Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-01-08
LEGISLATURE AT WORK
Open After Holiday Recess with De-
batting and Call for Inve stigation
of Coal Trust.

Both the house and senate met M on
day evening after l6 day rest and
started work at once. During the
evening session Mr.. Aldrich of st.
JOhnsbury introduced resolution
suggesting that the governor appoint
commission to act with commissions
from the other New England states
in determining the cause of the short
age of coal in this part of the country
and recommend legislation to relieve
the people.
During the same session Mr.. Cook
of Lyndon introduced resolution
calling upon the public service COM
mission of Vermont to provide ade-
quate passenger station facilities at
White River Junction where a tempo
rarv shelter now stands. The reso]u-
tion also asked that the closets in the
railroad stations of the state be main
tanned in a more sanitary condition,
pronouncing them filthy and loath-
some.
The bill incorporating the valley
Savings Bank & Trust Company, of
North Troy was passed to third
reading in the house.
Yesterday the house took up the
measure relating to the puni Shment
for murder. The bill came from COM
mittee with majority report of five
members recommending that the
measure ought not to pass. There
also was report signed by four mem
bers urging the passage of the bill.
The bill provides for death penalty
for first degree murder and life i'm
prisonment for murder in the second
degree. Mr.. Wright of Westminster
! made one of the strongest speeches OF
the session when he spoke about ten
minutes in support of the bill. He
quoted figures to show that the aboli.
i ton of the death penalty in various
states has resulted in an increase OF
| crime.
! Mr.. Cook of Lyndon opposed the bill
/ on the ground that the option allows
| jurymen to decide between first anc
second degree murder. This option,
he thought, would result in weakening
the present capital punishment law
Mr.. Hulett Of Rutland City favored
| the minority report.
Mr. Adams Of Marlboro favored the
| bill and MIR. Taft of Townsend took
Barton and Mr.. Adams of Chelsea
favored the minority report. or il
other words, the passage of the bill
| Mr.. Jose of Johnson supported the
minority report. Then followed {
long debate with brief arguments
Mr. Comings of Richford opposed the
measure. Mr.. Cbesley of Sheffield
favored the bill. On a yea and nay
vote, the bill was ordered to a thirl
reading, the vote standing 180 to AZ
This bill proposes to restore the capi
! tai punishment law where it was be
! fore the revision in 1910 when the jury
was given authority to say whethe
punishment for first degree murdel
should be death.
There also was debate in the Sen.
ate on the SO called fowage bill. MIR
Chaffee explained that this was ar
attempt to provide general law fo1
the development of water power, in
stead of requiring an application for
! special charter. Mr. Laird of Wash
ington county thought it unwise tc
grant such powers which might pre-
vent the use of the water for u licipa
purposes. The bill was ordered to lie
The supreme court OF Vermont ha
upheld the legality of the purlie ser
vice commission. This matter wa
! brought up during the present ses
sion and was referred to the supreme
court for an opinion. This decision wa
announced by a vote of the Judge
which stood three to two upholdin:
the authority of the body.