Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-04

of this law. Cooperative creameries,
also will have to furnish bonds, al
though they guarantee no price and pay
only to the partners in the business. II
has been said that this BILL House bill
SO, is unconstitutional. because 1t AT
fects the right of private contract AT
any rate a large number Of creamery
men and milk dealers are opposing IL,
because it's broad and inclusive terms
will work injustice to many 1t is claimed.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES LAW.
An amendment 60 the weights and
measures law has been introduced by
Mr.. Black of Burlington which calls for
the following changes IN the present law:
election of the commissioner at the next
session of the Legisla ture, not disturbing
the right of appointment under the pres
ent administration. but returning to cleo
ton next session in the same way cleo
ton of such official has been made In the
past; an increase in appropriation OF s2'oco
per year change in salPry of commission
err of $1,000 to $500 aud of first year in
spectors and third year inspectors from
$3.50. $3.50 and $3.50 to $500, 5000 and $1,000 re-
spectfully; cutting out of clause forcing
the State to show the intent in sales ana
purchases that are fraudulent. winch IL
simply cutting out an amendment by Leg
islature of 1912 which amendment proved
to practically nullify protection from such
practices and a new provision for check
ing up the weight and measure of articles
paid for by the state in its institutions.
The bill, except for the provision rela-
tive to verifying purchases of the state. is
merely an incorporation of the amend
ments passed by substantial majority
Of the Senate of 1912 after that body has
spent a large part of two or more days
in the strictcst kind Of investigation OF
the mana cement. economy, value ana
needs of the department of weights and
measures and it Is to be remembered that
this Senate really acting as one large
committee of Investigation. not only gave
the department the most thorough inVes-
tigation probably ever given department
in this State but alsD'determned upon
the amount of $1,000 a year as the amount
which the best interests and economy OF
the State required to be appropriated Tor
the department at a time next to the last
day of the SESSION. wheu there was the
fullest sense of the absolute necessity or
strict economy and after every other
state department had had its full oppor.
tunity to make its plea for its share Of the
state expenses
It is with such official backing that
those interested in thu efficiency OF the
state department, upon the efficiency OF
which depends the safety of approx
matelv $4,000 900 worth of transactions
yearly ask the members Of the assembly
to merely concur in the decision OF the
Senate Of 1912 in the passage of the bill
under discussion
The amendments which constitute
the present hill and records may be
found in Senate Journal for 1912, PIP,
SOC, SO7 s2s, 500. $50 and S57 and the
record of the Senate insisting upon
amendments on page 1928.
The elimination of the intent clause
is proposition backed by every mem
Der of the prosecuting department of
the State, it's state attorneys and grand
jurors, who have dealt with the law
in the past two years.
The legislation is called for in the
sense of strctest economy for the
sake of the safety and Improvement Of
the instruments upon which the en-
tire business of and in the State is
based and for the better protection OF
our honest dealers and that body OF
nearly 100000 consumers. the poorest
of whom or those most likely to be-
come public charges being the ones al
ways in greatest need of this protec-
ton. 1t is even more necessary now
than two wears ago for the people,
particularly the farmers. are realizing
more and more the value and useful
ness of the work and are calling for
assistance in the way Of testing their
own scales and more frequent test
of the scales over which their prod
ucts are sold and their supplies pur-
chased. Vermont cannot afford to
turn down such requests made for the
benefit of its agricultural interests.