The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-07-15


the powers of its board of public
health that today the most up-to.date
ideas of public sanitation and hygiene
are enforced under its direction by
local health officers in every town in
the state. A state school for these
local health officers is held annually
for a week, and under the law atten-
dance is compulsory and the health
officers are paid for their time and
expenses out of the public treasury,
An anti-tuberculosis commission has
visited practically every sizable town
in Vermont, carrying an exhibit to
illustrate the modern methods of
fighting the disease and delivering
public addresses on the subject of
the great white plague. How does
this compare with states where the
census figures do not present per
haps the gloomiest statistical picture
TO be found at the present time in the
United States?"
Conserving the Forests
Within the peror covered by Mr..
Rossiter's statistics Vermont has en-
gagged an expert state forester and
with wise laws, has begun a systemat-
ic and persistent propaganda for the
conservation of the forests now under
private ownership II has also made
the beginning OF a chain of public
forest reserves that will doubtless
in time be extended through every
county in the state with the idea that
each one OF them will serve as To-
Called object lessons of forest cul-
ture for the surrounding country. 1t
has also founded a state nursery and
supplies seedlings to all forest plant
ers and sends experts to superintend
their planting at bare cost
During this same period OF de
cadence Vermont originated and
jointly with New York carried out a
weeks program in celebration OF the
Booth anniversary Of the discovery OF
Lake Champlain and brought to this
state the president OF the United
States, the French and British ambas.
sailors, representatives of the DOmin-
ion of Canada and perhaps the most
distinguished company of nOtables
generally ever entertained in north
ern New England
A trihing thing in its way perhaps
but as an example Of the enlightened
spirit of progress among Nermonters
1t may be suggested that the Office
OF state ornithologist has been crea
ted and a systematic movement inaug
urated under his direction whereby
the people of the state are 10 be
taught more about the birds that in
habit the state and the reasons, aes
thetic and practical, that demand
their protection for the pleasure o
man and the preservation OF his
fruits and crops from insect pests
Vermont. in common with all thu
older states, inherited from England
the fee system for the payment o
various public officers, and Vermont
in common with them again. has bee
| witness 10 the abuses in the admins
tration of government that the anc
ent fee system is now responsible TO
under latter-day conditions. In r.
cent years, step by step, this obnO'
ious fee system is being eliminate
and today It's most Objectionable iei
lures have well nigh disappeared.
Vermont has for some time maiI
tanned n public library commission
through whose efforts by the aid c
state money. the work OF eXtensio
of Libraries throughout the smalle
towns has already been carried
such a point that there are now con
paratively few communities In IN
state without the benefit OF such a
institution. What can "decadent
state be thinking OF to spend its MOI
ey in this way?
Vermont has created the Office {
state commissioner of weights an
measures. enacted most exactin
law for his administration and Sc
about the correction OF long Ignore
frauds and abuses in this field wit
the most hearty and responsive pull
lie sentiment behind the movemen
MIR. Rossiter will take notice that
does not require much OF a populi
ton quorum to be honest
Other Sweeps Of the Broom
Among miscellaneous enactment
OF the legislature tending to show
progressive social order may be cite
laws limiting municipal indebtedness
furnishing dealers in the so.calle
white slave traffic, promoting
geological survey OF the state, el
larging the field Of usefulness OF th
state library; establishing burea
Of information and publicity undo
the direction of the secretary of stat
instituting a modern system Of a
counting in the state auditors an
state treasurers Offices; appropri
ting several hundred thousand dc
lars for additions to and improv
ments OF the state prison, house
correction. state industrial school an
state hospital for the insane; empo'
ering juries in capital cases upon co
viction OF murder in the first degre
to specify whether punishment sha
be BY death or imprisonment for llf,
remodeling the corporation law;
modern banking law passed after Il
report of an expert commission thi
examined the laws of all the states
enlargement Of the powers of the cor
missioner OF state taxes, imposltio