The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-14
HOUSE OF 1915 HAD
BANQUET IN BARRE
After Holding Business Session in Mont
pelier, They Came to Hotel Barre,
More Than 100 of Them-John
z. Weeks Is President.

and reunion at Hotel Barre last evening
when more than 100 members of the low.
er house of two years ago came togethe,
after day in the galleries at the capitol
For the reason that it was che first bien.
nial reunion OF the assembly members, il
cannot be compared with any that have
gone before, but the entertainment com
mittee, conspiring with Manager j. v.
Rowen of the hotel, staged get togeth-
er that has set the pace for future re.
unions. The occasion was made the more
notable by the presence of Gov. Horace
F. Graham, who was jast a plain state
auditor back in the days when last
nights banqueters were merely legisla-
tive plebes. Their, too, the list of after
dinner speakers included some of the
outstanding figures of the 1915 session,
| among them Rev. A. W. Hewitt, who
acted as POSTMASTER; Stanley C. Wilson,
in those days only an occasional speaker;
Representative James X. Pirie Of VIII
Jamestown, John A. Dubois of North
Troy, Dir. w. b. Mayo of Mortified and
then the great unterriied member from
Peru, M. J. Hapgood, DIR. Milo B. Hille.
gas, the state commissioner OF education,
was also present sa guest of the ex-
solons.
Three special cars took the reunionists
out Of their comfortable star chamber
session at the capitol through the cold
to Barre, where the big banquet was got
ten under way at $3.50 o'clock. The IS
men who attended the business meeting
earlier in the evening had grown to 100
when the first call for dinner sounded
and the visitors were ushered to their
seats. To many of those who seemed to
enjoy hugely the novelty of coming to
Barre for a reunion ii was their first in
spection Of the city's new hotel and the
favorable impression gained OF its ply
sical appearance was shortly to he re-
inforced by affirming approval OF the
hostelry's culinary service Rev. Mr..
Hewitt made the invocation and then the
banqueting began. Each cover was pro-
yided with an attractive menu leaaet de-
signed for the 1915 Legislators Politics
and doings at the present session were
mostly among the subjects tabooed dur
ing the dinner hour, but there was
enough of reminiseing. Judge John f..
Weeks of Middlebury, ex-speaker, was
of Rev. Hewitt as chairman of the post
prandial was announced as if it had been
made by common consent. The choice
was popular one and the legislators
made haste to acknowledge their satis-
faction.
Speaking Was Brief.
Because of the late hour, the program
was marked by breyity OF speech and
many OF the responses were of nature !
wholly felicitory. Lieut. Gov. Hulburd |
and Warner K, Graham of Rockingham,
who were down for remarks, were de-
tained from participating in the banquet |
and John A. Dubois of Troy was intro
lueed as the first appearance for the
legislature OF 1915. Mr.. Dubois respond
ID with poem in which some OF the
,ender memories of the session were re.
Tived. Gov. Graham, as the next speak
II, responded briefly with a speech in
which he congratulated the legislators
or their interest in perpetuating an as
The governor referred but
,riefly to state affairs and was happy in
wedding direct references to the present
legislature. DIR. Hillegas sketched briefly
ome of the educational features in the
lew program and was warmly received.
speaker Stanley G. Wilson was among
hose who could appear as one qualified
o speak, by virtue OF his membership in
wo biennial sessions. In this he shared
he "treading where the saints have trod'
ttitude with Redfield Proctor, j. G..
mith of st. Albans, Representative Pirie
nd Others who are having their second
ups of coffee.
Representative Hapgood, over whose
lactive form too many political obit /,
aries were written last fall, showed that /,
e is very much alive when the chairman ,
ave him the floor for few moments.
lis remarks were colorful, and as was =
D be expected, full of contrasts. Con- !
-asts always make for color. He said
nat the 1915 solons never attempted to
ass law attempting 20 increase their :,
ilaries, to take effect from the begin !,
ing of the session; did what they could !,
, abolish the famous Peru toll bridge, :,
hich continues even now to disgrace the :
ate; and in the negation of things not !,
,hieved, Mr.. Hapgood added that the
ouse never accepted a lunch from a
ate official the night before adjourn !
ent and then adopted resolution TO
crease his salary. In closing he talked i
good deal in this strain: That more of 1,
were not reelected may have been >
rough personal desire, but when pre- !,
Gus experience, no matter what its a
aracter may have been, is considered Il
for office. IL is probable
at personal feelings had little TO do
it'll the contests. If the personal fac ~
r had counted, perhaps more of us :,
Duld have been returned. However, let :,
get back again sometime and some :,
w, and thus reserve the state TO the :,
st of our ability. II
No one. least of all the speaker, could '.
detected in the act of shivering or bat :,
lg an eye-lash. -
James X Pirie and DIR. w. b. MAYO OF i,
,rthield were among the next speakers. =;
did not figure at all in the
ening's doings, but the two Democratic T.,
IT horses were received with acclaim. ~ ~
w. Aiken. the member from Putney, :"
lied up in the minds eve some of the ~
openings of the session and supple 9,
,ntary remarks were made by Horace -,
Farnham of Montpelier. ~
The Business Session. AZ
At the business meeting early in the Sc
ening Judge Weeks was reelected in
ssident and the remaining officers were W,
cted as follows: First vice president, in
dfield Proctor; second vice president, pr
y. A. w Hewitt; secretary. Ralph di