Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-18
Sheriff Tracy Makes Assertion
before Appropriations Com
mittee, FavOring Bill for Re-
form in Punishments.
BRUTALITY vs.. HUMANITY
Urges Doctrine of Good Food,
Clean Bed and Kind Words
Would Provide Open Air and
Hard Work for the Habitual
Drunkards.

Montpelier, Feb. 15.-'First to save
men, second to save money" was the
Plea of Sheriff +. II, Tracy of Mont
pelier in behalf of the state detention
farm, bill S. "a. before the ap%propria-
tions committec tonight. Ex-Gov.
Eugene n. Foss of Massachusetts was
heard from by telegram; he regretted
that he could not be present as he had
expected and stated in his message
that a detention farm was a good in
vestment socially and economically.
The need of reformatory rather than
penal treatment for men who have be-
come so unfortunate as to have an
uncomfortable desire for drink was
advocated at the hearing.
Sheriff Tracy's doctrine of good
food, a clean bed, and. above all, a
kind word for the unfortunates COM
mitted to Jail was enunciated to the
committee. He noted the change from
the brutal to humane methods and
prophesied even greater progress in
the future.
HARD WORK FOR DRUNKARDs.
A State detention farm, he said, would
pl'ii tIi anu manu- " "
habitual drunkards and other criminals
for whom such treatment was deemed
advisable. Many of the COUNT iails are
so located that they can not put their
inmate at work steadily. A man under
the present system does not get correc-
tive influences and he lives in such case
in the jails that this is a popular State
for tramps who wish to be provided for
during the ravages of winter.
Judge f. NJ. Harvey of Montpelier and
States Attorney r. f. Gleason Of Mont
pelier also advocated the bill. The latter
run at a profit and had everywhere been
OF tremendous value.
400 OR 800 DRUNKARDS.
Judge Harvey said that present reports
showed about 2oS men eligible for such
a farm and estimated that between 400
and so men in the state were so addicted
to drink that some mild form of re-
Straint was necessary.
The bill contemplates a farm reforma-
tory as in other States where prisoners
could be put to farm work and thus be-
come largely s~elf-supporting. Most of
the unfavorable on the bill has
rome from the appropriation feature
which amounts to $4,000 for the farm
and SIC, 900 annually.
The comments OF the legislators at the
hearing We're mostly on the expense;
some Of them could not get away from
the fear that the men could not be
kept busy on the farm in winter. Ona
member didn't favor attractive penai
institutions. There was very little in
telligent criticism directed against tho
bill.
SESSION UNEVENTFUL.
The House opened the work Of the
week In an afternoon session which was
colorless, except for a slight effort to
block the bill fixing the pay of the
clerks and a little discussion on the
barber shop bill.
The barber shop bin providing for
proper sanitation and sterilization in
barber shops passed the House with
amendments which make it more in
elusive.
A bill, H. 3l, changing the amounts
Of liquor license fees and removing
the element OF flexibility, was killed by
the House.
Maple syrup will have a standard OF
weight not less than eleven pounds to
the gallon. If Fl. 149 which passed the
House to-day receives the approval OF
Senate and Governor. This is desired by
the maple syrup makers and dealers
and its lack has been felt.
The milk inspection bill, H.. 293, was
the subject of a hearing before the gen
eral committee. DR.. c. F.. Dalton o
Burlington and DIR. II. D.. Holton o
Brattleboro, members of the State board
Of health, appeared and did not favo
the bill. 1t made the sending of al
milk samples by the local health Of
tcers to the State laboratory an optiona
instead Of a compulsory proceeding.
Taxation conferences are now In cours'
n all the county delegations. The specia
committee on taxation is getting tn
opinion OF the various counties befor'
inally presenting the bill. II is under
TODD that the bill in its present form i
hot drafted so that the other fellow I
he only one who pays all the taxes, 81
t is the object of some attack and tn
Fubject of much controversy. Thes
bounty taxation conferences may resul
n further compromises and modification
n the bill
A number of bills have been introduces
kxcmpting from taxation the property o
fraternal organizations. These are nov
n the hands of the grand list committe
which is drafting a bin which will cove
II such cases and will leave the decision
n such matters entirely with the towns.
SENATE SUMMARY.
a summary of work in the Senate to
lev shows l3 bills and resolutions dis
,osef OF in ~ days. This indicate
lightly higher efficiency than in the las
wo sessions, I'm point of numbers.
In the 1910 session there were 70 dispose
( at the end of 81 days and ~ at tn
nd of IS days.
In the 1912 session there were II dispose
+ in 81 DAYS and 107 in II days.
Business in committees, up to and II
luding February IA:
Senate Hous
ellcultufe ....'...,,''.'''
appropriations .............
Ill Ill 900 .sF e. 80