St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-11-20
WORK OF LEGISLATURE.
Effort to Get Honest Deal In Goods
Sold by the Package.-Vac-
cinatiOn Fight.


made considerable progress. 1t has
not finished introducing bills yet
and some of the most important bills
are now being whipped into shape
for consideration.
One of the most important mat
tiers before the legislature is the reg
ulation of the sale of commodities
sold in package form. There is a
universal demand which comes from
all over the state for the passage of
such legislation. This demand has
already been evidenced by the intro
duction of two bills, one in the house
and one in the senate, and the con-
of a third bill which may
be introduced as a substitute meas
ure.
This substitute bill gives promise
of meeting the approval of our legis- |
lators in view of the fact of it's gen.
eraI endorsement by the business |
men of the state. Evidence has been |
produced and is in the hands of the
commissioner of weights and meas
ures, which demonstrates that a
majority of the merchants desire the
passage of this substitute bill Which
deals with the sale of commodities,
both in the package, and outside the
package, and is intended as protec-
ton, not only of the ultimate con-
sumner, but also of the honest and
reliable dealer. The bill in no way
provides for, or necessitates any
change, in the manner of putting up
package goods, and it takes into
consideration the fact that it is i'm
possible to pack goods in packages
with exact uniformity. In fact the
whole purpose of the bill is simply
to permit the purchaser to know
what he IS to receive for his money.
In other words, it requires the
packing houses to tell the truth in
regard to the quantity of goods they
put in packages, nothing more, moth
ing less.
Absolute necessity of such a law
is based upon the fact that many
packages are at present the means
of gross deception Intentional or
unintentional.
This, has been recognized already
in many states in the Union, and al
ready the states of New York, Con-
necticut, Nevada, Nebraska, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming,
and Florida, have passed legislation
regulating these matters.
The bill now before the committee
is almost precisely the same as the
law recently enacted in the state of
New York, which insures to the
Vermont merchant the protection of
uniformity with not only our nearest
neighbor, but also the state having
the largest business interests of any
in the Union.
In view of the universal demand
for such legislation and the evident
universal support of the bill now
under consideration, and it's similar
ity to the New York law, it is prob
able that our legislators will feel it
incumbent to carry out the wishes of
their constituents and enact this bill
into law.
New Railroad Bill
The committee on ways and means
introduced House bill 292, relating
to the taxation of railroads. 1t pro-
vides that railroads operated in this
state under lease or contract, the
taxes assessed under section 713 of
the public statutes as amended by
section L OF No. 20 of the acts OF
1908, shall be paid by the lessee and
be charged against and deducted
from any payment due or to become
due. For five years after date where
on cars for public traffic, commence
running on an electric road built
after Feb. 1, 1907, a sum equal to
80 per cent of the tax based on ap-
praisal thereof for the purpose of
taxation is hereby annually appro-
priated in aid of the company paying
such tax. Taxable property under
section 713 of the public statutes
oh oil iT0 c
or buildings, rented for commercial
purposes and not used in the opera
ton of railroad; water power, cleo
trio light and gas plants; nor farm
ing or timber lands owned or leased.
Such houses, lands and buildings
shall not be set in the grand list.
Except as otherwise provided, rea
and personal estate used in operat-
ing a railroad or steamboat and ap-
praised under sections 706, 707 and
1872 of the public statutes, real and
personal estate used in carrying on
express, telegraph or telephone bus
mess in the state; money, stocks
bonds, mortgages and other indebt-
edness belonging to insurance, sure
ty or guaranty companies and shares
of stock in telephone, telegraph, in
surance, surety, steamboat and trans
pOrtat1on companies, taxed under
chapter 35 of the public statutes,
shall not be set in the grand list.
Opposition to Compulsory Vaccina-
ton
Vaccinationists and anti-vaccina-
tionists were out in force last Thurs
day evening and probably 20 persons
attended the hearing before the joint
committee on public health on Sen
ate bill 81, known as the "compul-
sorry vaccination bill"
Dr. P. L. Templeton of Montpelier
spoke in opposition to the bill and
introduced statistics from Sweden |
and England to show the heavy NOR
tally from smallpox under compul- |
sorry vaccination and a correspond |
ing decrease in the death rate where |
no attempt has been made at vacc1n-
alton. He said that he was not an
70 r0ricffa n uoaofp hrrf RI