The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-12-17
FLAT RATE BILL
THE BIG SHOW'AT
MONTPELIER
Manufacturers and Merchants
Appear in Opposition
PROTEST AGAINST SYSTEM
Measure Now Before Senate and
Public Hearings VIII Begin
Tomorrow.


Montpelier, Dec. 1.-THE chief
| topic of conversation just now
around the state house is the fiat
rate bill, which abolishes all offsets
above $500 Manufacturers and
| merchants, who are opposed to the
! abolishing of Offsets are here to use
their influence in regard ~ this fea-
ure OF the bill.
| IL is now before the Senate having
been passed by the House and much
pressure is heing brought to bear on
the former body in an effort to pre-
vent it from doing away with offsets.
| The opposition is strong and the
senate committee on finance has ar
ranged for a series of public hear
! ings on the measure beginning to
morrow afternoon. Anyone, who is
interested in the bill should COM
municate with his town representa-
| tive or senator in regard to it.
The House passed TO third read
| ing, today, the bill to prevent the pol-'
luton of streams by dirt and shaw
ings and also the inheritance tax bal.
This measure provides for a gradu-
ated tax on direct inheritances.
In the Senate, the bill doubling
! the state appropriation for the
adjustment of grade crossings was
| passed to third reading. 1t increas-
es the appropriation from $4,000 to
| $4,000, making it possible to elimi-
| nate some of the more dangerous
| ones, which 40 most costly to
do away with.
The u~''~" passed the bill provid-
ing for investigation by the select
men in the case of the killing of
sheep by dogs.
Montpelier, Dec. 16.-The Legisla-
ture convened tonight for the 18th
week but only routine business was
1 transacted, and number of meas
ures were forwarded in both branch
es. For a short time hens, dogs, and
| cheese held the attention of the so
Ions but attempts at speech making
were cut short as the House mem
bers evidently wished to get to bed.
/ The House got down to business
quickly after Chaplain Ford in his de
votional exercises had urged the law
makers to redeem party and platform
pledges.
The bill relating to dogs doing dam
age to sheep aroused considerable
discussion. Mr.. Hapgood tried TO
make an open season on dogs by al
lowing dogs found on enclosed lands
between sunset and sunrise, without
a keeper, to be shot.
Mr. Orvis of Manchester and Mr..
Adams OF Marlboro opposed the
| amendment and the bill was killed
The lower branch also killed the
bill to appropriate money in aid of
poultry associations. after Mr.. Var
ney had moved to reduce the appro-
priation from $500 to 500.
An act to pay John w. Titcomb the
sum therein named aroused a bit of
discussion during which Mr.. Orivs of
Manchester said that the fish and
game commission office was costing
considerable. The bill was killed.
The House passed the following
bills:
To provide a board of visitors to
Middlebury college.
Relating to the taxation of express
companies.
To provide for spark arresters on
engines in or near forest or brush
land.
To codify and amend the laws relat
ing to probation.
To pay the towns of Sheldon,
Troy, Pownal and st. Adams the
sums therein named.
An act to amend section 100 OF the
public statutes, as amended by No.
OF the acts of 1908, relating to as
sisting clerks.
Relating to the hearing of quest
ions OF law in the Supreme court in
the absence Of the respondent.
To provide cooperation with the
United States Geological Survey in
continuing the Typographical Survey
OF the State of Vermont.
Relating to exceptions by the
state In criminal causes.
To amend the statutes, by increas-
ing the sentence on conviction for
larceny In certain cases.
Relating to the practice of optom-
etry. The lower branch ordered to
lie.
To provide for the purchase Of
state forests. (Appropriates $4,000
annually.
The following measures we're or.
dered to lie.
II. 173-An act to provide for the
purchase OF state forests.
II. 42s-An act to establish an Of.
nee OF criminal naturalization.
s. SAN act to amend section
1852 OF the public statutes, relating
TO payments in cheese factories.
s. 117-An act to amend section
541S OF the public statutes. As
amended by No. 1e0 Of the acts OF