The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-25
woooroRp 4eRnIrs LETTER
Correspondent Writes Of Affairs at
State Capital
MontpelIer. Jan. %, 1911.

in the third House for and against the
bill giving the Vermont Valley rail-
road company authority to extend its
line from Brattleboro to South Yer
non. was kept at high pitch for sew .
era days when the solons were not
in session; and still higher was the !
tension when the arguments for and |
against the bill were being made in |
the House Thursday afternoon and I'M
til 10 o'clock in the evening.
The following morning the bill was
ordered TO a third reading by a large
which was big victory for
the Boston and Maine. Friday after
noon the bill passed by larger ma
jority than carried 1t to third read
tong. The struggle is now transfer
red TO the Senate and while both
sides profess confidence the better
Judgment now appears to be that the
action of the upper House, will be IA
vorable to the bill.
Following the railroad bill came on
House bill 46S, known as the Fifteen
mile Falls" bill, Incorporating a pow
er company to build dam in the
town of Barnet, $50 feet high, which
would inundate thousands of acres OF
meadow and other land, which would
necessitate the changing of highways.
the removal of several school houses
and other buildings, and abandon
cemeteries. Mr.. Roy the representa-
tive from Barnet, strongly opposed
the building of the dam, saying that
II would be a deplorable deed to thus
submerge the silent dead. The com
pany claim that the immense dam
would give them from $4,000 to co.
900 horse power which could be used
In Vermont and adjoining states. Dis
cussions on this bill also made the
members look solemn and wise. 1t
seems somewhat strange that the
peope in thriving towns just below
where 1t is proposed to construct this
stupendous dam,-St. Johnsbury be-
ling one of them, and near by,-should
Iexpress desires by petition and other
wise TO have the mighty work go on.
lone representative remarked that he
believed in ambition and enterprise,
but hoped that there would never be
a Johnstown food In Vermont. Yet,
for all this, in all probability the bill
will be ordered TO a third reading and
then pass.
Final passage of the amended nor.
NAL school measure is sad blow to
those who had hoped for an expansion
of the states educational system
through the establishment OF cen
tral normal school The project, how
ever, Is not dead forever, but the old
normal schools are made secure. This
lmay make II easier for the next SEES
sion to turn on more light"
After service in Bethany church on
Sunday morning the theme for dis
cussion at the mems forum was Yer
mont's Interests" the principal speak
er being Hon. Joseph A. DeBoer Of
this city. He handled the subject In
clean-cut and forceful manner, as
Is his style, always. Political mat
ters were slightly touched upon, plat
form pledges being feature. Sever
al senators and representatives also
said word on the PLATFORM pledges.
In passing let me say that for sew
eral years Joseph A. DeBoer has beer
in the minds of others besides the pol
iticians of Vermont for the states
chief magistrate but now some one
says that II his people so ordain HI
| would not refuse the high Office o.
United States Senator from Vermont
| at the proper time. Well, time works
wonders and We will wait and see.
Two more Bennington gentlemen
/ Jacob Stakeholder and Emory Harri'
were here last week and graced the
state house by their presence and, OF
! the whole there were not two bette
looking men there. Mr. Harris wal
: a distinguished member Of the House
: in 9S, the champion of his party ano
r only lacked one bouquet OF beng th'
handsomest member in the Assembly
= The House has passed the joint res
: oution providing for a room In th'
state house for the commissioner o
= weights and measures. II Is proposes
, TO build a partition along the mort
Q side OF the present cloak room. whic
would give Mr. Henry a far size
apartment Commissioner Henry
anxious to get 10 work for calls ar
already being made on him by peopl
+ who want weights or measures tes
4 ed. Il was stated when the resolI
. ton was introduced that as soon as h
4 is ready the Standard Oil compan
u Will send him all the measures II
Z using In this state. Mr.. Henry wi
q have capable assistants in various sc
tons OF the state.
At the close OF devotional exercise
Il every morning nearly all the member
d repeat the Lords prayer with Cha
Il lain Ford. Several have remarke
d that they have now learned the prayC
n OF our Saviour by heart and hope the
will remember II after they get hom
Others say they are better Christian
than they were when they came her
which speaks we'll for Montpelier.
Governor Mead's appointment OF
commission on the conservation I
natural resources is we'll chose
Such men as President Thomas
MIDI ebury college. Charles p Smii
OF burlington and Col. Franklin 81
lings OF Woodstock are well Qualln'
for such work and the Senate promr
~ confirmed their selection. A sta
cattle commissioner has not yet bee
appointed. The delay causes COME
ture that the governor may not 7
appoint +. l. Davis, the present !
cumbcnt but that the plum will
Its fono one else.
Tn to the last OF the week the
- PRODUCTION Of bills continued, thr'
= coming into the Senate on Frida
one Of them on woman's suffrage nj
one on "intangiblcs." and the pre-
\ poets OF adjournment just now a
not 20 clear. There IL. general d
4 sire to finish the business by the Ia
Of this week and think this will
the case. although am not sure.
The mock session Is to occur