Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-12
AMENDED
JUDICIARY BILL
No Opposition to Compromise
Measure in H0use-Retains
Dual System.

Montpelier, April b.-The compromise
judiciary bill. which retains the pres.
| ent dual court system, but In practi-
cally all other respects smbodies the
reforms advocated by Governor Ora
ham. was passed by the House this at
ternoon. without the slightest opposi-
| tion. 1t 10 also predicted that the Sem
ate will act expeditiously in the mat
ter Of the passage Of the bill and a. II
Is known that the Governor approves
OF the measure. even in its altered
form. It will probably be q law before
tho week ends.
Representative Stearns, who intro
duccd the original bill which called for
the abolition Of the superior court, VAL
iantly defended 1t during the holly de-
bated public hearings and to whom tho
major share OF the credit for the work
in the judiciary committee must be
given. reported the amended bill to
the House. Hereferred to 1t as com
promise bill, which was held q long
agreement could not be reached which
would meet the situation and the needs
| OF all.
DUAL SYSTEM RETAINED.
Finally when It looked as IL an
aRrGemont
men proposed q middle ground. The
bill retains the dual court system. with
five instead Of six superior court
Judges, making ten Judges or the gu
preme and superior court benches. The
section which called for the automa-
/ tic affirmation Of the decision of the
lower court in cases whore . decision
had not been reached by the supreme
court within two years after the case
was sent to-it, was stricken out. The
bill provides that the supreme court
shall sit always at Montpelier. The
county courts shall be kept open the
year around for the trial of|court and
chancery cases. but shall have two
jury terms, as they do now. Mr..
Stearns said that the Governor would
, approve the bill.
MR.. sTEARNs COMPLIMENTED.
| Mr. Pollard Of Cavendish asked that
! the numerous. amendments be acted
upon at once as. they were agreeable
to both laymen and lawyers. In
cidentally he made some very compli-
mentary remarks regarding Mr..
Stearns work on the bill. The House
agreed to the amendments. the bill was
then read the third time and passed
without opposition.
When the legislative halls after be-
| ing deserted this morning while two
hundred and fifty senators and rep
resentatives were visiting the Barre
granite quarries were occupied at
two o'clock this afternoon the mem-
bers found themselves facing the larg-
est calendar Of the session. This
somewhat dulled the enthusiasm over
the trip. although tho royal entertain
ment afforded by the Barre Manu-
facturers association will be long re-
membered. but there were many weary
heads before the evening sessions.
which were held by both Houses. were
completed.
COMPULSORY ARBITRATION.
The House by vote Of IS to 70 passed
! the bill providing regulation OF disputes
between employers and employees by hav-
| ing public service commission act as
arbitrator and making 1t a penal offence
to call q strike or lockout employees
until sixty days after the commissions
| report Of the dispute 10 published.
BUDGET PASSES HOUSE.
The budget bill also passed the House.
the only changes being raising the agri-
culture appropriation from $4,000 to SO.-
900 and the livestock commissioners from
$4,000 to $4,000. An attempt to strike out
the smugglers' Notch appropriation
failed.
The bill prohibiting granting second class
licenses while the country IL at war was
passed, 90 to 81. after an amendment to
prohibit such granting while the General
Assembly is in session. made by Mr.. john
son of Somerset failed Mr.. Fenton OF
Rutland. leader of the opposition. will I'M
doubtedly move for a reconsideration this
morning. An attempt to have the rejec-
ton of the bill appropriating money to
build a public terminal at Burlington re.
called. failed.
eral statutes with certain technical
changes introduced is on the Senate cal
endar for tomorrow. OF three bills in
, PRODUCED tonight the most important IL
one relating to school funds.
Both houses adopted resolution to
ask the American Library association to
hold its annual meeting in Vermont.
The bill concerning the Governors sal.
ary amended fixing the salary at $500 was
ordered to a third reading. along with
several others. Acts providing for q d.
rect progressive inheritance tax. and one
relating to fixing dsmurrags charges 10
on calendar tomorrow.
CUSTOMS BROKERAGE BILL DIES.
The Senate this afternoon by the de-
oisive vote Of - to I rejected the Gus
toms brokerage bill. prohibiting the rail-
roads from engaging in the customs
brokerage business. Tho measure came
In with . unanimously adverse report
from the Senate corporations and fran
chises committee and there was but COM
parativsly little argument regarding 1t.
Senator Bigelow proposed some amend
ments which wsre refused. Senator Nc
Cellan. who reported the bill. stated that
no evidence had been heard by the COM
mittes showing that the railroads were
unfair to independent brokers.
SENATE PASSES SUFFRAGE BILL.
The bill granting equal suffrage to the
women Of the State 30 far ~ possible was
passed by the Senate with the clause
providing for q referendum stricken out.
The vote was 10 to 8. The voting right
10 granted to women Of legal age on pay
msnt Of the present poll tax. The meas
ure relating to the hours Of women and
children In manufacturing and ,nechani.
cal establishments was rejected by 0 vote
Of % to 5.
4 resolution that the Governor appoint
. committee Of fve to investigate tho
present accommodations and facilities at
the State Insane Asylum at Waterbury
and at the Brattleboro retreat. and report
to the Governor as to the advisability of
charging the Waterbury asylum, was in
troduced by Senator Demeritt and refer
red to the State institutions committee.
NEW BILLS BY SENATOR Villas.
Qenator Vilaa introduced t,,,, ..,~.> hllIs