News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-02-24
FROM THE STATE CAPITOL
MONTPELIER, VT,
Feb. %, 1915.

J., VI ne weather TINS morning is about al
!, even month ahead of the season, ant
those people around the capitol whc-ii
the language of the constitution-"ar
noted for wisdom and virtue" are behold
| ing signs OF spring on every hand ant
wondering if sap wouldn't run in tn
middle of the day in locations with {
are bringing with them signs ant
thoughts of springs work not so fal
away now and wonderings as to about
how long it will take now to get through
with the work OF the season 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 q prediction as to the
exact date - nor yet Approximately.
With the large quantity of business now
under way-some of it as yet hardly
started-any attempt to fix the date of
adjournment within a week is all guess
work. Nevertheless, spring and its
duties at home are in the mind and air
and nobody will remain on the lob an
hour longer then is absolutely necessary.
After big weeks work the House put
in Saturday forenoon in wping 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 till.Monday even
ing. The introduction of bills by private
members is long since thing of thepas
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 bill
introduced.
Contrary to a previous announcement
one more hearing will be had on the edu-
cational bill-and not so much a hearing
as funeral obsequies. Thursday evening
is the date given for the mortuary ex-
ercises, when the commission will give
Que last statement from their viewpoint.
No flowers and burial private. 1t is
understood that Senator Simonds o
Caledonia has in course of preparation
another educational BILL much more
simple and far less revolutionary, 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 cert ain instances, but
all prospect Of general raid in this di
rection is wholly removed.
The final and decisive struggle over the
question OF sanitary" marriages 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 holly contested
any before the legislature this session
and 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
= is put upon its passage, and in fact
much OF the measure was stricken out by |
amendment when last it was up. The
pro spect now is that it will go through
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 passage through the House
by fair majority-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 a fair
bill of the kind.
The prohibition bill with referendum,
which no two people understand alike,
passed the House last Friday, after an
amendment 10y Hapgood which is sup
posed to provide that il the people vote
mo" and against the bill it cannot take
effect till 1927. II the vote is Yves" the
supposition is that absolute alright pro-
hibition will take the place of the present
law one year from next July. The Senate
has as yet given no decided indications
OF its attitude on the subject, but before
1t passed the House it was whispered
that majority was opposed to the prop
osition. If the subject came up again
in the House and was handled as it was
last week it is very doubtful if it got
through that body. AS it was, it was
only the multitude of very small towns
which saved it.
very pleasing feature last week was
the visit to the legislature of Congress
man Greene OF the first district. He was
greeted on all sides and for a
while occupied his old seat at the re.
porters' table. Upon invitation he adj
dressed a joint assembly of the Senate