The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-04-05

Three Of the biggest measures which
confronted the 1915 legislature, which
formally adjourned Saturday morning,
were disposed Of Friday evening: the
taxation question, the bill appropriating
money for the erection of building
for the state library and supreme
court and to remodel the interior of
the state house, and the bill which
would allow the Boston & Maine to re-
organize by taking over the leased
lines.
The Taxation Problem.
The taxation problem was foreseen
early IN the session and a special com
mittee appointed to draft a bill. This
special committee introduced q bill
which would have established a flat
rate on intangibles, and after several
days discussion, the bill was refused
passage Later, the committee on
ways and means presented a bill pro
viding for offsets and ) per cent mon
ey. The senate refused to accept the
bill and committee of conference was
appointed. This committee labored al
day Friday and finally reported. The
senate refused to accept the report
and discharged the committee, which
notion prompted one member, Senator
Powell, to leave the senate chamber
in disgust. He came back and the
old committee was reinstated. and the
report was accepted. The house ac
cepted the report Of the committee
just before taking a recess at II
o clock until midnight The report il
effect gives an offset of so per cent
with limit of $4,000, and exemptinl
book accounts, if no interest is charged
and provides for exemption upon loan,
made by individuals at > per cent
This bill repeats the act of 1912 anC
will take effect Jan. !, 1916.
State Building.
After passing bill repeating the ac
OF 1912 providing for an appreciation
of $500, 900 for q state house addition
a special committee was appointed t,
investigate the need of more room
The committee brought in q report fla
voring a bill appropriating a sum no
to exceed 100000 for building, an
the bill providing for that sum wa
passed by the senate. Fears were ex
pressed that the bill would not pas
the house and il was amended so tina
$4,000 is appropriated. The buiIdin
must he completed not later than Seq
TENDER, 1917.
The Boston & Maine Bill.
A bin was presented during the frs
few weeks Of the session especially de
signed to aid the Boston & Maine raj
road to escape thehands of q receive
by allowing that corporation to tax
over its subsidiary lines. Simila
measures We're introduced in three otI
er New England states, Maine, Ney
Hampshire and Massachusetts, and tn
Vermont Legislature, not desiring t
act until the assemblies of the othe
states had decided, postponed action 0
the bill until the closing days of tn
| session. The bill from the first wa
! opposed by Senator Simonds, but fnall
passed the. upper branch wit
an amendment, which, aceordin
! TO Senator Simonds, safeguarded I
| some extent the minority stakeholder
The house did not pretend to unde
! stand the measure and viewed it Wit
natural distrust. Two public hearing
were held by the house as a commit
tee Of the whole and the Boston
Maine officials, counsel. and Marcus /
| knowlton, chairman of the board c
f! trustees appointed by the federal 30,
Ilernment, attempted to make the pu
port Of the bill clear in the minds G
| the house members. The hearing
seemed to be without avail, for til
house by a decisive vote refused til
bin a third reading.
This action brought the advocate
of the bin to the feet Of the oppos
ton, led by Senator Simonds, and O
the last working day of the session
bill of entirely different natur
which, according to those who studio
it, safeguarded entirely the minorit
stockholders, was presented. The SCI
ate passed it without question, but IL
house, still suspicious, refused to Ii
ten to explanations and defeated I'll
bill. If legislation is enacted in II
other states allowing the Boston
Maine to proceed as it desires, We
mont will be placed in a peculiar p
sition and there are some who predict
! special session.
School Legislation.
Even before the legislature co
veued, many members had conceived
dislike to the suggestions embodied ;
the report of the Carnegie investig
tors, because it was viewed as a rad
cal departure from Vermont s syste
Of education and destroyed town ind
Ipendcnee enjoyed in the state. Folio,
ing several hearings on the education
bin reported, special committee W;
appointed which brought in substitu
bills, both of which passed with b.
few changes. The first measure 7