The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-25
BILL TO ABOLISH
SUPERIOR COURT
Measure Will Be introduced
in House by Stearns of
Burlington
THORNTON OF BARNET
LOSES HOUSE SEAT
Ineligible to Serve, as He Was Post
master at Time of Election - Metz
ger of Randolph Champion of Woman
Suffrage Bill.

master at Time Of Election - Metz
ger of Randolph Champion of Woman
Suffrage Bill.
Especial to The Reformer.)
MONTPELIER, Jan. 25.
In the house this morning the com
mittee on suffrage and election made
an unfavorable report on the seating
Of Leslie II. Thornton of Barnet, it
being found that Mr.. Thornton was a
postmaster at the time of his election.
There was no evidence of lack of good
faith on the part of Mr.. Thornton and
the committee recommend that Mr..
Thornton receive pay for the time
spent in Montpelier
The committee on banking and in
surance reported on Gov. Graham s
bill providing for an insurance com
missioner taking over the duties of
the present insurance commissioner
and insurance inspector. The report
was favorable and Mr.. Howland of
Barre city, the introducer of the bill.
spoke very strongly in favor of the
plan and the bill was ordered to a
third reading
Tomorrow morning in the house Jo-
seph Stearns of Burlington viii intro
duce Gov. Graham S Judiciary bill.
This bill calls for the abolishment of
the superior court and increases the
number Of judges on the supreme
bench 10 nine.
In the senate this morning. Senator
Villas of Chittenden county introduced
bill relating to salaries of the Judges
OF probate in the districts of Addi-
son, Bennington, Orange. Rutland
Windsor and Windham. In each of
fee Of these districts he asked the
adjustment Of one Judge and the sal
aries for the remaining judges be as
follows: Addison 5000; Bennington
$3.50 Windsor 1920, Windham $1,000,
Orange 5000, Rutland $1,000.
What is without question the most
timely bill before the 1917 session of
the Vermont legislature was presented
this morning by Rev Fraser Metzger
of Randolph, the former candidate for
governor on the Progressive ticket.
Metzger's bill amends the statutes of
the state so that every female citizen
of 2l years or more having resided in
the state one year next preceding a
general election, shall have the same
rights as men in voting for presidential
electors.
This is the first step of any lawmaker
to agitate the cause of equal rights for
women and will doubtless be followed
by other bills, especially if this is
passed. There is no little sentiment
about the state house in favor of the
bill. A great many men feel that the
| Vermont women should have part in
! determining presidential elections as
well as the women of the West The
bill will first be considered by the com
mittee on suffrage and elections and
after that committee reports spasms of
Ioratory, both for and against, will be
the order of the house.
The reception room in the capitol last
evening was the scene of the largest
committee hearing yet held. Some 20C
men assembled to discuss, before the
joint senate and house committees on
suffrage and elections, the Williams bill
which would repeal the direct primary
law.
Daniel W. Steele of Highgate, the
first speaker, strongly opposed the
primary and sat down with tense
silence in the room. Edwin A. Cool
of Lyndon, Progressive leader in the
house during the 1912 session, promptly
took the floor and with a genuine old
fashioned spread-eagle speech cham
Ipioned the primary, finishing amidst
loud applause.
Senator Martin Villas spoke severa
times in favor of the primary. TIL,
: primary was also commended by Sena
tors Linus Leavens, F. E. Steele, Repre-
sentatives John B. Candon, M. E. Bar
!, Der and by Rev. j. Hall Long of Pan
ton. The father of the bill, Mr.. vii
liams of Pawlet, was the only man t,
condemn the primary with the excep
tion of the first speaker.
NJ Z. Barber of Wilmington suggest
ed that the funds spent by delegates t
conventions under the old system eoul
} even exceed the cost of holding pr
, mary elections and made the point tha
{ it was better for the electorate to bea
, the trifing per capita cost rather thal
t allow the few to acquire power b,
: larger expenditures.
f A visitor from Mount Holly arose an
{ said: In my town [ have known fou
a neighbors to meet and nominate tn
5 town representative. - This terse state
e ment was well received.
4 The whole affair is ne-sided. all In
r dieations .foreshadow the absolute i'm
e possibility of repeating the primar
2 law at this time.
n The committee on highways an
bridges have introduced a bill assentin