The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-03-02
HOUSE BELIEVES
We SHOULD HAVE
BETTER JUR|ES
Bill Passed to Establish Com
mission of Selection
GATES vs.. POWELL ON ROADS
Former Governor and Burlington Ho-
tel Man Discuss s5oo,ooo Hondins
Measure for Highways.
GATES vs.. POWELL ON ROADS

Montpelier, March 2.-The house
today passed the measure establish
ing county board of jury commission
ers composed of the assistant judges
and county clerks in the respective
counties.
The sponsors of the measure aim at
the improvement of juries through
this method of selection.
Montpelier. March before an
audience which filled the Senate
chamber and galleries this evening
former Governor Charles w Gates of
Franklin and Max l.. Powell of Bur-
lington had a merry debate regarding
the bill authorizing Vermont to bond
for 100000 for the construction of
permanent highways
Governor Gates said that when a
method OF bonding could be discov
cred whereby roads could be built and
maintained at less cost than under
our present system and without i'm
posing burdensome taxation upon the
people. he would vote for it, but until
that day came he was in favor of the
present law. Under this system said
Mr.. Gates. towns and State share
alike the cost of road building, the
money is raised every year, the people
do not feel 1t and every one is inter
ested alike in the one project He
also referred to the fact that in Massa
chusetts. where the bond system is in
use. the cost of road maintenance is
more than $1,000 per mile. Vermont
has not nearly as high road value
per mile as the States which are now
bonding to build roads.
Mr. Powell thought that much of the
former governors opposition to the
bill was due to his sentimental dislike
of the word bond" He declared
that the State must have more money
than il is now devoting to roads to
maintain our present roads and where
could the money be obtained to build
more permanent ones, unless 1t was
obtained through bonding? Further
more, he maintained, the burden of
taxation would be less under the
bond method because much of it
would be paid by future generations.
To this Governor Gates replied that
all generations had their own prob
lens.
Proceeding on the theory that his
bill providing for yearly Statewide
referendum on the question of grant
ing liquor licenses would make Yer
mont dry Senator Morse argued this
evening at a public hearing of the
temperance committee that economic
conditions had so changed that the
Legislature would even be justified in
passing a bone dry" State law. The
bill was also favored by Superintend.
ent Smith of the Vermont Anti-Saloon
League, the Rev. Mr.. Sherburne of
Montpelier and Representative Dwin-
nell of Calais.
The House this afternoon adopted
two joint resolutions presented by Mr..
Williams of Proctor. the first extend
ing to former President William
Howard Taft an invitation to address
the joint assembly on the afternoon
of March Sth. when Mr. Taft is to be
in Montpelier
The other resolution provides for
the joint assembly on that day to hear
the address.
The bill creating the city of New
port, town of Newport and town of
Derby was also passed. along with the
one making juror fees in municipal or
city court two instead of one dollar
per day. The measure appropriating
$1,000 to exterminate grasshoppers
was ordered TO lie.
The House rejected six bills and dis
posed of large amount OF routine
business
Acknowledgement Lee S. Tillotson
addressed the Senate regarding the
bill organizing the militia along the
lines of the federal national defence
act This bill is special order for
tomorrow morning at eleven O'Clock.
The bill relating to the appointment
of license commissioners by board
of county commissioners was rejected.