Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-12
'S0L0NS ACT As
MILITIA ESCORT
Vt. Legislature and G. A. r.
Men Precede Departing
Guardsmen to Train.

Montpelier. April e.-Acting as es-
cort to the Barre and Montpelier COM
panies OF guardsmen. who left here this
morning for Fort Ethan Allen and the
rehearsal of the Heavenly choir in
preparation for the mock session.
which will probably be held Monday
evening. were the only breaks in a
listless Legislative day. the members
apparently being imbued with the spir-
II OF the weather. which was cloudy,
gray and dull. with continuous rain.
Both Houses, to be sure. completed
large calendars, the Senate having an
exceptionally busy day. while most of
the efforts of the House were spent in
finishing up their work of the previous
day, only five new measures being
considered. 1t Wcs also settled beyond
any doubt that final adjournment
would not be taken tomorrow. a. the
Senate has not acted upon the ad :
Journment resolution. Adjournment
next Thursday after an even 100 day
ones. Most Of to-day's measures were
routine ones and were hurried
through with the usual pre-adj ourn-
ment speed.
ESCORT FOR GUARDSMEN.
Governor Graham. the members of
the Senate and House and practically
every other Individual in the state
House. all carrying flags. marched to
the city hall this morning to escort
to the station the Barre and Mont
men, who left for Fort Ethan Allen.
where the regiment il being mobilized.
The procession was headed by a
Montpelier band aftor which came a
group Of veterans from the local
Grand Army post and then the leg
islators. Arriving at the station the
escort lined the pavement on either
side of the entrance, cheering heartily
as the soldier boys marched between
the lines.
PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION.
Hundreds of citizens thronged the
streets and the station grounds were
packed with a solid mass Of humanity.
above which 1oated the Stars and Stripes
While the guardsmen were entraining the
crowd led by double Quartette of legis-
lators sang many national war songs. the
lone modern one being ITS q Long Way
to Tipperary." and a. the train piled out.
strong mon standing with barred heads sang
God Be with You Till We Meet Again."
1t was a splendid patriotic demonstra-
ton and doubtless the guardsmen appre-
ciated 1t highly But several Of them had
no guns, q small group were conspicuous
because Of their lack of uniforms, and
undoubtedly much other equipment was
missing. which an unframed eye could not
readily discern. Amid all the singing and
cheering and waving Of flags. spectators
could not keep from their cheeks the
flush Of shame at the thought Il soldiers
being mobilised for the nation with such
a state Of equipment.
SENATE ADOPTS REVISED LAWS.
The Senate adopted the revised version
of the General Laws Of vermont. 1917,
and the House revision committee held
an all-afternoon session over this report.
which will probably be adopted tomorrow
morning.
An act providing that the board Of con-
troll bill shall take effect on its passage
was introduced and passed by the Senate
this morning. 1t was only recently dis
covered after this bill had passed the
Legislature and been signed by the Gov
ernor that 1t would not become effective
until June. As the Office Of the NTH
member Of the board did not exist an
appointment could not be made, and as
the Senate does not meet in June. steps
were at once taken to remedy the diff
Guilty.
The act providing for the repeal of the
charter Of the Fifteen Mile Falls Power
company was rejected by vote Of 10 to 6.
The act relating to demurrage charges
providing for the fixing of free time by
the public service commission was also
rejected by q vote of IS to 7. The act
providing for a direct progressive inheri-
lance tax was made special order for
tomorrow morning.
MUCH BUSINESS IN SENATE.
Although the Senate passed in
concurrence and with proposals of amend
ment 80 bills. 1t ordered several more to
a third reading and rejected three. Among
the measures ordered to a third reading
were the act placing the State agricul-
tural schools under the commissioner of
education and the espionage act prohibit
Ing certain acts while the United States
IL at war or threatened with war
WANTS SUFFRAGE REFERENDUM.
Even with the transaction OF 20 much
routine business on its hands the House
could not be coaxed into concurring in
the senates proposed amendment to the
woman suffrage bill by striking out the
clause providing for a referendum by the
men and women voters OF the State. The
Senate will probably insist upon its
amendment and ask for q committee of
conference.
The House passed the measure smpow- :
ering the State treasurer to appoint q
deputy treasurer and a deputy commits
sioner of weights and measures The act
authorizing the attorney general to pro-
coed against foreign corporations doing
business within the State without lawful
authority was also passed.
The bill enabling the State to bond for
$4,000 on account of the new State build
ing was passed.
Tho act providing for the assessment of
q State tax was ordered to lie.
Other acts passed were those permitting
the public service commission to order
the extension OF the tracks Of the Berk-
shire street railway in Bennington and
the one granting to e. NJ. Goodsell a ferry
across Lake Champlain between Grand
Isle and Cumberland Head. N. Y.
TAX EXEMPTION BILL PASSED.
The bill exempting from taxation
orphanages, homes and hospitals was
passed after considerable debate, as was
the one providing fo- the hiring Of town
or city managers. This last bill had been
reported adversely by the municipal cor.
porations committee, mainly through
lack of sponsor. because OF the death
| Of the late Senator II. e. Eddy, its
introducer The chairman of the COM
mittee explained, however. that he had
| only recently received information which
| convinced himself and the other mem.
bers Of the committee OF the merit OF
the bill. Several other members also
favored the bill.
JITNDY BILL REJECTED.