Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-10-04

it was evident from the attendance at
the Republican caucus Tuesday even
ing that Mr. Fletcher would win by a
safe majority On the final count his
majority was % over all in a total vote
of 271. Ten of the anti-Fletcher Re-
publicans voted for Rev. Fraser Metz
ger, the Progressive candidate, and 10 of
them voted for Harlan b. Howe, the
Democratic candidate.
Organization of the two houses was
effected without friction f. II. Babbitt
of Bellows Falls was made president
pro TEN of the Senate, receiving Is votes
to nine for Col. Porter H. Dale of Is
land. Pond. Rev Marcellus w. Farman
was again chosen chaplain of the upper
house, no candidate appearing against
him. Homer l.. Skeels of Ludlow also
succeeds himself as secretary of the
Senate and has reappointed Guy NJ.
Page of Burlington as his assistant.
The Senate will apparently be the
strong branch of the general assembly.
Eighteen and perhaps more of its 80
members have had previous legislative
experience, eight of them in the session
of 1910. 1t is possible, of course, that
some of the unknown men in the House
may develop real capacity for legisla-
tive leadership, but with the exception
of a few like Waston of st. Adams,
Weeks of Middlebury, Cook of Lyndon,
Vaughan of Randolph, Miller of Bethel
Crosby of Brattleboro, Ryder of Bellows
Falls, there are hardly any of whom
any large capacity can now be predicted.
1t is of course expected that Redfed
Proctor will carry out the family ira
ditions and become a prominent figure
in the affairs Of the state.
There was only one absentee-Stone of
Halifax-when Guy w. Bailey, secretary
of state, called the House together this
morning and the House proceeded i'm
mediately to the election of a speaker.
Charles A. Plumley of Mortified re-
ceived 1863 out of total of 271 votes
and was elected His opponents were
Charles d. Waston of st. Adams, Demo-
crat and E. A. Cook of Lyndon, Pro-
gressive. All three were caucus nomi-
nees selected last night. Mr.. Plumley
made a brief speech on taking the chair,
in which he thanked the members for
the confidence they had placed in him
and reminded them that they must
share together the work of the session.
Harry A. Black of Newport, who has
been assistant clerk, was advanced to
the clerkship formerly held by Mr..
Plumley, and appointed as his assistants
julius A. Wilcox of Ludlow and Ben
jamin Gates of Montpelier. The Demo-
Gratis named no candidate in opposition
to Mr.. Black. Ten of their votes went
mated by the Progressives, and the re-
mainder went to Mr. Black. Charles
d. Watson. the Democratic leader, Sec
onded Mr.. Blacks nomination.
Formal business, such as adopting
temporary rules, communicating with the
Senate and the governor and appointing
the joint canvassing committee consumed
the time of the morning session.
The House re-convened at 100 for the
purpose of drawing seats. f. p. Ad-
ans of Marlboro, the dean of the House
who has served five terms in the House
and one in the Senate, secured the same
seat he has occupied at every session
when he has represented his town
The joint assembly convened at go
When the report of the canvassing COM
mittee showed that there had been nc
election for governor a ballot was i'm
mediately ordered. The total vote cast
was 271. Mr.. Fletcher had 1853, Harlan
b. Howe 7e and Metzger 32. Thus Mr.
Fletcher had a majority of IS over his
opponents and 27 more than was actu-
ally required to elect. His vote was the
smallest cast for any candidate on the
Republican ticket. The Progressive!
failed to hold the strength they expected
at this point, which they had regarded
as the most vulnerable of any on tn,
ticket. For lieutenant governor Franz
E. Howe had 1879 votes. II. C. Comingi
oz anu NJ. L. ASeltlne ~. tut Stdt'
treasurer. +, II. Deavitt 1876. NJ. A
Brown so, H. s. Howard II, For sec
rotary OF safe, Guy W. Bailey 224, j. c
Durick 81, j. NJ. Blake s. Mr.. Bale!
had the largest vote and the larges
majority of any OF the Republican can
didates. For auditor, H. F. Graham 2O5
L. w. johnson 40, f. w. Gibson 16 Fol
attorney general. r. e. Brown 1879, B. E
Bailey SO, r. A. Hoar 81. Thus II will
be seen that the. Progressive vote fel
off steadily all down the list increas
ing at the end to 81 for the candidat,
for attorney general
This was the second time in NOR,
than half a century that the Legislature
has been called on to elect governor
and probably the first time the cleo
ton of the entire list of state officer
was thrown into that body.
Mr. Miller of Bethel carried out hi
announced policy and presented reso
luton at the morning session of tn
House requiring the speaker to desig
nate some member or other person eacl
dav To conduct the devotional exercises
He did this, he said, in the interest
both OF economy and efficiency an
thought the adoption of his resolution
would set a good precedent for futur
legislatures Mr.. Weeks of Middlebur,
deprecated such action and moved I
table the resolution, which was done
Hapgood OF Peru sought an opportunit.
to debate the question, but was inform
ed that a motion to table was not de
batable.
Hapgood again came to notice in tn
afternoon, in manner that appeared t
have been planned for purposes of self
advertisement. He was not In his sea
when the vote was taken for governor
and after the ballots had been counte,
secured Donnelly OF Vergennes to NOV