The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-04
STAGE SET AT
MONTPELIER
Everything Ready for Open
ing of General Assembly
on Wednesday
CONTEST OVER
THE SPEAKERSHIPI
John E. Weeks of Middlebury and
Stanley Wilson of Chelsea Candi-
dates-Keen Interest in What Gov
Fletcher Will Say.
special to The Reformer.)
MONTPELIER. Jan

MONTPELIER, Jan f.
The stage is set for the opening of the
biennial session of the general assembly
ON " ednesday morning. Iodays trains
brought in the van hunting for boarding
houses and sleeping quarters. Tomorrow
others will come and it will take some
thing short of sickness or death to pre-
vent full membership of shiny faced,
starched -collared and boiled-shirt aggre-
CATION of law makers, who will try to out
shine the gilded dome itself during the
next three months.
Secretary of State Guy w Bailey will
call the roll of the house at 10 Wednes-
day morning and Lieut. Gov. Frank +.
Howe viii perform the same function in
the senate and preside until the reins of
the governor are turned over to the new
administration on Thursday Wednesday
will be devoted to organization of the
house and senate. Thursday morning the
canvassing committee will report and de-
clare the state ticket elected which will
be followed by Governor Fletcher last
word
The final say of no retiring governor has
ever been looked for with such keen IN
terest, being rivaled only by the specula-
tion as to the reception the governor will
receive and the extent and duration of
the applause He win probably receive
respectful attention, but how much be-
yond that is hard to say.
Governorelect Charles w. Gates will be
inaugurated Thursday afternoon and will
receive the oath of office from Chief JUS
tice George NJ Powers. according to Gus
tom. He will then deliver his inaugural
address. Little else can be done until the
new speaker names his committees, and
| naturally no line can be secured on the
committees until the speakership contest
1 is out of the way.
! The contest lies between John f.
| Weeks of Middlebury and Stanley c. VII
son of Chelsea Mr.. Weeks has a larger
| friendship throughout the state, is an old
er representative. and knows the ropes
which gives him a handicap over the
hustling chairman of the Republican state
committee. In the senate Max l.. Powell
of Burlington, j. Ward Carver Of Barre
and H. r. Brown Of Chester wish to dor
the ermine of president pro tenn. John b
| Norton of St. Adams and Walter H
Crockett of Montpelier will probably b,
two of the official reporters. The other i
III doubt with several candidates in thu
field
The senate viii be solidly Republican
SO in all In the house there will be Il.
| -
gressiyes. and II scattering Independents
four OF whom classify themselves as Pre-
gressive Republicans, three as Independ
ents, two as Independent Democrats. an
one each Independent-Repub II
acknowledgement Republican Prob
bitionst, Non-Partisan and Liberal RI
publican. The Republican majority on
: joint ballot will be 1871
The session promises TO be of unusut
interest on account OF the numerous III
: portant matters slated for consideration
I notably election of judges, action on til
Il report of the educational commission
II which will be made in the form of bi
Il and will settle the question OF state sui
II sidy to the colleges workmen's compel
II sation, direct primary, prohibition, W
II man suffrage. state house addition, an
II many other subjects, including the recon
II mendations of the state officers al
III boards
Ill Tomorrow the Vermont Bar associate
II will hold its annual meeting and specul
II ton is rife as to the action the associ
II ton will take on judiciary matters al
II whether or not the association will ado
II measures to advise or cooperate with Il
III legislature for a resumption of its pow
y to elect judges.
= Tomorrow also the new supreme cou
will meet in the January session for t
first time since its appointment by Go
ernor Fletcher Dec1. Taken all in a
the first week promises much and t
Nd eyes of the state win be on Montpelier
n Secretary of State Guy w. Bailey
rived today with his entire outfit, viii
- contained so many boxes and cases til
the corridors looked like the shippi
room of metropolitan department sto
Rev A. w Ford of Windsor was al
early on~tlle firing line and is doing m
sionary work among the recruits in
q half of his candidacy for chaplain of t
u house, position he has held during /
past two sessions, and in which he no
the belt for short prayers. All memb
coming in are keyed up with the des
for short session and indications :
- that the legislative wheels will buzz t
q or three weeks earlier than usual.