Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-01-10
LEGISLATURE ORGANIZED
AND AT WORK.
Continued from Page One)

Continued from Page One)
only two cases have been taken into
court. Had two per cent of these
cases been taken into court the cost
to the state would have been sac, 200
while the administration of the Work
mems compensation law by the board
has been $8,765.75, the governor
/ states.
AS to highways, the governors
speciality, he commends the present
| speciality of avoiding bonded indebt-
| edness. He advocates increased road
appropriations by towns also that a
sum of money be set apart from the
maintenance fund" and made avail
able to towns under restrictions to
aid in keeping up town roads.
The joint assembly reconvened
Thursday afternoon when the inaug
| ural address of the incoming COVER
nor, Horace F. Graham of Craftsbury,
was given.
Governor Graham's message was
concise. In his introduction he eau
toned the members of the legislature
against the tendency to introduce
measures which are not necessary to
the enforcement of the laws of which
we already have too many. The great
problem which, in his opinion, con-
fronts the state is the Encouragement
of the executive department of the
state and it was along this line that
most of his recommendations were
made
The central executive authority,
said the new governor, should be in
vested in a board of state control,
composed of the governor, the COM
missioner of agriculture, the director
of state institutions, the purchasing
agent and the state engineer, the gov
ernor acting as chairman Of the board
and his secretary of military and CIV
il affairs as it's secretary and record
ing officer.
This board of control, the governor
recommends, should perform the du-
ties now i'm posed on the budget COM
n1ittee, should assume the duties of
the board of public printing, and those
of the board of visitors to public in
| situations. 1t should also have over
! sight of the expenditures for the con-
| duct of these institutions with power
to suspend payments if, in it's judg-
! ment, such expenses became excess
sive.
The governor recommends that the
purchasing agent approve bills and
| forward them to the auditor and that
| the agent be no longer permitted to
draw directly against the state treas
| ury.
| The governor recommends that the
| office of commissioner of agriculture,
the state forest, the live stock COM
missioner and the state ornithologist
| be combined.
He recommends the creation of the
! office Of state engineer and that an in
| CIT ri oh n ho
ed.
An increase of the appropriation
for the support Of highways to $685.
! 900 is recommended as is also a con-
| tinuation of the present educa tional
| system.
The appointment of trial justice
| in each town is recommended. The
| justice should have authority to bind
| up to proper courts and should be
| paid by fees. A reorganization Of the
municipal courts into II district
courts is recommended as is also the
abolition of the superior court and
that the number of the supreme JUS
tees be increased to nine.
The establishment of state parole
board is recommended and the COVER
nor also suggests that action be taken
toward the establishment of state de-
tention farms.
In conclusion the governor says:
"The bright light ofpublicity, the spur
of competition and the advice of a
general board will soon place our gov
ernmental activities upon a business
basis. We shall thus be able to set
side by side from day to day our
wants and our means and be thus bet
ter able to determine those wants
that are necessary and, when proper
ly met, will make for better judg-
ment."
After short session on Friday
when the question of the revision of
rules was considered, adjournment
was taken until Monday evening.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
Mr.. Smith of Bloomington, one of
the three absentees when the roll was
called Wednesday morning, appeared
Thursday afternoon and took the oath
of office.
The house of representatives con-
tains 1875 Republicans, AZ Democrats,
two Independent Republicans, three
Independents, one Socialist and two
not stated, total of 245 members.
Congressman Porter H. Dale of
Island Pond and the second district,
was guest in the House Wednesday
during the organization elections. He
made flying trip returning to Wash
| ington the same day.
The committee which escorted Gov
ernor Graham to the bar of the House
was composed Of Senators Adams of
Orleans and Proctor of Rutland and
Representative johnson of Crafts
bury, Stearns of Burlington and Dana
| Of New Haven.
| Orleans county members were
among the first to organize. They
elected officers as follows: Presi-
dent, w. w. Reirden of Barton; sec
rotary, w. M. Taylor of Derby; leg
islative committee, w. R. Prouty of
Newport; T. Smith of Bloomington
! and w M Tav1or Of Dorhv