Norwich bulletin., 1918-04-22
TALKED ABOUT IN WESTERLY
Interest In Fate of Bills at Closing Session of General As sembly-Weghty Fog Horn Machine By Adams Express For Watch HilI-Death of Albert F. Kenyon Benjamin F. Burdick Dead-Whittaker-B -Burdick Marriage.

The Rhode Island general assembly of 1918 is no more-it ended early Sat- urday morning after an all-night. ses- sion. Bills were passed almost imme- diately after they were placed on the calendar, that is, they were railroaded through, the great majority of the members being deprived of the oppor- tunity to familiariZe themselves With the measures they were voting on. Committees held reports back to the last hour and they were then sprung for action, and all that came from the dominant party prevailed. While the bills acted upon were in volume per- haps greater on the final day that on any other twenty legislative days, still there were many measures of impor- tance that were pigeonholed and thrown into the discard by commit tees, bills that were never reported, that were killed by the committees and buried beyond resurrection, as there is no unfinished business at session of the Rhode Island general assembly on the last day. Men experienced in legislative service are criticizing the Rhode Island modus operandi and be- lieve that some day the Connecticut plan will prevail in this state.
 In Connecticut every bill presented is referred to committee, public hear, ing given on every bill, every bill is reported back to the house where it originated and if favorably reported, printed and placed in the bill file of members, and is on the calendar sev eral days before starred for action. Even bills unfavorably reported are likewise served by a majority vote.
 In Rhode Island all bills are re- ferred to committees and it is up to the committees whether hearings will be granted, and it is up to the com mttee to report or pigeonhole the bills, and measures may. be ordered to the calendar forthwith, and of course without printing. There probably is no such thing as graft in a Rhode Island general assembly, but the method of procedure gives ample op- portunity for graft.
 A bill of considerable importance to Westerly was killed in committee in the session just passed and like treat ment was administered by the com mittee in the legislature that preceded. IL is the bill that provided for alter nate sessions of the superior court for Washington county at Westerly in stead of all regular sessions at Kings ton and adjourned sessions, at the op- ton of the presiding judge in West erly. This proposition was opposed by the delegat ton from the Kingston section that influenced the committee in charge.
 As a counter action the delegation from the Westerly section caused the death of the bill that would give the clerk of the court, who resides in Kingston, an increase of s600 for sal ary of an assistant clerk. Both parties stood pat and both projects were buried in committee.
 Tn the big batch of bills rushed through at the final session there were but few of real local interest. Senator Kenyon's bill to appropriate $2,500 for the soldiers athletic fund did not pass. The bill passed appropriating s11. 400 for the purpose of promoting and encouraging agricultural, horticul- tural and mechanical industry, which includes s1 800 for the Kingston fair and smaller amount for the South County Poultry and Pet Stock associa- ton for premiums An act was passed in. concurrence imposing an additional tax of three cents on each $100 of rate able property for the purpose of inn proving. repairing and maintaining state highways. The state guard bill passed carrying with it an appropria ton of s5O,000 for the initial year.
 Governor Beeckman Saturday signed nearly all of the 119 acts passed dur ing Fridays concluding session. The governor will finish the task of adding his signature to the heaps of enacted legislation this week The number ot bills passed on Friday and the early morning of Saturday was just one more than the number passed during all the preceding days of the session
 The local office of the Adams Ex. press company is receiving some yer, heavy machinery nowadays, a clas: which was formerly handled as rail. road freight and which is a strain or the man power of the local office There is at the station now a piece O machinery which weighs 2,150 pounds which was shipped by express instead of by freight to insure speedier trans portation. This big machine evidentl, an engine for operating foghorn, wa shiDped by the lighthouse denartmen of Tompkinsville. L. l.. for delivery t, the lighthouse at Watch Hill. Express deliveries do not include that section at this time. and the big crate has beer here more than a week
 Therefore, the government is seekini bids to cart the machinery to tn lighthouse. take out the old machin and deliver to the express office to b