Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-02-01
THE LAST REPORT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

| SCdGGNOuSG. CGIldIOES IfaNS De0u
buttonholed, threatened, besought
and bewildered until the wonder is
that none of them broke down under
the strain. 1t is quite generally be
! lieved that the zeal with which the B.
and M. road secured place for its
friends on the senate committee on
railroads was the most potent factor
in it's defeat. The committee, was
I headed by a senator who is a cashier
in the bank of which W. B. C. Stick
ney is president. Mr.. Stickney il
we'll known and the attorney of the
railroads, and long before this fight
reached the senate it was we'll known,
how the committee would stand on
the matter. The senate therefore
took the matter into rts own hands
and referred the bill to a joint COM
mittee, consisting of the judiciary COM
mittee sitting with the railroad COM
mittee. This vote plainly showed the
senate's lack of confidence in it's own
railroad committee and it was the first
victory won by the Central Vermont
| Thereafter the B. and M. was on the
defensive and the final result was,
that the Boston & Maine gained moth
ing.
THE INTANGIBLE TAX
been smoldering for years and which
took definite form four years ago when
Gov. Proctor appointed a commission
to investigate and report some mea
sure looking toward a correction Of ex-
listing evils, has been tried fairly and
squarely and although passed by both
houses has met Untimely death at the
hands of Gov. Mead. Early in the
week a bill was introduced in the
senate, placing a tax Of seven
tenths of one per cent on all intangi-
bles and eXempting them from all
other taxes. The bill passed the SEN
ate by vote of II to II and was sent
to the house. 1t was then decided
that such bill must originate in the
house of Representatives and the bill
was returned to the senate. The
ways and means committee then in.
troduced a copy of the bill in the
house as a matter of courtesy with
out recommendation The members
: were ready for it and although j
+, lacked the sanction of the ways anC
q means committee there were many
e champions on the floor in its behalf
Il The bill was passed. by vote of "
: to GA and it developed that the re
: ouired quorum Of two. thirds of tn
the house resulted and a few delin
ouent members were brought in an
the bill was again passed by an eve
10 larger majority. 1t is needless t
IS say that JOY reigned supreme for
or few moments. The bill then went t
NJ the senate and was passed by a SAT
majority. The opponents of the bi
seeing their favored privileges sliI
ping away from them then made thei
last desperate effort and besiege
the GOV ernor to veto the bill. Be
said IN excuse of the governors actio
that it was after midnight and thu
for week be had been deprived {
~" rest and that flood of bills had bee
poured in upon him in the closir
he hours of the session. The friends
M the bill were largely farmers al
no members from the rural towns al
"a. were not equal to the task of owe
inf coming the pressure brought to be-
he by the bankers and high financiers, al
rs their hope became blasted by vet
an They did, however, show their reser
me ment by voting 76 to 60 to pass tt
wv measure over the veto. This did n
,nt constitute constitutional quorum f
ar. the purpose and the measure was los
IA Thus a measure which had three tim
T. been passed by the house and twl
in by the senate was lost through ia
and cied grievances dinned into the tir
les ears of the governor by the exponer
lso of high finance and special privilege
net THE POWER BILL.
ich The bill granting certain rights
an outside capital that desire to erect
i'm immense power plant generating fir
III. so. 900 to so. O00 horse power on
Connecticut near Barnet at an out
of S., 900. 900 or Sc, 900. 900 was pass
the legislature granting nearly all
roe the privileges asked in the bill.
nis. LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
ar 1t is a hard proposition for n
the who is frequently spoken Of as {
70. next governor to be a member of
mis- house. 1t is still harder for him
no. make political assets from any OF
who actions. In the two great fights Of
,er session Mr.. Fletcher was found W
at. the majority in the railroad fight ;
Mr. with the minority in the intangi
his tax fight. He stated on the floor