Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-02-12

ducing the expense Gov. Gates has
made good beginning by the ap-
pointment of a committee of three,
headed by Judge Powers, and these
will at once get busy along the lines
designated. If they do their full
duty in the premises, as they I'M
doubtedly will, the result will be
tremendous saving in time and
money for everybody who is COM
PEELED to litigate cause. Thus will
a Republican platform pledge be
most satisfactorily redeemed. In
this connection may also add that
practically all the platform pledges
of that party including many in
corporated in the platforms of the
other parties are being we'll carried
out by appropriate legislation, mem
bers of all parties in the legislature
putting their shoulders valiantly to
the wheel for that purpose.
In the matter of establishing a
state detention farm -one of the
accessories which the state so badly
needs for abundant good reasons
the bill came back into the House
on an unfavorable report, but has
been reconmitted to the committee
for further consideration.
That there is a good majority of
the general assembly in favor of a
bill granting equal suffrage as far as
our constitution will allow seems as
sured, and-tho the bill has not yet
appeared-it is likely to go through
without much difficulty, if unobjec-
tionably worded. There is no dis
position to prevent the ladies from
voting, if they really desire the
privilege, but most of the mere men
hope they won't want to then.
There is apparently a growing SEN
timent in favor of a straight prohib-
itory law with referendum string
attached, but whether the bill to ac-
complish this will be sufficiently sup
ported to carry it thru is doubted.
In the matter Of some sort of enlarge
ment Of the capital building to an
swer the very pressing and urgent
need of more room there is an over
whelming sentiment that something
OF the kind should and must be done
at once, and legislation to that effect
is apparently assured. The congest-
ed condition of the building in re-
spect to lack Of room for committee
meetings and for the decent conduct
Of the states routine business is gen.
orally acknowledged as crying
shame. Except for the assumed
moral obligation to repeal the en-
larging act of two years ago, as per
referendum, that act would be al
lowed to stand. AS it is, about the
same thing will in all probability be
authorized.
Among those bills of some conse-
quence whose fates are not yet finally
! decided are those providing for an
agent in Boston to handle the agri-
cultural products Of the state, and
the bill abolishing the office of at
torney-general, the both may be dis
posed of before this is in print. In
the matter of locating an agricultu-
raj agent in some market city to
| whom consignments of farm pro-
ducts could be shipped, the error of
the supporters of the measure was in
asking for so large an appropriation
that it shocked the legislature. The
| board of agriculture and forestry
has a presumably permanent fund of
$40, 900 for its purposes, and when it
came to demand ten thousand more
for this experiment it was too much
of a straw for the committees back.
AS to the Encouragement, while all
have the utmost respect for the
present incumbent there is feeling
that the expense does not justify the
office, and that it is in a large
measure unnecessary. Probably the
sentiment of the House is in favor of
abolishing the office, but the senate
will stick for it with the excuse that
if the governor is no longer allowed
to consult the supreme court he
should have somebody as legal coun-
sci. Each bill is now waiting on the
other, but very likely they will come
to head this week.
All the varied and infinite bills to
: adjust and revamp and regulate the
tax laws are now being held by the
committee, with the later intention
of embracing them-or their main
features of value-in one omnibus
bill which it is hoped might prove
acceptable. But there are as many
different minds on this subject as
there are members, nearly, and wher