Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-02-09
DARLING RESOLUTION PASSED
Got through the Board Of Alder
men, Eight to Three.
Hack License Refused to william Cote
after Heated Discussion--Move
for Lower Insurance Hates
More ray for Librarian.

Strenuous with n large s. character
lies the regular meeting OF the board
of aldermen Monday night, with every
member in attendance except Alderman
NJ ]. Barnes.
Considerable routine business was
transacted by the board, but the real
features of the evening consisted OF
number of specialties that were intro
huced between the regular acts.
The first set of fireworks was touched
off when the now famous Darling reso-
lution," author unknown, but presented
md "fathered." as certain members Of
the board expressed 1t, by Alderman
Barnes. was taken up At two previous
meetings this resolution has been Of
fered only to he blocked and laid over
until the regular meeting. 1t got through
the line last night. however, but only
after somewhat heated controversy.
Three members of the board voted against
The adoption OF the resolution. They
we're Aldermen Cowles, Drew and Clarke.
Those who voted in favor of passing the
resolution were Messrs Sanborr. Ed
wards. Gosseln, Dion, McCaney. Sulli-
van, O'Neil and Cofrey. The resolution
was one consuming Collector Darling for
his activity at Montpelier in the matter
of the proposed enabling act. authoriz-
Ing the city to bond for 5000 for ad-
hltiona equipment at the municipal light
Ing plant. Following Is the resolution:
Whereas, by the unanimous action of
The Council OF the city of Burlington, up
on the recommendation of the electric
light commissioners OF the city, the Yer
mont Legislature was requested to au-
thorze the city to issue Its bonds In
the sum Of $4,000 to repair, equip and
improve the municipal electric light plant
And whereas. after a bill, blouse
Fill No 5O6) had been introduced In and
passed by the House of Representatives
md in the Senate had been referred 70
the judiciary committee, and had so been
in the Legislature some weeks and had
been thoroughly discussed in Burlington.
by its officials and citizens, and In the
public press. It appears that Charles II.
Darling. the collector of customs for the
United States, at the port OF Burlington.
rs he says In his interview given In the
Burlington Free Press of December 20.
1910. while he was killing time at
Montpelier. appealed to this judiciary
committee for delay and hearing on the
bill in question.
Now. therefore, he 1t resolved. that
this honorable federal officeholder
should not be killing time" confess
eddy or otherwise, while in the pay
Of the United States as a public ser
want and that in "killing time" on
this occasion the honorable collector
of customs for the United States, with
the assistance OF the manager of the
Burlington Light and Power company
succeeded in killing" the aforesaid
House bill. and thereby seriously
hampered the proper and expeditions
administration and municipal business
of the city.
And. that the conduct of this lobby
by the United States collector Of GUS
toms in this port. in the State Legis-
lature, with the assistance of the man.
aEer of the Burlington Light and
Power company. was highly improper
and resulted in serious injury to the
welfare OF the city, and merits the
severe censure of this body"
HEATED DISCUSSION.
The reading OF this resolution pre-
cipitated a warm discussion. A re-
quest for the author OF the resolution
was made. but no one was able to
answer the rlduIe. II was stated tHat
the resolution was offered by Alder
man Barnes "by request" and Mr..
Barnes was not present at the meet
Ing His name. however, is attached
to the resolution.
Alderman Cowles protested that the
resolution was out of order and that
the board had no right to pass such
a resolution censuring the actions of
an officer of the federal government.
Alderman Clarke said re had no
idea what the resolution contained
but supposed it was first presented to
the board in the shape of a communi-
cation. He said he could not see what
Jurisdiction tho board had over a gov
eminent official Alderman Cowles
asked for a ruling by the chair on the
question OF whether the resolution was
In order
Chairman Dion ruled that the res
olution was in order. He said he con-
sidered II a deliberate attempt on the
part OF Mr.. Darling, with interested
parties backing him, to kill the bill
at Montpelier and block municipal
progress, and that he should rule that
he resolution was proper.
COWLEs APPEALS FROM CHAIR.
Mr.. Cowles. II cannot see how this
\board has any right to pass such a
Ytesolution. What would the members Of
4 Mis- board think Of Congress II 1t at
tempted to dictate to this board If the
board had not conducted itself as Con-
yress thought proper? l should like to
appeal frcm the decision OF the chair. v
Mr. Sullivan: Il suggest that the board
lay the resolution over until Alderman
parnes Is present"
Mr. Cowles, Cunning TO the mayor
who drew up this resolution. anyway
Mayor Burke stated that he did not
know. lie said he had been credited with
having drawn it but that he had not done
30. He expressed himself. however as
being strongly in favor OF having the
resolution passed and said that in his
opinion the resolution was entirely
proper.
MIR. Drew: 81 consider that resolu-
tion entirely irrelevant, Foreign and per-
sonal"
Mr., Clarke What will it amount to,
even if we pass it,"
Mr.. Cowles; II have high personal
regard for Mr.. Darling although we
differ at times on questions of law and
policy. I used my best efforts against
those OF Mr., Darling to have the en-
aiding act passed. When It comes to
an action consuming Mr.. Darling, that Is
another matter. My criticism Is that Mr.,
b Darling did not begin his fight here
In the board. This action is too much
like trying to abridge the rights OF an
American citizen. Any man has the
right TO 20 to the Legislature on any