Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-04
to Insert Provision
AbOlishing Office of Attorney
General Fails--Senate Accepts
Three Amendments.
.FAv0RS REPEAl|NG SEC. 1341
Senate Passes Bill to Deprive
Governor of Right to Obtain
Opinion of Supreme Court on
Executive Matters-ImpOrtant
Measures Introduced.

Montpelier. Jan. 2o-The House COM
pleted a big piece of work this morning
In pa ssing the omnibus bill which revises
all the statutes affected by the consttu-
tiona amendments. 1t required four sus-
pensions of the rules and some capable
engineering on the part of Mr. Wilson
of Chelsea. An attempt was made to
insert an amendment aboishing the Of
fee of attorney general. but this failed.
The omnibus bill finally went through
with all reference to the attorney general
stricken out
The afternoon showed many empty
seat and there were no committee meet
ings during the day. An adjournment
until Monday afternoon was therefore
aiken. Speaker Weeks said that he hoped
that the members would prepare to work
next week until Saturday noon, and re-
minded them that Teusday was the last
day for introducing bills.
WOULD REPEAL SECTION 1871
The Senate passed Senator Smonds'
bill. Senate 49, repeating section 1,3n of
the public statutes. This statute IS the
one under which the supreme court fur
nishes opinions when so requested by the
Governor The bill was sponsored by
in the Senate He contended that the
statute. though an old one. was uncon-
stitutiona First. because 1t is opposed
to section of chapter OF the constitu-
tion which saws that the legislators, ex-
ecutive and judicial. shall be separate and
distinct; under the statute the executive
is interfering with the separate and dis
tinct duties of the court Second, be-
cause the rights of an individual may
he involved. determined or even Wrest d
from him without his being heard. Under
such conditions he maVb be deprived Of
property position. He can not ne
heard or have counsel. He can not even
know of such hearing Under it the
court may give opinions which would
later limit their acts
When Judge Poland first gave an opin-
lon under this statute, said Senator 81
bnonds. he raised serious question as
10 its constitutionality. Examples in
Minnesota, Maine, Massa chusetts and
Connecticut were cited, all Of which de-
rlared such court opinions to be uncon-
ttitutional.
Thus far the Senate has been notably
human and has killed hut one House bill,
that relating to disclosures in no-licens"
towns. The bill raising the pay of county
road commissioners was reconsidered by
the Senate to-day and was passed in con-
currence.
WOMEN TO HAVE CHAIRS.
The Governor signed the bill providing
chairs for all female employees, four other
bills and one resolution. The resolution
concerned the compensation of John +.
Harris, who acted as official reporter in
he Senate until the regular reporter wa
appointed. This was held up by the
fiovernor in its first form because it did
not authorize a fixed sum, but an amount
pro rata to the official appointee He
determined to make a precedent I'm this
case and the bill went the rounds gain
with an amendment fixing the sum.
The omnibus bill passed the House this
morning with three amendments which
the Senate agreed to in the afternoon. 1t
was considered advisable that the changes
n the present statutes which are made
by this bill should go into effect February
so haste was necessary Many officers
terms are set ahead two months by this
act.
THE ATTORNEY-GENE ISSUE.
The question Of abolishing the attorney
GENERALS office entered into the discussion
Of the bill. 1t was the opinion of Mr.
ones of Shrewsbury that If the House
passed the sections fixing the term of
office Of the attorney-general, 1t could not,
under the rules, abolish the office at a
alter date, He moved to amend by sub
shutting his bill which would abolish the
lfice, This was considered hasty, and
Mr.. Wilson of Chelsea amended the mo-
ion that no changes in the statutes
ffecting the attorneygeneral would go
nto effect AT this time So section A was
struck out. A slight amendment in the
Fection relating to the board of pharmacy
vas made,
The bill was Immediately messaged TO
The Senate under suspension Of rules. 1t
as big piece of work There was some
uspicion that so large a bill might con-
tain some iokers, but Mr.. Wilson allayed
hose fears, and ii was read by title, sub
t.te and section numbers. any member
having the right to ask for the reading
bf any section.
Mr. Perkins Of Bridgewater has plan
Tor securing occupants for abandoned
farms. BY House bill 1871 he would have
mmissoners of lands who would cata
ogue abandoned farms and seek to find
Industrious persons to occupy them.
Experts and clerks to draft a genera
ion which has passed both houses
These experts are to work under the di-
ection Of the House and Senate corpora
ions committees. The task is a large
bne and no member feels capable OF doing
t unassisted.
CHILD LABOR BILL
chiih la;-or bin was introduced by
e-rator Carver among the 10 new bills
BIZ the day. II makes the law more riSic
(or children between the ages OF IA ano
g. A SITTER permit Is required for thos'
hinder 16 They can work not more thar
sight hours day nor more than " hours
n the week, instead of the nine-hon'
av and 30 hours per week, A. under thu
present law.
The bill requiring all milk purohaser'
Ia furnish bonds, it Is pointed out woulc
fleet all Burlington milkmeh VINO p"'
rilk from other farmers, TheN woh''
nave to furnish bonds under the terms