The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-02-01
THE BILL THAT FAILED

session were so dramatic and filled
with matters of interest that 1t is not
strange that the overworked news
paper reporters failed to follow them
all and the editorial writer's in follow
ing the reporters have tangled them
selves in a maze of confusion. For
instance the following exeract from
an editorial in the Free Press is about
as wide of the mark as it well con be:
For instance, nobody knew until
final adjournment came what the
sum total of the Legislatures reyis-
ion of tax legislation was TO be. We
are informed that the majority of the
ways and means committee of the
House held the bill providing for the
taxation of intangibles until the last
hours of the session and then report
ed it unfavorably In spite Of these
tactics the people through the deter
mination of DR.. G. II. Branch Of Grand
Isle nearly won the fight for this
measure in the direction of the abol-
ishment of double taxation of mort
gagged property and the encourage
ment of the development of Yer
mont's resources, as he persisted in
making a minority report from the
ways and means committee in favor
of the bill which went through both
Houses but which was vetoed on the
plea of revenue
AS a matter of fact there was
never asy formal action on the bill
by the Ways and Means committee
and no vote was taken in the Ways
and Means committee. Senator
Gordon appeared before the commit,
tee after adjournment Thursday and
spoke in favor Of the bill which he
had introduced in the senate. Mr..
McCuen was present on invitation
from Mr.. A. NJ. Fletcher, chairman of
the committee and after some little
discussion Mr. Fletcher stated speci-
fically to Senatir Gordon that If he
would bring the bill up in the senate
Friday and the bill passed the senate
that he, Mr.. Fletcher, would intro
duce an exact copy of the bill in the
House as soon as II was known that
the bill had passed the senate, If II
should pass.
At the meeting of the Ways and
Means committee referred to there
were present seven members, includ-
ing Mr.. Fletcher, Mr.. Dart, Mr.. Cal
derwood, Judge Peck, and Mr.. Bah
bitt and as stated no vote was taken
so the statement in the Free Press
that a minority If the Ways and
Means committee forced the introduc
ton of this taxation bill is an error,
as not only was no vote taken, but
Mr.. Fletcher stated to Senator Cor
den that il any member of the Ways
and Means committee did object to
the introduction of the tax bill as a
committee bill he would introduce 1t
himself personally, and in his own
name in order that It might be con
sidered and discussed by the House
members If they should so deisre
This is how the bill came into the
House and its later record in being
passed by both House and Senate on
ly to be vetoed by the governor is too
we'll known to require further COM
ment. Mr.. Fletcher did only the fair
thing to bring the matter before the
House and 1t was not his fault that It
came so late in the session. The
friends OF the measure should have
gotten It in earlier and not have. left
its fate to the generosity OF Mr.. Flet.
cher who told them from the start
that he was opposed to its provisions.