Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-11
S0L0NS GET EXERCISE
Mothers Pension Bill introduced
Two Bank Stock Tax Meas
ures Before HOuse-Slight
Hope of Important Decisions
This Week.

Montpelier, Feb. S-The House passed
Is unimportant bills this afternoon in
a session in which Mr.. Hapgood was
very much in evidence. Upon his in
sistence, most Of the bills were passed
by rising votes. Many of them seemed
so Unnecessary to him that he demanded
that the Legislators exert themselves suf-
flciently to pass them by a rising vote,
instead of a simple AYE" So the House
was kept bobbing up and down in
obedience TO Mr.. HapEood's dictates, but
always voting contrary to his opinions.
Indeed, there can be no doubt several
bills thrived upon his opposition. Two
bills with unfavorable committee reports
were killed.
Among the bills which the House
passed was House 2l5, which forbids the
opening of the muffler cut-out by auto
mobilists In the thickly settled parts of
towns. cities and villages. An attempt
was made to amend the bill so as to
allow opening the muffler on 20 per cent.
grades, but this was not allowed.
A Senate Joint resolution was passed
by the House providing for a commission
TO investigate the need Of more room
for the State library, supreme court and
Vermont Historical society.
BANK LEGISLATION.
Two important measures are now before
the House relating to the taxation Of
bank stock. House 27T. drawn by Com
missioner Plumley. provides for a board
of appraisal which shall instruct the
listers as to a uniform method of APP
praisal OF all bank stock. There will
be a hearing on this bill Wednesday
evening before the committee on ways
and means. The second bill. House $50.
would not attempt to find a uniform
method of taxing bank stock locally. 1t
woulC simply fix the value of all bank
stock for local taxation at par. Then
1.-THE banks would be taxed by the State
seven-tenths Of one per cent. on their
accommodations. This is a committee bill
introduced by the committee on banks.
and favored by some bankers. 1t also
remedies two features of the present law
regarding trust companies. They are
taxed by the State seven-tenths of one
per cent. on trust funds received under
order OF court. but on other trust funds
they are taxed locally. Funds held in
trust solely for ecclesiastical or charit-
able purposes are exempted from taxa
ton by this bill, so that such funds
may be handled by trust companies as
well as by individuals, who are now ex-
empted.
Among the bills introduced was a
mothers pension bill. 1t would pay de-
pendent mothers UP to Sic per month,
and for each additional child IS per
month. These pensions are to be admin
Fstered by the assistant Judges from the
BOUNTY treasurer. House 1893 would make
prisoners in the county jail work. The
Sheriff may employ them up to ten hours
4 day. T~hree-quarters of their earnings
20 go to the State and o~ne-quarter to
he prisoners family.
The general committee will hold an i'm
~portant hearing In which House bills
providing for inspections NJ m
and milk Reproducing farms will be consid-
red. In the latter bill a health officer
s empowered to go TO the farm at any
lime to inspect the premises and sample
he milk.
The creamery bonding bill, House 50,
which aroused so much opposition on the
part of the crea merry men, will be the
subject of a hearing with the Senate rom
nittee on internal affairs on Tuesday
%tvening,
Mr.. Hapgood has a bill which would
prohibit citizens Of one town buying
liquor in another town.
TEN BILLS IN SENATE.
The Senate also passed some important
bills. and was subjected to the introduce
ion of 10 bills.
The firearms bill, regulating use of
weapons by boys under Is, was ordered
o lie.
A 1875 lump sum legislative salary bill
Has introduced.