Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-11

vote in favor of the prohibition refer
endum bill was the most important
Incident Of an eventful day in the
Legislature to-day. This means the
doom of local option and license In
Vermont The vote to order the bin
to it's third reading was 90 to s, as
large n vote as any of the friends of
the bill have prophesied in the last
two weeks. The House expressed it
self as in favor Of abolishing the cont
missioner Of weights and measures
The Senate received the workmen' S
compensation bill from committee. and
will act upon it with it's amendments
tomorrow The Senate passed the
narcotic drugs act without debate and
the school health inspection bill was
ordered to a third reading by the
House by vote of two majority.
GEN MILES TO SPEAK.
Gen. Nelson A. Miles will speak be-
fore a joint assembly tomorrow at
$3.50 according to a joint resolution,
and II is expected that he will speak
on the Perry memorial which Is sub
ject near to his heart. The memorial
will be erected in Putin bay on Lake
Erie with federal and State appropria
tions, and the cooperation of Yer
mont to the extent of $4,000 is asked.
ADJOURNMENT THE 25rH.
Adjournment on March 25th is con-
f1dently predicted by the committee
on final adjournment or steering com
mittee after thorough review Of the
business yet to be disposed OF. The
announcement Of this decision was
greeted with applause in both Houses
when made by Chairmen Proctor and
Powell
drastic bill to prevent the spread
of venereal disease was introduced by
DR.. Mayo of Northfleld In the House.
PHYSICIANS treating venereal cases are
required to report them to the State
board and the board is empowered to
enforce quarantine reg gllat'ons for
such cases az may he necessary for the
protection Of the public
The Vail School Of Agriculture has
now been formally accepted by the
state The resolution Of acceptance
and thanks was signed by the Cover
nor this afternoon after passing both
Houses.
The direct primary bill, II. 389 is
y.
The elections committee will report
the bill without recommendation.
REFERENDUM DEBATE LIVELY.
The vote on the Perry prohibition refer
oum Dill in the Senate was preceded by
one OF the liveliest debates OF the session
rhe friends of local option sought to make
stand In the Senate rather than allow
ing the people to vote on the question Of
Statewide prohibition next March. A no.
table exception was Senator Powell who
made long speech in favor of license
and local option but voted for the bill
the desrahility OF the present local op-
ton law was challenged. he said; But I
am willing to accept the challenge
shall vote yes. We will say to Miss Pro-
htbitiOn. We shall see next March at
the polls how attractive YOU are to the
people "
Senator SimOnds said that the question
OF the relative merits OF license and pro-
htbition was not the point at Issue. But
SINCE Powell had said so much about the
good results OF the present law he do
voted some attention to it, He had some
sensational testimony to offer As States
attorney in Caledonia he gained some
knowledge OF the workings of the local
option law. Hardwick voted no-license
one year by vote Of 2 to /. In the Jan
uary following he sent up q sheriffs and
came back with % rumsellers and 5000
gallons of rum. In February he and his
force again went up on special train.
That time they got 3,m gallons and IS
rumselers, In one license city within two
weeks four kitchen barrooms were raid =.
Cd and 20, 10, oh ...,l
saloons And st. Johnsbury. a strong mo-
license community. was licensed by tho
little town OF Victory with A. voters so
that the extra police cost alone in one
year Of wet Victory was 5000 He also
presented striking parallel figures Of
Barre and Montpelier police courts. show
license years.
Senator Conant opened the debate by
arguing that the present law best con-
trolls the traffic. Senator Locklin said
that his argument was nSt germane to
the question, which was. Shall We give
the people the choice Of prohibition or
local option" Senator Dunklec wished
to have the people express themselves.
Senator Shaw said that conditions were
better In Burlington under license than
unQeT IdNoTeu representa-
tive government and thought that the
Senate were better lawmakers than the
people, and he agreed with eX-Judge
Tyler of Brattleboro,
SENATOR POWELL'S VIEWS.
Senator Powell argued that one couldn't
legislate appetite away from a man. AS
a hotel keeper ne was financially inter-
ested. Two years ago he had favored
an innkeepers license, so that Vermont
hotels could II the towns wished serve
tourists In the way I'm which they were
accustomed. We can not change the
manner Of living Of New Workers, he
said. Our scenic attractions won't be
patronized, II We try to change their
habits. The local option law ne said,
had just begun to work we'll And now
they proposed TO change the state OF
affairs and go back to the prohibition
regime, lie believed the people would
kill the bill at the March referendum.
Senator Seaver said: Not all tourists
require their booze" and Senator
Simonds asserted that those who did
would have to banker In vain in 16 other
States. Senator Seaver said In addition:
THE state has n beautiful city In the
western part Burlington, And in Bur
lngton We have d university. which
some saZ belongs to the StAtA ThAxssaia,