Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-01-20
LEGISLATIVE LETTER
Gov. Mead Beaten in Fight for
Central Normal School
Bill for State Dispensary Liquor Law
kllled-Proddlng State Superintendent
Of Education.


Of Education.
Montpelier, Jan. is,
Brattleboro won in the first real de-
velopment of the railroad fight, when the
railroad committee reported this morn
ing. The report recommends the passage
of the bill granting a charter to the
Vermont Valley road, with an amend
ment practically the same as that offered
by Mr.. Stickney at the hearing last week,
and a further amendment which will
guard the Crosby interests.
The committee was not unanimous.
Two members, Mr.. Maun of St. Adams
and Mr.. Battell of Middlebury, signed
minority report recommending an amend
ment which would give the Boston IL
Maine only trackage rights through the
Brattleboro yard.
The normal school bill, amended so that
instead of providing for the erection Of
a central normal school the state will
take over the institutions at Castleton
and Johnson, leasing the latter for 80
years and promising to maintain them
equal to any state normal school, has
been passed by the House, and the pros
poets are believed to be good that the
Senate will consider it favorably This
is a severe blow to Governor Mead for
the central normal school has been his
pet idea and he has been willing to sac
rifce almost anything to that
Some of those who were displeased
with the advocacy of the central normal
school by Mr.. Stone, the state superin-
tendent of education, are trying to make
trouble for him. They introduced res
olution on Tuesday calling for an inves-
| tigation of the failure to have his re-
ports distributed. The report of the COM
mlttee showed that the complete report
was not printed. Pittrldge of Leicester
came back this morning with demand
for an investigation of the cost of Mr..
Stones New Vermont campaign. This
was voted down and then, on motion of
DR.. Bryant of Ludlow, a resolution was
adopted calling for investigation of the
office of the state superintendent. There
is no serious belief that anything wrong
will be found in the office and these at
tacks seem intended only to worry Mr.,
Stone Another resolution has been pre-
pared for some days and may be intro
duced, calling on him to resign G, IL.
Stearns of Johnson, former lieutenant
governor who has led the fight for the
normal schools and who has criticised
Mr.. Stone in that connection, does not
approve this action.
The bill to establish a state dispensary
for the sale of liquor, a modification of
/ the old town agency plan, was reported
| adversely by the committee on temper
ance yesterday, and amendment offered
! by Burbank of Cabot was adopted, pro-
vlding for n referendum which If sue
| cessful would have cut off all licenses
! except those to druggists and whole
salers. The bill as amended was ordered
| to a third reading Tuesday but on the
question of passage this afternoon the
House reversed its decision and killed
the bin by vote of 1875 to 70. This prob
ably ends the. serious attempts to change
the local option law.
Two new proposals of amendment "a
the state constitution were considered
| by the Senate this afternoon. One
changes the word use to benefit in the
section of the bill of rights relating tc
the taking of private property, and the
other makes the time lock period six in
stead Of ten years The Senate killed