Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-01-19
Member Complains Of Colds TAX
en- Owing to Faulty Ventila-
ton and Heating.
CAPITOL ADDITION DISCUSSED
Bill Calling for $26o,ooO Made
Special Order for Tuesday
Morning-Sugar Coating
for Direct Tax.

Montpelier, Jan. 15.--The Senate was
not In session yesterday but the House
disposed OF considerable routine business
and after some discussion adjourned in
the afternoon until Monday evening at
eight o'clock. good WORKING quorum
ot 1876 members was present yesterday
morning, but the vacant seats were more
numerous In the afternoon
When the House went in Yesterday
morning Mr.. Martin of Hartland moved
that wien the House adjourn Saturday
noon 1T be till Tuesday morning. to allow
repairs TO the ventilating and heating
system to be made. He complained bitter
~ OF the colds that he and others had
taken because of faulty heating and VEN
tilation. Numerous amendments were
proposed to his motion and finally on mo-
ton of Mr.. Holden of Clarendon. the mo-
lion to adjourn was dismissed. Just be-
fore adjournment OF the forenoon session
the motion OF Mr.. Webster OF Swanton
that when the House adjourn Saturday
afternoon IT be until eight o'clock Mon
day evening went through.
The only bill of great Importance con-
s!dered yesterday was the one appropriat-
Ing s25O.Cco for the erection of an addition
dered to lie and was made special order
for Tuesday morning. An attempt was
made to get it ordered to third reading.
but the motion TO order it to lie pre-
vailed.
WOULD BORROW SCHOOL MONEY.
Mr.. House OF Berlin. chairman Of the
committee on public buildings. to whom
1 al
the need OF such a building and urged the
passage Of the bill. 1t was also favored
by Mr.. Cory of Montpelier, Mr.. Fletcher
of Csvendish, Mr.. Stafford of Brsttle-
boro and Mr.. Gatcher OF Charleston 1t
was opposed by Mr.. Ives OF Mt. Holly.
The bill authorizes the State treasurer
20 borrow from the permanent school
fund at five per cent. per annum the sum
named in the bill. and authorizes the
trustees OF the school fund to loan this
money to the State at that rate Of inter
est. Commencing July |, 1919. the bill
provides thnt SIS, 600 annually shall be
appropriated from the State treasury to
repay this loan. There Is considerable
opposition to approprfating this amount
of money even If 1t can be borrowed from
State funds and the bill is sure to be
stlll further discussed when II IL reached
as special order.
The House worked for two hours satur-
day afternoon and transacted consider
able routine business. The Senate bill
providing for a union depot at Burlington
was ordered to a third reading without
debate, and the House concurred in the
Senate proposal of amendment to the
House bill authorizing the city OF Bur
lington TO acquire and hold land on the
shore of Lake Champlain. This amend
ment simply Strengthened out faulty
phraseology
TO CALL IT HIGHWAY TAX
1t is certain that a State tax is coming
but TO make the pill more acceptable to
the people of the State It Is TO be sugar
coated bit by calling it highway tax.
lust how much the tax will be- the ways
and means committee does not know and
has no means OF knowing until in the
closing hours of the session It will be
possible to reckon UP tho expenditures
and see how much money It will take TO
meet them.
There is another purpose in calling the
tax a highway tax and that Is TO let the
people of the State know that the largely
Increased appropriation for highways is
largely responsible for the imposition OF
the tax. without this large appropria-
ton there might have been chance to
squeeze along on the present sources OF
revenue.
Majority and minority reports are ex.
pected on the bill to allow the Boston &
Maine road to build from South Vernon
10 Brattleboro and it is predicted that the
majority report will favor the bill That
the committee report is not to end the
matter is indicated by the fact that both
parties interested are actively lobbying
and II is expected that the fight on tho
hoor OF tho House will be a warm one.