The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1911-01-12
BENNINGTON COUNTY's REPRE-
sENTATivEs IN MONTPELIER.



nails Special Correspondent a,
the Capitol.
Montpelier, Jan. 9.--The legisla
ture is on the last lap OF it's exis-
tence and the only question to-day
Is WHETHER ii will take two or three
weeks 10 complete the work Some
say two. which is probable. more
say three which Ia more probable
and IL is pretty safe TO say that
January 27 will be the date OF final
adjournment.
| Much was accomplished last week
not perhaps In the number OF meas
nres acted upon, but In fairly de-
finite settlement OF some questions
that VIII have aud have had ali
along direct bearing on lot oil
matters that have not yet been act
ed upon. OF primary importance
was the step taken toward the nor.
NAL school fight which has had an
influence on legislation since early
In the session This step was IN
the nature OF concession by the
administration In its policy toward
the present normal schools II has
been the policy OF the administra
tion ever since the start to wipe
out the schools at Randolph, Cas-
tleton and Johnson and II has been
regarded as the one thing the gov
ernor had set his heart on bringing
about. Thus far he has been able
TO accomplish the substitution OF
an agricultural school for the nor
NAL school at Randolph. There waf
little or no. opposition to this. and
1t went along smoothly. Then the
law to establish teacher training
courses IN high schools and academ
les, designed to cripple the present
normals, was showed through but
with considerably difficulty. 1t was
thought that after this blow there
would be no more fight left In the
schools at Johnson and CastletoH
and that the bill now under consid-
Grafton for central. high grade
normal school would go along with.
out much difficulty.
So appointments and other things |
that the governor had been holding |
up TO Influence the passage of tht |
teachers training course bill were
TO go along and when the |
fight developed on the central nor
NAL school bill the governor was
left but with very few shots in the
locker. The fight, under the lead
ership OF ex-Lieut.-Goy. Stearns OF |
Johnson. was waged so hotly tha.
the administration began to see that
IL would be next to impossible tc
get the central normal school bill
unless some provision wal
made for taking care OF the present
schools. This has been done in the
shape OF an amendment now under
and the big fight oil
The present session, as II was the
big fight of the session of two years
ago, Ii regarded aspretty nearly set
led.
The vote on the bill allowing
TO vote on the question OF
license or no license In towns. is
'egarded az pretty good indication
u about what the lineup will be
IN other matters making important
,hanges In the present liquor law.
rhis bill was killed on Thursday by
i vote OF 1873 to97 after one OF the
most dramatic debates OF the SEES
ion. During the debtae Mr.. Amey
Il Brighton read q letter written
" G.. j. Ferguson OF Burlington,
OF the Anti-Saloon ,
league In which he intimated that
me OF the members OF the House,
Mr.. Webster of Swan ,
on, and the South Vernon saloon
.eeper. meaning Mr. Alderman, the
representative from Vernon, had
een corrupted by the "slush fund
4 the liquor dealers. This communi-
alton of Mr. Ferguson probably I
ad the effect OF killing the bill In
be House. II certainly has disgust
d the members with the methods 9
mployed by him and has utterly Q
estroyed any Influence he may J
ave had on any temperance meas I
res before the House.
The fate OF his bin IL taken By
cell Informed members to indicate
hat there viii be no referendum bil
assed upon the liquor question at !,
ais session.
The House had another big fight
n Friday over the primary election
III and before the debate Il was not
spected that the measure would b Y
assed. The talk lasted nearly all D
/ the afternoon session, Speaker y
owe being one OF the strongest =
Ipporters OF the bill II was pass '
i by a vote OF i07 to G5. many 2
embers, IN view OF the adjourn
ent from Saturday noon until Mon Y
ay evening having left for their y
ONES before the vote was taken, y
sturday morning motion was
sde by Mr. Howard OF whiting 10 :!
.consider the bill and this mo- y
On was laid on the table by this y
move reconsideration Y
as made possible when the mem
.rs returned this week aud the Y
after will be thrsshed out again 8
-morrow morning II II not 9
ought II reconsideration fails thar y
ere ID much chance Of the bill e
sfting by the Senate
This same cruel Senate refused =
pass Col. Batteii's bill closing q y
,ad from East Middiebury 20 a rpaf q
Hancock TO automobiles which ~
e House passed under a threat ).
ON the colonel 20 withhold from q
iddiebury College and the state a -
n o. about half a million dollars Y
prth OF lard unless hlswishss were
cssaea 70. The Senate paid Col, "a