St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-04-07

A bill to prevent letters being
printed in the press unless signatures
are attached to each passed the sem
ate after much urging by Senator
Powell, but was denied passage in
the house. The bill was considered
by some as being the first step toward
curtailing the freedom of the press,
a constitutional right, and some did
not hesitate in declaring the measure
was presented because of personal
reasons and experiences.
House Killed Woman's Suffrage Bill.
Woman suffrage, a feature of every
legislature during the past few years,
excited the usual interest, the bill be-
/ ing passed by the senate and killed
| by the house. The bill would have
allowed women to vote in municipal
meetings and for presidential cleo
tors. A mix-up over poll taxes re-
suited in the measure being defeated
lin the lower branch.
Fish and Game.
Fish and game legislation occupied
large share of the attention of
the house, especially, and two really
important departures were made, one
the passage of the bill providing for
a fishing license, or combination
| hunting and fishing license, and sec
ondly, buck, doe and fawns may be
shot during the open season on deer
next fall. By having a fishing Ii
cense, a great deal of revenue for the
department. will be raised and the
state will not have to make a special
appropriation.
Bible Bill Defeated.
/ IL L Il
in the public schools brought forth
much opposition and the measure,
passed by the senate, was defeated in
the house. The bill aroused much
discussion throughout the state and
many were the reasons advanced for
! its passage and defeat.
Attorney General Stays.
Efforts were made by the house to
abolish the Office of attorney-general,
state factory inspector and to allow
the commissioner of agriculture to
handle the weights and measures de-
partment. The senate killed the bill
to abolish the attorney-general's Of
fee, but bill was passed so that a
big detective expense account cannot
be run up.
Statewide Prohibition.
Vermont will be confronted with
question next March which is not
only nationwide, but worldwide, as
the result of the passage of the Perry
prohibition bill, which would do away
with the local option law now in eff
feet. The referendum provides that
if the people vote favorably, the bill
shall go into effect May, 1916, but if
unfavorably received, it shall go into
effect May, 1927. Some legislature
between 1917 and 1927 is in duty
bound to repeal the law if che peo-
pie vote no. The prohibition bill
was not expected when the legisla-
ture convened, but the solons seemed
/ to feel that their constituents should
have a chance to express their views
on the subject after many years of
local option. Legislators who work
ed hard for the bill will, it is expect
ed, work for a no majority next
March.
Five-Cent Direct Tax.
A direct state tax of per cent is
to be levied, the legislature having
found it impossible to retrench suf-
f1ciently so that tax would be avoid
ed. The tax is but one-half that of
1.-TWO years ago.
Colleges Maintain Support.
The colleges, Norwich, Middlebury
and Vermont, received practically the
same appropriations as two years ago
although the University of Vermont
college of medicine received slight
Increase. If the educational bill had
passed, the colleges would not have
received any state aid. The appro-
priation bills passed provide for an
nual sums, and are aimed to do away
with the biennial increase asked for
at every session.
Memorials Provided For.
The sum of $4,000 is appropriated
to erect a marble, granite or bronze
statue on the state house portico of
Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen,
and money was appropriated for the
purpose Of erecting a marker for
Rufus E. Percy, the Highgate boy
who was killed during the occupa-
ton of Vera Cruz in the spring of
1914 by United States marines dur
ing the trouble with Mexico. One
thousand dollars is appropriated for
the restoration of the old constitu-
ton house at Windsor.
Other Acts.