News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-03-10
FROM THE STATE CAPITOL
MONTPELIER, Vt.,)
M arch s, 1915. I
Dear Editor:-

hand here again Wednesday morning and
ready for any brand of trouble that might
present itself The full days were got in
last week, from Wednesday to Saturday
noon, when the outfit in both houses had
worked themselves out of a Job and ad.
journed to Monday afternoon. The town
meeting recess seemed to have been used
to good advantage, as the members re-
turned with sharpened faculties and
jumped into the middle of things with a
broad standing leap. AS soon as they
reconvened the taxation stunt was
promptly tackled, and with such dill
gence that the bill was passed to a thii d
reading which was appointed for this
neutrality-suspicious.. Today the fate of
the bill is in doubt, with anything liable
to happen. The result, however, will be
announced to you in time for this issue
Although with commendable diligence
the accumulation of business in the way
of bills in committee is being steadily fe-
duced and considerable progress is being
made, yet there are many measures OF the
largest importance yet to come and these
will necessitate considerable time in their
disposition. The Speaker has met and
consulted with the chairman Of the com
mittees in an effort to expedite matters,
but the best that can be said is that the
House on its part hopes to adjourn this
month. AS the date of final adjournment
is always some Friday morning this
might mean about the Goth, and this is
now the earliest date now mentioned as
the getaway date. Work in the Senate
is such that it can always be ready on
twenty-four hours notice, and some time
before the end will be in session largely
for the sole purpose of disposing of those
matters which come to it from the House.
Therefore, the most that can be said at
this time as to the winding up the bust
ness and going home is that this may
happen anywhere from the Goth to April
9th. The former date is bare, and the
latter one fair, possibility.
Although some important measures
have already been disposed of, those
which have been for some time in the
public eye are as yet for the most part
unsettled The prohibition referendum
is likely to be finally settled by it's pas
sage in the Senate Wednesday, which
date has been assigned for it's disposal by
order. At this time it is stated that six
teen Senators favor and fourteen oppose
the submission of the measure to the
people as contemplated by the bill Il
margin which will assure it's success bar
ring accident. But the unexpected and
unseen is always more or less dangerous,
and the friends of the bill will not be
Supremacy happy until senate margin
in their favor is definitely registered
However. the probabilities now are that
the. bill will become law as written and
with the referendum attachment.
Our standing nuisance-the bennial
fish and game mix-up-is at last definitely
settled in-most of its aspects, and there
vet remains the proposition to provide
for a combination hunting and fishing
license at a dollar. on which a public
hearing will be given by the committee
later i'll the week. If adopted, this will |
not include women and children, and it |
will continue to be optional to pur-
chase the single hunting license at seventy |
five cents, the present law. 1t appears
to be demonstrated that the money that |
would be obtained by the new comLina-
ton license would undoubtedly place |
the department on a selfsustaining and |
definite paying basis and would there.
fore result in much improved conditions |
The salary of Commissioner Titcomb is
left at 81 500 for each OF the next two
years, with the addition of 81, 200 for a
clerk and 5000 for stenographer, SO, 300
salary account in all.
Lively fights will come this week in the
House over the propositions to abolish
the Offices of Factory inspector and Com
missioner of Weights and Measures, and
the result in each case is beyond even
guess work. Anythiugis likely to happen.
Both these abolition measures are COM
nittee bills, with a practically un animous
,om mittee sentiment behind them, but
the House has in many Instances shown
is hearty disregard of whatever a CON-
nittee may take it into its head to rec
One bill of very large consequence to
Vermont interests seems likely to become
A law, and ina somewhat peculiar way.
Certain lobbyists have been hanging
around the capitol for some time and
inally cooked up bill to allow banks
20 increase the per cent of the funds which
hey might invest outside the state from
sixty to seventy per cent. For years tn c
financial life blood of the state has been
drained by certain banks which could
'ealize cent or so more interest in west
.rn farm investments than they could at
lome, and this bill was designed to even
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