St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-03-14
Arena Cleared And All
Stage Set For Fight On
Governors Control Bill
HOUSES DEADLOCK
IN MORNING SESSION
Senate Insists On $500 Salary For
Fish and Game Commissioner, i
While House Holds Out to
Pay But $1,000 For
Position
W. Fl. Jeffrey, Special Correspondent

w. III. cCiiIcS, SpcCIdi NOfFcSl)0Hucflt
Montpelier. March 13.-The real
fight of the present session is at hand.
The oratorical gladiators have for
several days been clearing the arena
They have girded up their loins and
are ready for the fray. Nine of the
eleven members of the judiciary COM
mittee met and voted five to four to
report favorably and without amend
ment Governor Graham's board of
control bill. 1t is not likely that the
bill will be reported to the House be-
fore Thursday. It's appearance viii
be the signal for unrestrained oratory
for weeks. Little knots of men have
gathered in the corridors, on the
street corners and in the cafe and
held whispered arguments for and
against the measure. The success or
failure of this measure may in a large
degree influence the result Of the re-
naming administration bills. It is
highly probable that practically every
member Of prominence willitake part
in the debate. The lineup for the
bill is likely to be Fenton of Rutland.
who is regarded as a finished speaker
of high ability and of unquestioned
courage. Then will come Stearns of
Burlington, Pollard of Cavendish and
Howland of Barre. These men are
all recognized to be strong, forcefuI
speakers and resourceful leaders, and
it is not improbable that many new
stars will appear on the boards.
The opposition will be found to in
clude fully as strong combination
wv !, 1nl Inv xE
Cudworth Of Londonderry, Phelps of
Fair Haven and probably Steele of
Highgate. These men are all sea-
soned campaigners and three of the
four are veteran legislators. They
all know the game in all it's details.
The outcome will be watched with
keen interest and the we'll informed
believe the vote will be close.
The House this afternoon transact
ed but little business of Importance.
They Indefinitely postponed the bill
which proposed a higher rate of tax
alton upon registered stock. and kill
ed House 323. relating to the direct
primary law which provided for its
submission to the people by referen-
dunn.
The feature of the afternoon was
the special order on House bill III,
known as the customs brokerage bill.
Every inch of the ground had been
carefully worked over by both the
friends and opponents of this meas
ure. The bill was passed on roll call
11S to 1O1. Steele Of Highgate, the
introducer of the bill, put up a stub
born fight for his measure and was
rewarded by handsome victory. Af-
ter the vote was taken members from
all parts of the House congratulated
Mr.. Steele, and it was conceded about
the corridors that from this time out
Dan Steele of Highgate was a factor
that must be taken into serious con-
sideration.
This morning the House transacted
very little business and that little was
Of no Importance. One new bill came
/, in from the general committee but
this merely corrected an omission in
the present law.
A joint resolution came over from
the Senate, endorsing the League to
| Enforce Peace, but objection was
made to it's Immediate consideration
by Mr.. Moore of Ludlow, who asked
that it be referred to an appropriate
committee.
In the Senate two new bills appear
ed, both by Senator Footc of Addison.
Five very unimportant House bills
were passed in concurrence. The SEN
ate refused to recede from it's amend
ment to the salary of the Fish and
Game Commissioner and asked for a
committee Of conference. The presi-
dent appointed as such committees on
| ri <,f fhn tor
Morse. Villas and Diamond. This bill
was from the HOUSE. fixing the salary
of commissioner at $1,000. When il
reached the Senate it was amended to
read mot more than $25OO'' and sent
back to the House. That body re-
fused to concur in the amendment
and sent the bill back to the Senate
with the action above noted. Consid-
cradle debate was indulged in, during
the discussion. Sen. Dewitt thought
| that the Senate was losing its sense OF
proportion, when it insisted on max
| ing the salary of the commissioner
| the same as that of the Governor
| The committee on final adjourn.
| ment had meeting today to see what
( can be done to hasten the date when
| the members may return home. The
committee consisted of Representa-,
/ tives F'enton of Rutland. Pollard oi
/ Cavendish and Cudworth of Lon.
| donderry. Tomorrow the committee
will meet with the House chairmer
Of the various committees. Some wha
are either poorly informed or unin
formed set the date for adjournment
J at March 24th while those. who have
had little light. hope that the ep6
may come by March 30th. Still, it il
safe proposition that April will fine
Continued on page 3D.