St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-05-14
PRESS COMMENT
win Pres. Wilson Pander

HIS USl1Cl that Tie AAOCA dLloOAC0
'made it a vicious bit of legislation.
Soon this same bill will be before
President Wilson for his signature
and the country is watching to
see how he will view the measure.
The Brooklyn Eagle, an Independent
paper with democratic leaning cites
the situation as follows:
Though impressions to the con-
trary prevail, it is by no means
foregone conclusion that the Pres
ident will not unhorse the rider"
seeking to exempt the farmers and
organized labor from prosecution
under the law prohibiting restraint
of trade. This is the second at
tempt to have them enjoy such i'm
munity. Should the sundry civil
bill go through both houses, it will
invite approval or veto in precisely
the form in which it was presented
to Taft, who denounced it as crime
against the state, characterizing it
as class legislation of the most vic
ious sort.
Plain language has come from
other sources. For instance, the
Times has said that the Presidents
signature to such a measure would
be a shock to his most earnest sup
porters and to the country, while
Harper's Weekly does mot hesitate
to record the prediction that if he
signs it he will commit political sui
eide" Such a warning from such
a source is or should be calculated
to induce a sober second thought in
the White House, presuming the
President to be disposed to sanction
the exemption.
1t is only fair to the farmers to
say they have not pressed their
claim, so called, upon favoritism.
They were included for the purpose
of attracting support. What is now
attempted is the elimination of a
long campaign. 1t is sixteen years
since organized labor began to per-
suade Congress to take from the
courts power to issue injunctions in
labor disputes. Failing in this, the
rider" was resorted to. Response
bility, therefore, should not be sad
died on the farmers. 1t is monopo-
liked by organized labor.
AS there seems to be no doubt
that the bill will have the support of
a majority of both houses, it is hard
ly too much to say that the Presi-
dent must make a choice between fl
deity and betrayal. 1t is understood
that the matter was discussed at a
visit to the White House paid by
the chairman of the Senate and
House Committees on Appropria-
tions, and it has been assumed that
they received assurances of sat
isfactory" character. If they did,
and if such assurances are translated
into affirmative action by the Presi-
dent, there will be more plain talk
and plenty of 1T Bradford
Opinion.
Returns About All In
The legislature of Michigan adj
journed April &c, after a session of
100 working days. The members of
the state legislature are paid nxed
salary of $500. Michigan has a pop
-IeA 4su!sSB So eLI'OI8'5 10 uoIlBIn
mont's 355,956, and a proper
ty valuation of $2,288, 100000 as
against Vermont's $500, 900.
The city of Detroit mas a population
of 465, 766, over one hundred thous-
and more than the whole state of
Vermont. The legislature of Michi-
gan, with a population nearly eight
times and a property valuation IL
times that of Vermont, performed
its work in 10 less days and at less
than twice the cost per member than
did the Vermont legislature of 1912
10.
The state of Ohio has a popuIa-
ton of 4,767,121, and a property
valuation of $6,2O2,132,511. And
yet with a population over 13 times
and a property valuation 81 times
that of Vermont, Ohio's legislature,
whose members are paid fixed sal
airy of $1,000, adjourned April 20,
after a session of SO working days,
81 days less than the famous 119
days consumed by the Vermont leg
/ islature.
The Minnesota legislature, whose
biennial term is limited to 80 days
and whose members receive a salary
of $500, adjourned April 26. Min
nesota has a population of 2,075,-
70S, over five times that of Yer
mont, and a property valuation Of
$1,212, 567,794, over six times that
of Vermont, and yet it's legislature
does it's work in three-fourths the
time and practically the same ex
pense per member as Vermont.
The state legislatures have now
practically all adjourned. The re
turns are all in. From the compar
isons that the Standard has made
during the past few weeks, the
reader will be able to appreciate the
buncombea and hot air contained in thu
claim of the legislatures apologisti
regarding Vermont problems requir
ing a legislative session of such al
inordinate length as that of 1929
1t constitutes an outrage thaI
should not pass from mind
Ii Enosburg Standard.