Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-05
DISTRICT COURT
BILL IS REJECTED
Municipal and Justice Courts of
Vermont Will Remain under
Present System.

ton Of the justices Of the peace, one
Of the bitterest fights Of the present
session had resulted in the
first defeat sustained by the champions
of q simplified system of local courts.
Debate concerning the measure. which
at 1916 o'clock this MORN
ming lasted until four o'clock this aft :
ernoon and during that time. IL could
be plainly seen that the day was go
The defense Of the measure rested al
most wholly upon the shoulders Of
Senator Morse, although Senators
Daniels and Leavens made futile
attempt to snatch victory from defeat
by brief speeches just before the vote
was taken. Tho result Of the roll-call
did not come as q surprise, but the de-
cisiveness of the defeat wac somewhat
unexpected.
HOW THE VOTE STOOD
The vote on the question. 'shaii the
bill be ordered to q third readingT'
was as follows: Yes: Senators Adams.
Daniels. Dimond. Toote. Howe, Leavens.
Martin. Morse and Proctor. No: eena .
tors Bancroft. Bigelow, Cady, Chal.
mers. Day. Demeritt. Dewitt Dunton.
Fa'rchild, Hawley. Hubbard. Ladd.
Mcclellan. Peck.~ Kicker. Russell
Steele. Villas and Wheeler. Absent,
Senators Aldrich and Taylor.
A FLOOD OF ORATORY."
Senator Peck of Chittenden county
made the long distance speaking rec
ord Of the day. with two speeches, one
of IS minutes length In the morning
and the other 10 minutes In length at
the afternoon session. He was OPP
posed to the bill. Senator Morse made
two speeches in the defence OF the
measure. Of 80 and 20 minutes length
respectively. The other speakers and
their time records are: Senator Fair
child 20 minutes, Senator Villas 20. De-
merritt II. Daniels 10. Bigelow 8, and
Leavens 1 minute. In all a total of
three hours and 26 minutes was spent
in debating the bill. In this connec-
ton 1t should be stated that there was
some misunderstanding as to o. request
that the Governor speak at an execu-
tive session.
STEARNS JUDICIARY BILL NEXT.
Interest now centers around the fate
Of the other administration judiciary
bill. introduced by Representative
stearns Of Burlington which has been
for some weeks in the hands of the
House judiciary committee. The ad-
ministration has already won a sub
stantial victory in the committee
which originally was almost wholly
opposed to the measure. The bill as
introduced by Mr.. Stearns abolished the
superior court and provided for nine
Judges on the supreme court. with vari-
Gus other changes in the present meth
DDS Of judicial procedure.
REPORT MADE THURSDAY.
Mr.. Stearns will on Thursday presen,
judiciary committee concerning the bill
The opponents OF the measure have con-
coded practically everything except ths
abolition of the dual system Of courts
The amended bill will provide for five
judges on each of the supreme and
superior court benches. and the section
Of the original bill providing for the
automatic clearing Of the supreme court
docket will be stricken out. In practically
all other respects. however the bill viii
remain unchanged. It's passage in the
House seems practically certain and II
should also be passed by the Senate ac
cording to present indications. The defea
OF the district court bill to-day will MOI
have any bearing on the fate Of thu
Stearns measure as the bills are entirely
separate and relate to different courts.
ANOTHER SALARY BILL REFUSED
The House again reiterated Its dis
approval Of bills to increase salaries wher
1t rejected this afternoon the measure
fixing the pay OF certain Of the State
House employees at the same per diem al
the members receive. Other bills to which
a third reading was refused were those
providing for the registration Of persons
firms or corporations desiring to install
wires or apparatus for electric lights
heat or power purposes and the one pro
viding a sliding scale of fines for tres
passing on railway bridges. trestles o.
tracks, The action with regard to tn,
latter bill came somewhat as a surpris'
as 81 per cent. OF the people killed ever.
year by railroad trains are trespassers OF
| he rights Of way.
RECALLS ST. ALBANS RAID.
An amendment which harked back t.
the days Of the Civil War and the raj,
| on the at. Adams bank was presented b.
Mr.. Moore of Ludlow. as a part OF tn
espionage bin and adopted by the Hous
with the passage OF the bill. The amend
ment is as follows:
II three or more persons. acting /,
concert with force ana violence, at
tempt to kill, MAIN or wound any per
son. or to rob a person, corporation O
| community OF money or other property
\ or to burn. blow up or otherwise do
stroy q bank building. store, factory
dwelling house, or other building o
depository of property, craft, Anishe,
or unfinished. for use in navigabl
waters. or property of corporation
subject to the supervision of the pub
lie service commission, each person 81
offending shall suffer the penalty O
death. ,rbe provisions of this secf!o,
shall be in force only while the Unite,
States is at war or threatened witt
war.
! RETREAT REPORT ADOPTED.
The report OF the joint special com
mittee to investigate the Brattlebor
Retreat was adopted by the House
Mr.. Metzger OF Randolph introduced
resolution referring to the board o
control with full power to act tn
matter OF the II. c. Copeland gift o
land near Poultney for a home for in
digent children.
The House passed the measur
granting to J. H. Lutz OF Grand Isl
and c. A. Lutz and w. H. Lutz o. New
between Grand Isle and Gravely Point
Cumberland Head, n. Y. Despite 1t
seeming unimportance the matter wa
argued at considerable length.
The State and court expenses commit
tee introduced a bill providing for tn
payment into the State treasury Of fine
and costs collected for violations OF tn
automobile and ish and game laws, an
to provide for the payment by the Stat