Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-18

compensation Dill. amended into very !
moderate law 20 avoid hostility OF ultra /
conservatives. was ordered to a third !
reading In the Senate this afternoon |
without a dissenting voice This was !
the only Important piece OF work accom- |
piished by either House The House !
tool: most of the day off, 80 that anal
adjournment looms farther N tho dis |
iance !
The afternoon was spent considering |
the bill to abolish the department Of
weights and measures. ani after hear |
Ing some evidence as 20 nc efficiency |
OF tho present department the l'ous" !
tied tho can ON that proposition by a |
vote of III 70 9s The House went into |
committee ot the whole and called |
Commissioner Hsrr; ir to tell about hi.
depar tmen: This W.T. his first hearing
on the proposition &c 2ut him out Of
office He stated that the first tour of
inspections made by his department found
"A per cent. of the scales in Vermont
unfit for use. Tho standards used by
the local sealcrs We're so had that they
would not have been allowed by any
merchant for his weights or measures
The commissioner vas questioned at
grea: length. and the efficiency and good
the members that they reversed their
vote Of ycsterda" when they ordered the
bill to third reading by large ma
.ority.
Mr. Miller of Bethel summed up the
situation by comparing the proposal with
that to abolish tho attorney general The
latter had been long discussed, and he
believed, was in response TO public opn
lop M TO ahp1jsb mis-
sioner Henry had been sprun@ un the
House. was directly opposed &" public
opinion. and he believed was stcpl
backward The House followed him in
this belief. So one misconceivcd NOV"
for economy has been side-tracked al
the cost Of great deal Of legislative
time on the floor Of the House
The Perry prohibition referendum bill
H. 102, passed the Senate by vote Of
- to seven. The Governor is known
TO be strongly in favor Of it, Very few
license enthusiasts think that the ref
erendum next March viii allow local
option to continue Tho whole state.
therefore. will look like one dry town
after May, 1916
COMPENSATlON B'LL FINED Up.
The workmeu's compensation hill be-
fore being ordered to a third reading
was sufficient.% weakened in its force
80 that hostile employers will have u"
logical grounds of objection to the meas
ure Chief among the amendments was
one which permits employers to assess
and collect from his employees one-half
Of the cost Of carrying compensation in
surance This changed the act so that
II is less favorable to the workmen than
practically any other State act Such a
move was opposed by Senator Simonds
who said that the Legislature was hand
ing the workingmen a lemon. and by
Senator Powell. who believed that IL vio-
lated the spirit of the party platform.
Senator Carver justified this amendment
which the committee proposed on two
grounds; first. that the insurance rates
under the act are always higher during
the first year or SO until the actual risk
involved is ascertained. 1t is believed
that compensation Insurance cost to
employers two and three times the pres
pnt liability rate. If this is considered
too great burden to be assumed by the
employer alone and Immediately he can
share the cost with his employees. so
more employees will elect to come under
the provisions of this elective act. The
was necessary to get the bill through
the House SO many small employers
are hostile to the very idea Of work
mems compensation that this gentle act
Is needed to introduce the idea. Sev-
rral labor men have said that they would
for this reason he satisfied with the mu-
tual Insurance contributions. It is be-
!,eved, however, that once the principle
% u>rkren's compensation is tried out
that THE clause will no stricken out.
The second great change eXempts from
:he ;:ovis.cns - tine bill All employers,
~, have fv- Norkmen or less The
fam labor exempt on is stricken out.
20 :a'arieS Of the Industrial accident
tjar, are further cut. so that the chair
man gc.s hut 50 and the other two
msrohi.-, s.. -,
STfplJFIElj COURT PROCEjt' RE.
Technicaiities will be largely eliminated
and more common sense efficiency. and
r7eed will bo the ruiz IN cour, procedure
and practice IN Vermont !f the detailed
recori nncndations Of the commission on
this subject ave enacted into law by the
Legislature. The commission consisted
ot Justice George ". Powers and Judge
Frank L. Fish and Judge IIarland z.
lowe They have reported To the Gov
srnor pursuant 20 Joint resolution In
;roduced by Mt. Ware os Townshend
ad their report Is now with the House
judiciary committee. The substance Of
,tc report nas IN last Mondays Free
Prose.
GENERAL. CORPORATION ACT.
rho general corporation act has bccr
introduced. 1t wa3 drafted by PDf
Edward ~. Warren. professor of cor
porations IN Harvard. and by N. G
Senator show and other members of th'
corporations committee. 4 hearing vii
10 held on the bill next Thursday night
The bin. necesstated by the recent con
stitutiOnal amendments. provides for th
method of Incorporation and regulations
Tor private corporations public service
corporations. savings banks and trust com
JAMES. and insurance companies, |
would add new chapter, containing .iV'
acts; private corporations, public servic
corporations other than railroads, saw
ings banks and trust companies, insur
ancc corporations and foreign corpora
lions
GEN. MILES BEFORE ASSEMBLY.
Tho Legislature was favored with
visit rom Lieut. Gen, Nelson a. Miles u
S. A. retired, who spoke before the join
assembly this morning. He invited th
state TO join with tho federal government
and other STATES IN erecting a Temple o