Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-15
Vote Is 104 to 100-Gives Tax.
Paying Women Right to Vote
in Town Meeting.
OTTER BILLS APPEAR.
broadening Scope Of Female Fran
chise-Customs Brokerage Bill
Advances to Third Reading.

right to vote In town meetings. The pas.
sage OF this bill will. 1t il believed, in.
sure smooth sailing for tire measure in.
trodIced by Mr.. Stcarns of Burlington
giving all women the right to vote on the
payment Of a poll-tax. which is expected
to be considered by the House to-mor.
row morning. AS foretoid exclusively In
the Free Press. Senator Villas of Chit.
tenden county to-day introduced In the
Senate bill giving women the same
rights as men to vote for presidential
electors. 4 similar measure was killed
by very close vote In tie House shor,
time ago.
COMP ELLED 70 VOTE.
One OF the strangest incidents Of the
session occurred when The name Of Mr.
Bond OF Searsburg was reached on the
aye and nay vote on the woman sufrrag &c
bill. Mr.. Bend arose. stated that he did
not like the bill. but was IN favor OF
woman suffrage ard asked to be ex-
cused from voting. but the House by a
rising vote of t01 to 81 refused to allow
him to refrain. He then voted against
the bill. Various speakers. including Mr..
Phelps Of Fair Haven. Mr.. Williams of
Proctor. Mr.. Spaulding Of Warren, Mr..
Metzger of Randolph and Mr.. Stanley of
Bakersfield. reiterated some of the arsu.
ments Of the preceding day, regarding
the bill.
CHIrTENDEN COUNTY VOTE.
The vote of Chittenden county's delega-
ton on the question Of whether or not the
bill should pass was: Yea, Hayden,
Stearns. Taggart. OSullivan. johnson,
Chessmore. Fogg. Adams and Irish; nay,
Sinclair. Finney. Webster and O'Brien.
BROKERAGE BILL ADVANCES.
Following the longest debate of the
session. lasting from Immediately after
converting this morning until three
o'clock this afternoon. and the first one
in which 1t is believed that votes have
been won or lost by the arguments OF
speakers. the House by a yea and nay
vote of ia to 81 Tor the second time
within two days overruled an adverse
committee report and refused to reject
the measure prohibiting railroad or ex-
press companies from carrying on custom
brokerage business directly or indirectly
The bill was ordered to a third reading
and will come up tomorrow morning on
the question OF passage. when 1t is ex-
pected that the fight will be renewed by
the opponents of the measure 1t is quite
probable that because Of the usual small
attendance at Saturday morning sessions
the measure may be made a special order
for the early part Of next week.
ABUNDANT ORATORY.
Representative Steele of Highgate. who
introduced the bill. led the fight in sup
port of the measure. The other speakers
who favored 1t were Mr.. LaFleur of Mid
dlebury. Mr.. Prouty of Newport and Mr.
Bellows OF Swanton. Mr.. Stearns of Bur-
lfngton. chairman of the corporations and
franchises committee. which reported the
bill adversely. explained and defended the
committees action. Mr.. Puffer of Rich
ford. Mr.. Cudworth of Londonderry. Mr.
Candon of Pittsfleld. Mr.. Gates of Frank
lin. Mr.. Smith of st. Adams and Mr.
Hicks OF Weathersf1eld favored the re.
lection Of the bill.
r. r. MONOPOLY CHARGED.
The supporters Of the bill commended that
the railroads in carrying on the business
OF customs brokers through their en-
ployes and otherwise, had created a mo-
nopoly. and that independent brokers
could not compete on even terms with the
railroad employees, who were acting as
brokers. Unfair and discriminatory prac-
tees by the railroads were charged and
also that the railroad employees changed
tho names Of consignees of bills Of lading
from those Of independent brokers to the
railroad agents. Mr.. LaFIeur of Middle
bury deprecated Subtle underlying cur
rent in the lobby" regarding the bill and
said that it wasn't right to have railroad
lawyers listening in the lobby and talking
to members.
The opponents of the bill commended that
the railroads carried on the customs brok-
erage business for the benefit of their
shippers and that it was right incidental
to the business. Independent brokers
could not handle the work as expeditiously
as the companies agents. 1t was also
stated that the shippers and the inde-
pendent brokers. with the exception of
one. were not demanding relief from ex-
listing conditions. Mr.. Cudworth of Lon.
donderry stated that the had
elected their remedy by taking the matter
before the interstate commerce commits
sion and should wait until tho matter had
been determined by the courts. where It
is now pending.
CHITTENDEN COUNTY VOTE.
The vote OF the Chittenden county dele
CATION on the question Of rejecting this
bill was: Noes. Hayden. Sinclair. Fin
ney. Hutchinson. Wellenger. Fogg. Ad-
ans and Irish. Yes: Stearns, Taggart.
O'Sullivan. johnson. Chessmorc, Web
ster and O'Brien.
ADMINISTRATION BILL KILLED.
The House refused third reading to
the administration measure increasing
the salary Of the auditor Of accounts from
$500 to $780, The bill was sent back
to the House with a divided report, and
Is the first administration measure TO be
killed this session.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Gridley of
Windsor relating to the ownership and
disposition Of certain church property,
allowing 1t to vest In and become the
property Of the Vermont Baptist State
convention. which was a special order
for this afternoon. was ordered to third
reading.
The act providing that listers shall not
consider the registry of stock in making
appraisals OF property was made a special
order for next Tuesday afternoon. The
measure requiring candidates for ex-
animation to practice medicine and sur
gerry In this State TO be graduates of a
medical college or university Of the
United States, was refused a third read
Ing.
WoRKMENs COMPENSATION.
Senator Demerrit this morning intro.
duced In tho Senate bill providing that
the workmen's compensation law shall
apply to all employers who regularly en-
ploy hve or more employees. instead of
ten. as the law now stands
The Senate adopted the joint resolution
approving the action OF the Vermont
delegation In Congress In regard to the
submarine crisis and to assure the Presi-
dent OF the loyal support OF Vermont.
DONHAM MARRIAGE BILL.