matter further hearing.
1t has become plain that the House
will not accept the Cushman BILL be-
cause members believe that it does
not carry out the promises of the plat
form and does not effect the result de-
sired.
$50 They Hear Criticism.
Senators who have favored the
Cushman bill have heard some severe
criticism of their action in failing to
act in accordance with the promises
the party made and are not strongly
disposed to go contrary to the desire
of the people, since they would be
surrendering no principle in accept
ing the House bill in preference to the
Cushman measure.
1t is expected the special committee
of the Senate will report the proposals
of amendment to the State constitution
this week. The committee is favor
ably disposed toward them all as sug-
gested by the commission appointed
by Governor Prouty. and will recon-
mend two others, one, desired by the
judges of the Supreme court, chang
ing their official designation to JUS
tees and another permitting the en-
actment of a compensation law.
The eighth proposal, providing for
rewriting the entire constitution, has
been framed so as to be entirely sat
isfactory. 1t now provides that the
work of putting all the amendments
Supreme court.
Entirely Proper.
This seems entirely proper, as the
work of that body will command con-
1 fdence. and more than that, the court
has the power to interpret the consti-
tuition in any event. and that docu-
ment means whatever the court may
say it shall mean.
Not all the Senators are in favor CT
all the amendments but some of them
Who look with disfavor on some of
them believe it would only be fair to
the State to vote for them, since that
means only recommending the chan
ges to the next Legislature, and they
do not consider that their personal
objections ought to operate to pre-
vent the people having a chance to
pass upon the proposals. Some prom
inent members cf the House take the
same view and will vote for amend
ments they do not personally favor
believing they ought to give the peo-
pie Il chance to be heard
Whether an amendment is necessary
tc permit the enactment of compen-
satory legislation is a mcoted ques-
ton. Some hold that it can be done
now without change of the constitu-
ton, but if this amendment should
be passed there could be no question
CT the effectiveness of such IA law.