Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-08

Montpelier. March "A t10Oo 900 appro
prtstjon and q commiastor authorized u
spend that sum within two years from
June. 1877, to develop the water power Of
the State. arc two Of the provisions q
the most startling bill OF the session
which will be introduced Ia the House to
morrow by Mr.. Amidon Of Halifax. Til,
act calls FOR the appointment by the Gov
ernor or q water power and conservation
commission Of three persons, an expert
enced hydraulic and electrical engineer
an experienced dam builder and q capable
business man.. The members arc 10 re.
ceive - per day and actual expenses away
from home. are to have an Office at The
state House and in addition to employing
necessary assistance are to have a secre-
tary who liz to reoeive $500 annually.
inc work OF the commission will be to
investigate location Of water powers vet
undeveloped on the principal streams and
ascertain its amount, develop II by dams
reservoirs. power plants and transmits.
sion lines. The commission may also
acquire BY eminent domain IL nscessar,
land and dowage rights necessary for the
construction Of plants or reservoirs for
storage purposes.
The bill also provides that the commits.
sion may in the biennial period comme,c-
ing June ], 1917 expend not more than
S2,OOo.00 and it appropriatAs that amount.
The state IL to issue bonds for not more
than 2.0oo.ooo payable $4,000 June /, 1871,
and the same amount June /, 1876 1861 and
1856
TO INCREASE GOVERNORS PAY.
If history repeats itself there 10 4 good
prospect for a general overhauing Of the
question OF pay for members Of the Gen.
erai Assembly. This afternoon there was
introduced into the House by Mr.. Osgood
or Rockingham bill relating to the Gov
ernor's salary and expenses. providing
Tor an increase Of 1850 . year. making
IL N:oVo year. The chief executive also
receives an allowance Of 1000 a year for
expenses. On the previous occasion of an
increase being granted the Governor, the
Legislature also granted itself additional
pay. and all during this session some talk
mas been heard now and then of q some-
what general opinion that a q day is not
adequate compensation. and in this con.
nection the factor of the high cost Of
living FORCES to the front.
CUSTOMS BROKERAGE BILL.
The House faced large calendar to-
day. but the most important measure
mat was on for consideration. the So
called customs brokerage bill, which
would debar railroads from participant
ing in this business and would hand il
over to individuals. was made a spesial
order for next Tuesday afternoon at
2:3o o'clock. This was don. on the
motion of Mr.. Steele of Highgate, its
introducer who wanted the bill! con-
sidered by "a fuller mem bershir, and in
his motion he was seconded by Repre-
sentative Stearns OF Burlington. who
will report the bill adversely for a ma
jority Of the committee. Although re
ported adversely there was also a mi
nority report. and it is predicted that
there will be a general field day when
this measure IL acted upon next week
ADMINISTRATION BILLS LAW.
Three of the administration measures
are now securely on the statute books,
Governor Graham having signed them
to-day. They are: II. 80, an act i'm
posing on the State commissioner of
agriculture the duties Of the State
board of agriculture and forestry,
state nursery inspector, State ornithol-
ogist. State forester. livestock COM
missioner and trustees Of the State sE-
ricultural sch ools; H. 2c7. creating the
office OF State engineer and S. 81. Gre
atins The office of director of State in
stitutions
SCHOLARSHIP BILL PASSES
There was hurry UP action OH the
Senate bill allowing towns to vote scholar
ships in Vermont institutions of higher
learning to-day. the House passing II in
the morning; the Senate following sui,
this afternoon and messaging II in,nc-
diately to the Governor for his signature.
The Senate also adopted the joint
resolution calling for congress OF the
states to consider the problem created by
the invasion BY the federal government
OF realms OF taxation which had former
ly been considered as the natural sources
OF the several states from tax revenue.
II In desired to reserve income and In
hertanoe taxation TO the States and con-
certed action on the part OF the States
in bringing effective pressure to bear on
tho federal Congress Ia sought.
HOUSE PASSES JURY BILL.
About the only break In the ordinary
monotony OF tho conduct Of routine busi-
ness in the House this morning was the
discussion on II. 35. relating TO the draw
ing of grand and petit jurors which was
passed after efforts to amend IL and to
order 1t to lie had failed The purpose
of the bfl is to secure a higher quality
of jurors through the agency OF having
them selected by q commission. as was
explained BY Mr.. Cudworth Of London
derry in reply to the attempt made by
Mr.. Allen Of Vernon to have the bili
amended so that no one. drawn for jury
duty, could be held on that duty for more
than l. days except when actually en-