Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-10-30
LEGISLATIVE NEWS.
What's Doing at the Capitol City. Or
leans County Lawmakers Introduce
Sever al Bills. Railroad Fight

The legislature is now getting down
to good hard work, most of the COM
mittees having plenty of bills on hand
for consideration. Mr.. Wylie of Glover
introduced three bills of some import
ance last week. They are: H. 78, to
amend Section 3539 of the Public
Statutes, relating to guideposts. 1t re-
peals Sections 3540, 3541. 3542 and 3543
OF the Public Statutes and provides for
guideposts eight feet high with boards
marked with the name and distance to
the next town. Referred to the COM
mittee on town lines. H. 80, to amend
Section 5810 of the Public Statutes, re-
lating to cruelty to animals. Referred
to the general committee. II. 81, re-
lating to the purity of seeds. It for
bids the sale of seeds which have been
mixed with the seeds of weeds. Re,
ferred to the committee on agriculture
Mr.. Lathe of Craftsbury has also in
troduced house bill rs, amending Sec
tion 1874, Public Statutes, placing NOM
nations for state and county officers
on the same ballot, etc. Mr. Locke of
Barton has introduced house bill 100
relating to the amendment Of the char
ter of the village of Orleans. Mr..
Robbins of Newport has introduced
bill which provides that first class
license may be granted to a registered
pharmacist, who is a resident of Ver-
mont who is legally conducting busi-
ness in the town in which the license
is granted, although he is not a voter
in said town.
A primary election bill has been in
troduced in the house by Mr. Cook of
Lyndon. The bill is very similar to
the old general election law with some
provides that there are to be no changes
in the check list after the Saturday
night preceding an election and that
the list is to be filed 80 days before
any election. It provides that the
board of civil authority cannot meet
within 36 hours of the time a list is to
be used and that no voter can be re-
jected unless SO Indicated The names
of all candidates for Office are to be on
the same ballot and the nominees can
elect on which ticket their names shall
appear. 1t provides for two polling
places in towns of two or more villages
and that the primaries for all elections
for state officers shall be held on the
first Tuesday in July in the year cleo
tion occurs, and for presidential cleo
ton the primaries shall be held the
last Tuesday in May.
A bill introduced by Mr.. Billings OF
Woodstock provides for a plurality
election on the first ballot for repre-
sentatives to the legislature
A Woman's S suffrage bill has made its
appearance and provides for poll tax
(optionaD for women who can vote
upon and hold offices in school affairs.
Other election measures were brought
in, one of which, presented by Mr..
O'Brien of South Burlington, provides
that each name on a ballot should be
marked.
1t is quite apparent that the Boston
& Maine and the Central Vermont rail
road interests are due for a battle over
railroad legislation little later in the
session. 1t is said the Boston & Maine
desire to extend their interests in Yer
mont and propose to build a line from
Montpelier to Burlington. They now
control the ST. Johnsbury & Lake
Champlain, Montpelier & Wells River
roads and the Rutland is in friendly
hands. If the extension is built from
Montpelier to Burlington it will give
the B. & M. more mileage in Vermont
than any other road. This line WoulC
naturally take away some of the c.
VS. business and is not looked upor
with any great favor by that road
The Burlington Free Press says on the
subject: "lt is regarded as important
and significant, therefore, that Mr.
FitZhugh, president Of the Centra
! Vermont, intends to go over the pro
posed lines between Waterbury anC
North Troy this week. For some years
there has been an agitation among the
people in that section for a railroad
reaching into the northern part of the
state. There are tale and asbesto.
mines to be reached which would bt
! developed to a larger productivity i
transportation were made cheaper anc
easier, and valuable stands Of timber
that might be profitably cut ant
hauled.
"Various schemes for tapping thi.
country with a railroad have beer
include railroad from Montpelier t,
North Troy, short line running north
from Johnson and Eden, and the lin
from Waterbury to North Troy.
believe they can furnish enough bust
ness to make the line profitable Wha
view the railroad people will take of
can be better told after Mr.. Fitzhug
makes his tour of inspection.
'sIt may be that the Central Vel
mont has no serious intention of build
ing such line, and is coquetting wit
the people in that section to acquire
!, handy club to use against the Bosto
& Maine. 1t is evident that if tn
Central Vermont should build lin
through Waterbury, Stowe, Morrisvill
and Hyde Park to North Troy, the ST
Johnsbury and Lake Champlain, neve
a very valuable piece of property
= would be worth still less, would in fat
be practically valueless for the tim
being at least.
"a Boston & Maine line from Mon
pelier to Burlington would be an injur
to the Central Vermont. A Centr;
Vermont line from Waterbury to Mort
Troy would seriously injure some Bo.
ton & Maine properties. Whether {
not the Central interests are in earnes
in encouraging the North Troy line,
is plain that by doing SO they ar
placing themselves in position whel
they may be able to some extent