The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-04-02
BENNINGTON. VT. APRIL 2, 1si
a LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

ten for the Yermonter a summary oil
the work of the recent legislature
Mr.. Crockett was in constant atten'
dance upon the sessions at Montpel-
Ter and is therefore qualified to draw
first-hand conclusion from his daily
observations. His summary is as
follows:
more and more it is coming to be
J the fashion for the Vermont public
and the Vermont newspapers to crlti-
else its Legislatures, to impugn the
good faith of the members and to
question both their intelligence ana
their patriotism. The Legislature
that recently adjourned, like most of
its predecessors, has done things
that it ought not to have done, and
has left undone things that 1t ought
to have done. One of the sovereign
rights of free people is the privl-
lege of criticising its public servants
and any attempt to curb that right
would be as unwise in policy as II
would be impossible OF enforcement.
Nevertheless, it appears to the writer
of this article that the criticism OF
our Legislature is being carried to an
extreme not justified by the facts,
that much of it is based on ignorance
or prejudice or both and that such
Incorporate criticism tends to keep
out of the General Assembly some OF
our best men who hesitate to subject
themselves to the denunciation so
freely bestowed upon our Vermont
lawmakers.
"The progressive and humanitarian
policies upon which Vermont, in CON-
pany with her sister states has enter
ed, cannot be inaugurated and per
fected without largely increasing the
appropriations OF money and length
ening the legislative sessions. II
Vermont were to return to the kind
of legislative session that could and
did adjourn before Thanksgiving day,
the criticisms of our lawmakers
would be longer and louder than
those we hear at the present time
The only fair test to apply to the
last session of the General Assembly
is an attempt to determine whether
according to the law of general aver
ages, II has been beneficial TO the PEG
pie of the state and whether the
money and time spent have been
wisely expended. In order to apply
such test 1t will be necessary to
summarize the more important acts
of the recent session.
Probably the act generally consid-
cred to be of greatest importance Is
the tax law abolishing the privilege
the offsets for debts owing and the
exemption from taxation OF money
loaned within the state at a rate of
interest not to exceed five per cent.
This is not the place for a discussion
of the merits or dement's OF the new
tax law but this radical departure
from a system of taxation that has
prevailed for generation, with its
vast possibilities for good or evil, is
sufficient in itself to make the SEES
sion notable in the legislative history
of the state.
"a new and liberal policy in the
taxation of orchard and forest lands
has been adopted which will tend to
encourage the setting out of apI\
serve our standing timber. This pro-
vides in substance for the taxation
for period of years of the land
alone where trees have Just been
planted and for low rate of taxa
ton on forest land covered with
standing timber, tax to be assessed
when such timber Is cut for CONNER
cial purposes. The taxation of car,
steamboat and other transportation
companies, express, telegraph and
telephone companies is increased
and hereafter Vermont railroads are
to be taxed on their appraised valua-
ton rather than upon their gross
earnings. Power is given a commits
sion to examine tax inventories and
provision is made for a more satisfac
tory system of collecting taxes in
unorganized towns and cores. The
exemptions from taxation on home
steads owned by Civil War veterans
or their widows are increased.
"A commission has been authoriZ-
ed and appointed to investigate the
educational system of the State and
to reoprt thereon A State Board of
Education has been established to
have charge of educational matters.
The various school funds have been
consolidated and provision is made
that from the income derived from
this source State aid shall be fur
nished to rural schools, teacher train
Ing OF kindergarten courses. The
passages of this act marks the begin
ming of a new policy of State aid for
rural schools. School boards may
establish courses in manual training.
domestic science or agriculture and
when not less than $500 is paid an
nually for such instruction the state
will pay 5000. The school attend
ance laws have been strengthened.
an act has been passed permitting
the establishment of a State teach
ers' retirement fund, and the provis-
Ions OF the teacher training courses
for rural schools have been broaden
ed For a small appropriation the
$500 voted for lanterns and slides
to be used by union superintendent
in giving instruction in the resources
and industries OF the State is likely
TO accomplish much good.
The sum OF $4,000 is Appropriated
for establishing state school for
feeble minded children, and the sum
Of $4,000 is appropriated annually
for the benefit OF deaf. dumb, blind,
idiotic and epileptic children Of indi-
gent parents
The appropriations for the col
leges are increased materially and
State Agricultural College is 10 re-
ceive 5000 annually for agricultural
extension work. with smother appro-
priation Of $1,000 conditioned upon
an appropriation from the Federal
Government