The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-20
wooDFoRO HERMIrs LETTER
Correspondent Writes Of Doings at
the State Capital
Montpelier, Jan. 16, II.

Montpelier, Jan. 16, II.
Dear Friends Taking my pencil
IN hand at this time is a recurrence
Of the same act OF two years ago and
/ realize that many are wondering at
the length Of the legislature, same as
mt that time.
Let me tell you sQmthng, which
ought to be evidence sufficient to con
vince "harpers" to consider the mat
1er properly.
A three-score-and-ten member of |
the House of Representatives told me
that when he was here in the '7O's
there We're less than ten committees
In the whole legislature and that at
that time and not until several years
later, there was no legislature on
corporations, railroads, automobiles,
telephones, electric railways, high
ways, public utility bills, service com
missions, commissions for this and
that, trustee process measures, nor
NAL schools, weights and measures,
state fair bill S, Inheritance tax, etc,
and he said it was not a difficult mat
ter to do the small amount Of business
and adjourn the day before Thanks
giving, which | think was the custom
up to the '90's, and from that time on
legislative work has increased, until
Ii is now very large, much more so
than those on the outside realize,
hence, / am bound to reiterate that
this long session censure is out Of
place so long as every member from
the governor down, 10 doing the best
ne can to expedite the vast amount
of work set forth in the nearly 700
bills, allowing that not more than 100
of them are heavy ones. SO, my
friends, let us have reason.
Don't be too hasty in your judgment
but consider for a moment that you
would be in the same boat If you were
here. II would be impossible for you
TO WELD a big stick and make the
circumstances any different. The
Joint committee to whom the matter
of final adjournment was referred has
reported that it Is possible that Jan
uary 25th may be the last day and
even this report was tabled" A
very lew vi lut NOiicti valve
advocate that final adjournment can
be made next Saturday, January q,
but II Is intimated that said members
do this to go on record for future ref
erence.
Don't you know that II is a good
thing to have some one to look up to?
! never prided myself any too much
on my height OF 6-l, and ! am in the
shade when looking up into the face
OF Ray Lyman of Stratton, who looms
up CO, and is young man of fine
attachments, just the same as Is Mr.
Tracey of Belvidere, whose height is
only a few inches over five feet This
is the long and short OF II, physically
speaking. Mentally. it makes no diff
ference whether It Is tall men with
big heads, or short men with small
heads If the brains are there.
A large number OF the solons, inclu-
ding the Speaker Of the House and
President Of the Senate, attended the
lecture by Ex-Governor Joseph w.
Folk of Missouri at Armory hall last
week Wednesday evening. The Mis-
sourian, who has been prominently
mentioned as a presidential candidate
was introduced to the large audience
by Governor Mead, who sat on the
platform during the lecture. the sub
feet OF which was Soldiers Of Peace"
One hour and a quarter was requir-
ed for its delivery for which Mr.. Folk
was paid 5000 or 1896 2-3 per minute.
Grafters and vote-buyers were unmer-
cifully slashed by the ex-governor.
causing rapturous applause from the
packed house.
Some OF the members say that the
Jumping from one bill to another so
quickly, as is often the case, keeps
their mental equilibrium on the quiz
vive. And they are right.
The Normal school bill In the house
did not fare as well as | advocated,
there being a majority against the
one school proposition. This Is ad-
verse TO State Superintendent Stones
and the governors ideas. The bill
in now in the Senate and may be
amended by that body.
The legislature worked every day
last week including all day Saturday.
The BIZ introduced by Representa-
tive Stafford OF Brattleboro to appro-
pirate $4,000 annually to the county
fairs OF the state passed the House
without much opposition.
Oliver Cameron. the young mem
Der from Norton is confined in the
Montpelier hospital by Illness. Sew
eral are complaining OF various all
ments. colds predominating Repres-
entative Williams OF Winhall has
been laid up for a week The Her
nit" won't allow Himself to get un-
der the weather "-changeable as 1t
as
The Bennington county Senators
and Representatives have had their
pictures taken together. Representa-
tive Myers of Pownal, for some rea-
son best known TO George, could not
be induced to join the group.
/ am now confident that one more
letter On not this one) will conclude
the series for legislative session OF
10 and II.
S. NJ. Bowles.