Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-08
BILL ON CUSTOMS
BROKERAGE TO-DAY
Made Special Order in House
This AfternOOn-Much Ora
tory Expected.
BUSY SESSIONS AHEAD.
Ex-Prcsident Taft Will Address Gem
cra1 Assembly This NOOn.-TiMc
Limit for Bills Expires In House.

Montpelier, Marcn Twin the so Ca led
customs brokerage bill designed to debar
the railroads of Vermont from particpa-
tion in this business. which in the main
they have carried on for half century,
coming UP as a special order tomorrow
afternoon, the House is facing the big
gest field day of the session thus far
Representative Steele of Highgate, intro
ducer of the bill and a former customs
employe. is expected to take the floor i'm
u supreme endeavor to swing the House
TO his support. There are indica tions that
there will be other speakers pro and con
and before the vote is taken on whether
the bill shall be ordered to a third read
ing 1T would cause no surprise If a ma
jority of those who have attained promi-
nence in the House had spoken. The bill
was adversely reported by the committee
At the hearing before the committee it
was brought out that there were no COM
planning shippers, the complaints being
limited to MIR. Steele and to Col. Curtis
s. Emery of Newport. former collector
of customs for the Memphremagog dis
trict. who is at present a customs broker
at that port of entry At the 1915 session
Colonel Emery made an unsuccessful ef-
fort to have a similar bill favorably con-
sidered. the committee refusing to intro
duce it. despite concerted efforts to have
this done.
WHAT RAILROADS CLAIM
While it is the contention of Mr.. Steele
and Colonel Emery that the right to con-
duct this business is not granted the
railroads in their charters. 1t is held by
the roads that clearing traffic through
the customs with dispatch is vital to
themselves and to the shippers and that
1t is incidental to the business. and in
. tI,; u -
the Supreme Court of the United States
which held that the payment of customs
by the roads gave them a lien on the
freight. They also claim that clearing
the customs is incidental to the business
the same as icing meat cars and feeding
horses and cattle Ell route is incidental
to proper conduct of railroading.
PRESIDENT TAFT TO-DAY.
In addition to this special order the
General Assembly in joint session will
listen to an address tomorrow noon to
be delivered by former President William
Howard Taft. In the evening he will
speak in the city hall in behalf of the
League to Enforce Peace. The ex-president
will be the guest OF the Vermont Yale
club at a dinner and will be entertained
by Senator Redfield Proctor until he
leaves the city.
BRIEF SESSIONS HELD.
There were brief sessions in both the
House and the Senate this evening, fol-
lowing the recess over the March meet
ing period. One hundred and sixty-one
House members were in their seats when
Speaker Wilson called the House to order
to give its attention to an abbreviated
calendar. In the Senate only four bills
were considered. the only one Of any
Importance being that increasing the
salary of the fish and game commissioner
from 81. 500 to &. .JO0 which was made a spe-
cial order next Tuesday.
LAST DAY TO INTRODUCE BILLS
This was the last day for the introduce
ton Of bills unless they come in frosn
committee or are admitted by unanimous
consent
Several bills were introduced tonight,
getting in under the wire with the least
possible margin OF safety. bringing the
| total up to 4O2. One offered by Mr. Prouty
of Newport. would provide that the mu-
nicipal offices OF the place be located in
the armory building when constructed.
ON WORklMEN'S COMPENSATION.
An important measure relating to the
workmens compensation law was intro
duced by Mr.. Rowland Of Barre. 1t pro-
vides that the commissioner of Industries,
may apporton compensation between de-
pendents as he deems best and so that
dependents shall be self-supporting. 1t is
also provided that the injured empoye
may select his own surgical, medical and
hospital service, and also that the COM
missioner may cause awards to be paid
| by the employer to some bank to act as
administrator. The commissioner is given
big powers over the awards, being en-
powered at any time to review. end, dim
inish or increase the compensation pre-
viously awarded.
Mr.. Stuart OF Lyndon wants the salary
Of the States attorney in Caledonia coun-
ty increased to $l,20 a year.
BY request. Mr.. Cox of Walden intro
duced n measure prohibiting the use OF
labels attached by wire to bags OF feed
and grain