The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-24
THE LEGISLATURE


any great degree of knowledge on
the work of the legislature which has
Just closed it's session. 1t has done
some good and some foolish things
but just how many of either cannot
be told until the records are avail
able.
The best work done by the legisla-
ture has been the care it has exercis-
ed in granting charter and corporate
privileges. The demand for this
kind of concessions was greater than
ever before and possibly some jokers
may have slipped by, but in the main
it will be found that this kind of leg
islation has been watched more keen
ly than ever before and that The
rights of the state and the people
have been safeguarded to an ext, Mt
equalled probably by no other state.
Probably the legislature will be
chiefly criticised for it's large ap-
preparations, but most of these ap-
preparations are creditable to the
state. The money voted above that
of previous sessions amounts to con
siderably over 100000 for the ben
NAL term. OF this amount over $780,
900 goes to the road fund and anoth-
er $150,000 and more goes for educa-
ton About $4,000 will go to three
of the finest institutions that any
state ever had-the state industrial
school at Vergennes. the hospital for
the insane at Waterbury and the
state prison at Windsor. At the two
first named 1t Is found necessary to
increase the accommodations while
at the prison is to be built a new
barn and the change from hanging to
electrocution involves some expense.
The rest of the money voted goes in
the main where it will do good in
Guiding $4,000 to advertise the re-
sources and attractions of the state,
$4,000 to the old soldiers, 10000 to
improve the normal school property.
$4,000 to build armories for the ma
tional guard, $4,000 to extend the
work of the elimination of grade
crossing, and lesser summs for OBJ
jects equally desirable. On the whole
the money spent goes for things that
the state may we'll be proud of doing.
I'm the midst of the turmoil and
work connected with the close of SEES
sion it is impossible to judge fairly OF
the accomplishments or the failure
of the Legislature. 1t has done sew
eral excellent things and has failed
to do some things that were hoped of
it. 1t will take a careful examination
OF the records to enable a fair-mind-
ed man to give an opinion of any
value. In the thoroughness with
which it has tried to go into the mer
its of the measures presented it Is
certain that the Legislature of 1917
has had no superior in recent years
1t will be criticised for the length o.
the session, but such criticism is un
just as long as the towns refuse tC
send back such members as prove tC
be valuable legislators. The voters
in the several towns are responsible
Tor the long session and shoulC
blame themselves and not the legisla
ture or its members.
THE amount of business to b.
done in five or six times what 1t wal
20 years ago and more than double
what it was 10 years ago. If thu
towns will send the best of their ex
perienced members for two or three
terms they can shorten sessions
somewhat from this years record
If they continue to send nearly al
new men the sessions will continual
ly grow longer as the business of tn
state increases in volume and varie
ty."
The legislature of Vermont or an.
other state is precisely what tn
people of the state make 1t,