Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-02-26
LEGISLATIVE LETTER
Montpelier, February 81, 1915.
teemed Editor Il

montpelier, FeDruary Il, 1913.
Esteemed Editor II
The weather this morning is Just
about an even month ahead of the
season, and those people around the
capitol who-in the language Of the
constitution-"are most noted for
wisdom and virtue" are beholding
signs of spring on every hand and
wondering if sap wouldn't run in
the middle of the day IN locations
with southern exposure. And all
these things are bringing with them
signs and thoughts of the spring
work not so far away now and Won
dering rs to about how long it will
take now to get thru with the work
of the session and back home. And
yet, as they ask each other what they
think about it, they point to the
large amount of work yet ahead and
don't dare make a prediction as to
the exact date--nor yet approx
mately. With the large quantity of
business now under way-some Of it
as yet hardly started-any attempt
to fix the date of adjournment with
in week is all guesswork. Never
theles spring and it's duties at home
are in the mind and air, and nobody
will remain on the job an hour
longer than is absolutely necessary.
After a big weeks work the
House put in Saturday forenoon in
wiping the slate clean, and then
automatically adjourned under the
rule until Monday afternoon. The
Senate also followed this example for
the first time, instead of adjourning
from Friday afternoon until Monday
evening. The introduction of bills
by private members is long since a
thing of the past, and hereafter the
only new business will be original
and compromise committee bills.
For the first time this session work
was resumed Saturday with not
a bill introduced.
Contrary to previous announce
ment one more hearing will be had
on the educational bill-and not so
much hearing as funeral obsequies.
Thursday evening is the date given
for the mortuary exercises, when
the commission will give one last
statement from their viewpoint. No
flowers and burial private. 1t is un-
derstood that Senator Simonds Of
Caledonia has in course of prepare
ton another educational bill, much
more simple and far less revolutions
airy, which will be proposed in due
time. 1t is now altogether probable
that either a simple new bill or some
amendments will be made to the law
in Gel tain instances, but all prospect
of general raid in this direction is
wholly removed.
The final and decisive struggle
over the question of sanitary" mar
riages will come Wednesday forenoon
of this week, to which time the bill
was last week ordered to lie, under
special order. This bill has been
the most hotly contested of any be-
fore the Legislature this session, and
it is quite likely that it will go either
to victory or defeat Wednesday only
after a bitter struggle. 1t is quite
likely that it will be considerably
amended before it is put upon its
passage, and in fact much of the
measure was stricken out by amend
ment when last it was up. The pros
pect now is that it will go thru in
some form, but it is doubtful if the
House takes kindly to the idea.
AS write the suffrage bill is yet
in committee, but is expected to be
reported to the House during the
last half of this week. There is at
present very little doubt of its pas
sage thru the House by a fair ma
| jority-which may be large one
and it will then go to the governor
for his signature. 1t is limited that
the bill may be somewhat amended
in the committee, and also on the
floor, but not in any way to endanger
its passage. The Governor is said
to be in favor of fair bill of the
kind.
The prohibition bill with referen-
dunn which no two people understand
alike passed the House last Friday,
after an amendment by Hapgood
which is supposed to provide that if
the people vote mo" and against the
bill it cannot take effect till 1927.
If the vote is Eyes" the supposition
is that absolute alright prohibition
will take the place Of the present
law one year from next July. The
senate has as yet given no decided
indication of it's attitude on the sub
ject, but before it passed the House
it. was whispered that a majority
was opposed to the proposition. If
the subject came up again in the
House and was handled as it was
last week it is very doubtful if it got
thru that body. AS it was, it was
only the multitude of very small
towns which saved it.
The special committee which was
appointed for the purpose of inves-
| tino tipcr tho ,nrorOcitioY, Of Tho