Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-10
CONSTRUCTIVE LEGISLATION
na. Important Piece Of Constructive Legislation Has Sen
aor Pare introduced and Pushed to Successful Issue?

With Republican maj ority he was leading
in the work and was helping him. Since
that time, as am Chairman Of the Com.
mittee on Education and Labor, the stu.
alton is reversed just little, but | am al.
ways glad to stop at any time the oppOr
tunity is presented to give to the Senator
from Vermont every possible credit for his
splendid work upon this subject, and al.
most regret that we have Democratic ma
jority and that he hasn't charge Of the bill
instead of myself.
Senator MARITIME, of New Jersey, speaking or
the same day in the Senate said:
In New York on two occasions quite re.
Gently | dropped into an institution main.
tanned for the purpose Of encouraging vo-
cational education. They expressed them.
selves in most high favor of the process Of
education that was anticipated in the Voca.
tional Education Bill then known as the
Page Bill. Since then there has been a
merging of ideas and Interests between the
Senator from Georgia and the Senator from
Vermont But these gentlemen, the prin-
cpals of these schools, couldn't speak high.
ly enough or eXtravaganty enough of the
great advantages that would come from
the adoption of this vocational education
Smith BILL 1t will prove a blessing to the
generations coming and in the future
this will be of untold value to our Republic
Senator Thomas, Of Colorado, speaking or
the same day in the Senate, said
If had any doubt about this amendment,
I would certainly dismiss it upon the as
surance of the Senator from Vermont
whose child this bill unquestiOnably is. and
who as declared by the Senator from Geor
gia, is entitled to the great merit Of having
framed it, introduced it, lived with it anc
brought it to its present moment Of frui.
ton 1t is a great work, and monument
to the Senator's which | am sure
will keep his memory fresh and green ir
the hearts of a grateful posterity
There are other important pieces of Construc
tive legislation standing to the credit Of Sena
tor Page.
On July "a, 1916, Senator Page al.
dressed the Senate upon this great
educational measure. On July
31st the bill was passed
by the Senate, and yet during
the time that this bill was under
consideration and being placed up
on its passage, a hundred columns,
more or less, of paid advertising
and many thousands Of circulars
were being sent broadcast through
the State Of Vermont criticizing
Senator Page for addressing the
Senate, and declaring that there
was no necessity for his speech be-
cause the bill was not before the
Senate, and would not be acted up
on at this session, concluding with
the query: ".Why then a speech on
the bill by Senator Page at this time
for any other reason than for distri-
button to the voters of Vermont for
campaign purposes?"
The ignorance Of the writer or
his Willful purpose to deceive must
be apparent. Senator Page deliv-
cred his address upon one of the
greatest pieces Of constructive leg
lslatlOn before the country, in the
formulation of which he has given
many months of his earnest labor
and best judgment, and seven days
later the bill was passed by the Sen
ate with the open declaration of
Senators, including Chairman Hoke
Smith himself, that Senator Page
was the leader in this great meas
ure.