News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-02-10
FROM THE STATE CAPITOL
MONTPELIER, Vt.,O
Feb. Sth. 1915.
Esteemed Editor:-

ne Hlllls oI the ROuS are grinding, an0
with rather increased momentum as the
session wakes and wanes. As usual, il
required some time for the bunch to get
acquainted, to familarize themselves
with their surroundings, to inspect all
u the pictures, statuary, bugs in the glass
cases aud just how to use the liquid soap
down stairs in the Mushroom; but these
things off their minds they have dis
covered that life is not one glad, sweet
song, and that " hole lot of very serious
matters are urgently calling for their
consideration and verdict. So, they have
girded up their loins and mental process
es, so to speak, and the look of placid
curiosity has given place to one OF grim
determination.
Under the recently amended rules of the
House that body had to be in session at
least half day last Saturday, during
which time it cleaned up large calendar
and adjourned to p. M, M onday. The
| Senate-not having the fear OF Speaker
Weeks before its eyes-adj ourned Friday
| afternoon until 100 Monday evening
| This latter date is selected in order that
the OUTFIT can get in a legislative work
ing day Monday, tho of course nothing
is ever done until Tuesday. AT the close
of Saturdays session of the House 294
bills had been introduced in that body,
and nearly 70 have come into the Senate
Of all this mass of proposed legislation
under the head of good. bad and indif1er-
emit would classify it about as follows
Twenty per cent good, thirty per cent
unquali6edly bad-tho. perhaps because
Of their uselessness rather than because
OF any actual viciousness-and the great
ruck of fifty per cent indifferent. Very
indifferent indeed. But, so runs the
world away.
Of the very important measures-those
generally considered as real necessities
most, or many of them are now out in
the open for action. Probably. like Ben
Adhem's name, the educational bill leads
all the rest. l should say bills, properly,
of those who are violently opposed to
many OF the provisions of the imported
talent bills due in today. Then the
issue will be joined and the great fight
will become strenuous. In respect to
these matters-educatio are now
certain of only one thing. This is that |
if the Official educational bill was to |
come up for dispose today it would be |
disastrously defeated. That is, If they |
had to take it or leave it, as it is. OF this
there can be no doubt.
The workingmen's compensation b |
also came in today, and as far as heard
from is considered fairly satisfactory to
nearly all concerned. The bill contains
"a pages, and large number of prOvis-
ions. Very likely there will be fights over
: ome sections, which may resultin amend
lrents, but he bill as whole is about
as satisfactory as any that could be
framed where two opposing parties are
to be reconced.
AS to appropriations, the legislature is
wholly at sea as yet. tits not likely that
the proposed budget" commission, or
board OF estimate can be officially consti-
tuted in time to operate at this session,
and so the appropriations committee
with the advice and assistance of various
state oficias-will likely later resolve i
itself into an unofficial board of est- i
mate and discover just about how much {
t is going to take to run tue state during
the next biennial period and therefore
now much can be spared for new appro-
)riations at this session. This deter I
mined, the appropriation bill will be re- S
ported n-many of them wit an adverse i
-epCrt-some of them favorably after 5
shaving down the amounts asked for, S
md thus the decks will be cleared t
In the matter of revision of judicial {
for the purpose OF simplifying
such procedure and reducing the expense c
Gov. Gates has made a good beginning G
~ the appointment of a committee of /
hree, headed by Judge Powers, and these t
will at once get busy along the lines des- t
grated. If they do their full duty in the t
premises, as they undoubtedly will, the Il
esult will be a tremendous saving in
lime and money for everybody who is IL
to litigate cause. Thus will S
| Republican platform pledge be most S
redeemed.
In this connection may also add that I
all the platform pledges of
hat party-including many incorporated
n the platforms of the other parties
ne being well carried out by appropriate
egislation, members of all parties in the
egislature putting their shoulders vail
unity to the wheel for that purpose.
In the matter of establishing a state
etention farm-one of the accessories
which the state so badly needs for abun-
ant good reasons-the bill came back