The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-23
Senate and House Meet In Capital This Afternoon and
Elect Justices Judges and Other Necessary
State Officers
FIGHT FOR ADJUTANT GENERAL CAUSES MUCH
DISCUSSION IN CAPITAL CORRIDORS
LEGISLATURE This Year Is Not Especially Rushed with
Business Only Four Bills Being introduced
Yesterday

Montpelier, Jan. 23-This after
noon at 2.30 o'clock the Legislature
will turn aside from the routine work
of preparing, discussing and acting
upon legislative measures and will
with House and Senate in joint as
sembly, perform the Important duty
OF electing for the ensuing two years
Justices of the Supreme Court, Supe-
rior Court Judges, and Adjutant and
Inspector General, a Sergeant-at-
arms and three trustees Of the Uni
versity of Vermont and Agricultural
College.
Only two contests are anticipated
there being three cornered fight fol
the position made vacant on the Su-
perior Court bench by the stepping
down of Chief Judge E. L. Water
man of Brattleboro, between Senator
Sherman Moulton of Burlington, AT
torney General Barber of Brattleboro
and ex-senator Fairchild of Fair
field. The other contest is being
waged between Acting Adjutant Gen
eral johnson and Major Lee S. Til
lotson of the United States Army for
the Office of Adjutant General.
Senator Moulton announced his
candidacy for the position of sixth
Superior Court Judge early in the ses-
sion and has been working to improve
his chances since the lawmakers CON
vened while the other candidates did
not make known their candidacy un-
til much later. For that reason and
perhaps because Of others too, but
that seems to be the principal one ad-
vanced, Senator Moulton is conceded
by those in q position to hazard guess
es to have the better chance for cleo
tlon. Friends of Attorney General
Barber, however, have been working
diligently and one of their strongest
arguments is the fact that the
Northern portion of the, State is rep
resented By ten justices while only
one halls. from the southern district,
namely, Judge Butler of Rutland.
They point out that the election of
Senator Moulton would give Burling-
ton two members on the bench while
three Southern counties of the State,
Windsor, Windham and Bennington
would be without representation
Ex-senator Fairchild has many
friends among the Legislators, having
been one of the ablest members of
the last Senate where he did excel
lent work on the Judiciary and other
important committees. But he is old
er than the other candidates and the
tendency IS to choose younger men
for the bench, this precedent having
been established two years ago when
Stanley Wilson of Chelsea was elect
ed
The fight for Adjutant General has
caused much discussion in the corri-
dprs and some have not hesitated to
say frankly that Major Tillotson
should be returned to his former po-
sltlon because of the movement ali
over the country to return to their
former positions men who went into
active service during the war. They
point out the unfairness of the situa-
ton, Major Tillotson having wired
Tuesday that he was a candidate but
would be unable to arrive in Mont
pelier before the election.
One of thestrong arguments advanc-
ed by the supporters of Acting Adju-
tant General Johnson is that there
IS a constitutional provision in Yer
mont that g man in Federal service
cannot be chosen for state execu-
tive position. This argument is met
by Tillotson's supporters by the as
sertion thai he held the position OF
Adjutant General of the State and
was at the same time disbursings of
ficer for the Federal Government
when war was first declared
Bills continue to filter into the
House and Senate very slowly and
the committee have not been rushed
to death yet by the influx of prospec-
tive laws. -Four were introduced in
the Senate yesterday, one by Senator
Villas would make the present law re-
lating to the sale Of narcotics more
stringent, another by Senator Daniels
would empower the insurance com
missioner to issue subpoenas and one
by Senator Howland would enable
state banking institutions to join the