St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-01-31
DIRECT PRIMARY
LAW IS RETAINED
Bill Designed To Repeal Provisions
of Present Law Is Turned Down
Forcibly In House
VOTE WAS III TO 46
Administration Bill Recommending
Consolidation Of Industries and
Factory Inspection Goes TO
Third Reading on a Eav-
able Committee Report
w. III. Jeffrey, Special Correspondent


Montpelier, Jan. 30.-The House
this morning voted III TO 46 to retain
the present direct primary law; this
afternoon took up and passed to its
third reading on q favorable report OF
the committee the administration bill
creating the office of Commissioner Of
Industries, who viii take over the du-
ties of the Factory Inspector and the
Industrial Accident Board of which
r. W. Smonds Of st. JOhnsbury, is
now chairman; and considered eleven
new bills. Among the new bills was
a measure by Taylor of Derby, to alb
olsh the highway district Of West
Derby.
The adverse report on the bill re-
pealing the direct primary law came
up as q special measure att eleven
O'Clock. Mr.. Williams of Pawlet, the
introducer Of the bill, made a strong
argument against the present law, but
found no supporters.
Judge Dana, the member from New
Haven, called attention to the fact
that the party platform endorsed CIV
ing the bill q fair and square deal
and denounced the old time 'horse
shed" methods of the "snap" caucus
Mr. Puffer of Richford said that
personally he favored the old time
''star chamber methods of making
nominations but that inasmuch as the
people had spoken in favor of this Sys-
| tenn he felt it his duty to support the
present law.
Mr.. Phelps Of Fair Haven, made a
! strong presentation of the primary
! system, calling attention to the fact
I that nine of the fourteen counties cast
! had voted faVOrajbly when the Ques-
/ ton was presented to them on a ref
| erendum. He also called attention to
/ the fact that nine of the counties cast
/ a larger vote in the September primar-
| les than was cast at the November
! election, which he declared was con-
/ elusive evidence that the people were
| not only in favor of the direct prim-
airy, but that they proposed to avail
! themselves of the opportunity OF
! choosing their own candidates. The
aye and nay vote called for was the
i first one of the session.
These from Caledonia County vot-
! ing TO retain the present law were:
! Campbell of Sutton, Dutton of Shelf
field, Hooper Of Hardwick, Hunt OF
! Danville, McLam of Ryegate Kicker
off Groton, Stuart of Lyndon, Whitney
Of st. Johnsbury, Cox of-Walden and
/ Drake of Wheelock
Those voting against the law were:
HemmingWay of Waterford, circuit oil
Burke, Ball of Newark, Esden OF
! Pcacham, and Burroughs of Stannard
This afternoon the House Bill num-
| Der 80, as was indicated in yester-
n. 4 A | Ia NJ A in,
| favorable report from the committee
This is another of the kdministra-
TONS bills which would create a sep
aratc insurance department. The bill
was passed to u third reading without
a word of opposition, and this action
by the legislators is generally looked
upon as Il strong indication that the
general Assembly is inclined to folio
| Uncle Horace. The Governor has
signed House Bills number 7, IS, and
35.
The Judiciary committee has de-
cided to report favorably Commission
| er Earling'S recommendation provid-
| ing for the prohibtive instead of the
permissiVe from in the matter of the
state fish and game laws.
AT the morning session of the House
! eleven new bills were brought up fol
the consideration of the legislators
/ House Bill $50, introduced by Mr.
| Taylor of Derby, is perhaps the mos
| important one introduced today 1
! would abolish the highway Of Yves
| Derby.
In view of the fact that former state
| forester Halves expressed the opinion
that one of the serious drawbacks tt
Gov. Graham's agriculture Lconsolida
| ton bill is the improbability of suit
able person being found to do tn,
work of the forestry department I'M
der a commissioner of agriculture, i
may be of interest to see just how