Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-02-12
LEGISLATIVE. LETTER.
Montpelier, VT, Feb. 8th
ESTEEMED EDITOR

The mills of the gods are grinding,
and with rather increased momentum
as the session wakes and wanes. AS
usual, itrequired some time for the
bunch to get acquainted, to familiar
ize themselves with their surround
ings, to inspect all the pictures, stat
uary, bugs in the glass cases and
just how to use the liquid soap down
stairs in the washroom, but these
things off their minds they have dis
covered that life is not one glad,
sweet song and that a whole lot of
very serious matters are. urgently
calling for their consideration and
verdict. So, they have girded up
their loins and mental processes, SO
to speak, and the look of placid curl
osity has given place to one of grim
determination.
Under the recently amended rules
Of the house that body had to be in
session at least a half day last Satur--
day, during which times it cleaned
up a large calendar and adjourned to
g p. m. Monday. The senate not
having the fear Of Speaker Weeks
before its yes-adjourned Friday
afternoon until 7.30 Monday evening.
The latter date is selected in order
that the outfit can get in a legislative
working day Monday, tho Of course
nothing is ever done until Tuesday
At the close of Saturdays session of
the House, 294 bills had been intro
duced in that body, and nearly 70
have come into the Senate. Of all
this mass of proposed legislation
under the head Of good, bad and in
different-I would classify it about
as follows. Twenty per cent good,
thirty per cent unqualifiedly bad
tho perhaps because of their useless
ness rather than becaue Of any actual
viciousness and the great ruck of
fifty per cent Indifferent. Very in
different indeed. But, so runs the
world away.
Or the very important measures
those generally considered as real
necessities s-most, or many, of them
are now out in the open for action.
Probably, like Ben Adhem's name,
the educational bill leads all the
. rest. / should say bills, properly, as
another one-representing the views
of those who are violently opposed to
many of the provisions of the i'm
ported talent bill--is due in today.
Then the issue will be joined and the
great fight will become strenuous.
In respect to these matters -educa-
ton we are now certain Of only one
thing. This is that if the official"
educational bill was to come up for
disposal today it would be disas-
trously defeated. That is, is they
had to take it or leave it, as it is. Of
this there can be no doubt.
The Workingmen's compensation
bill also came in today, and as far as
heard from is considered fairly salts
factory to nearly all concerned. The
bill contains "a pages, and a large
number of provisions. Very likely
there will be fights over some sec
. tons, likely resulting in amend
ments, but the bill as a whole is
about as satisfactory as any that
could be framed where the two op-
posing parties are to be reconciled.
AS to appropriations, the legisla
ture is wholly at sea as yet. 1t ISM
likely that the proposed budget
commission, or board of estimate car
! be officially constituted in time tC
operate at this session, and so the ap
preparation committee-witht the ad
wise and assistance of various state
officials-will likely later resolve it
l self into an unofficial board of esti
f mate and discover just about how
much it is going to take to run The
state during the next biennial perioC
and heretofore how much can bC
spared for new appropriations at thii
session. This determined, the ap
! preparation bill will be reported in =
many of them with an adverse re
port-some Of them favorably aftel
shaving down the amounts asked
l for, and thus the decks will b.
: cleared.
In the matter Of a revision of ''jud
icial procedure" for the purpose O.
simplifying such procedure and re