The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-04-13
THE LEGISLATURE.

The Vermont legislature, which adj /
ioulnrd yesterday, on the whole made
a commendable record. 1t fell down on
court reform, which GOV. Graham advo-
Gated, the lawyers continuing their
domination of the legal machinery OF
the state from which we are expected
to get dispcnsation Of justice. Two
years from now the fight will be on
again. Ii the lawyers can continue to
boss the farmers and business men, and
to keep i'm vogue a system OF court pro
cedurc which is expensive and at the
same time cXasperating, for the reason
that it keeps litigation going beyond 4
Reasonable time, then it is time that
we plain voters know that we are TAX
ing orders from a little eoterie who have
Istudicd law and who are bound up in
Imcccdcnt
The Reformcr for one is not through
saving what it thinks about the law
vcrs and about the courts Of the state.
The house of representatives. this
Ivcar was far above the average i'll in
|tcuigcncc and the members evidently
had q desire to do the right things, but
1.-THE body was unfortunate in not having
leadership of the right kind. The SEN
ate was below par, even compared with
some other scnates of the present gen
crations that have been bastmadoed on
both feet.
GOV. Graham secured his board of con-
troll, which will put the state on a more
efficient business basis than ever before.
The board consists of the governor, state
treasurer, state auditor, director of
state institutions and one lay member.
Three of the members OF the board are
elected 10y the people and two appointed
by the governor.
The legislature advanced woman :,
suffrage by providing that taxpaying
women shall have the right to vote in
town meetings. They already had the
right 10 vote ON school matters. The full
privilege of u freeman will come to the
women of the state in a very few years
The legislature arose in the houl
when its patriotism was called upon il
| q way to warm the hearts Of loyal Yer
| imoutcrs everywhere. There is a salts
| faction in knowing that our little com
| monwcalth did ''more than its share,
| when it voted without dissenting
! voice, 100000 as a war emergenc,
e. fund. This act alone has made tn
!, tate stand out in bright eolors, wher
II il has won cncomiums from coast t
\ coast. Its espionage bill is drasti
II enough to please the most ardent patri
Il ot providing the death penalty for con
II spiracv against the state and nation un
II der certain conditions. and heavy penal
II ties for any attempt to aid a foreig
power.
II The legislature did not do a wonder
II full work in constructive legislation be
II yond what has here been pointed out
II 1t did do a large amount of helpful wor
II i'm many directions, and the great ms
II iority OF its members performed thei
II work faithfully and conscientiously.
II Two years from now we shall stan
II something in the way of court reforI
II and for conservation of resources. TIL
II bill TO bond the state for the develoI
Y mcnt of water powers, reservoirs an
Ipower plants was heard from this tim
through Mr.. Amidon of Halifax.
viii come up again and eventually wi
get the recognition and action that
deserves.
The draft in the days of the Civ