The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-02-03
Fewer Bills introduced Thus
Far Than in Past
Five Years
HAS NO LIVE BUSINESS
Bill to Allow Vermont Draft Men
To Draw State Pay
Considered

Montpelier, February 3-Prospects
of the shortest session of the Vermont
General Assembly held in recent
years grow brighter day by day and
it would not be surprising, according
to those who have watched the
workings of the law makers for de-
cades, if adjournment sine die occurs
just before the Mare h election, town
meeting day, the first Tuesday of
next month. There are fewer bills
by far than were introduced in 1917,
or 1915 and 1912 for that matter, and
with the prohibition question settled
definitely and swith both houses
strong for granting women the right
to vote, very little prospective legis
lation appears on the horizon to
cause an extended session.
According to the rules Senators
cannot introduce any more individual
bills, the rule being that the measures
must be introduced or in the hands
of the revisers of bills by the first
day of February Of course there
are few in the files OF the revisers
and others may appear from time to
time from committees but the influx
viii not be as great as during the
opening days. The same rule applies
to the House only the members of
that branch of the Legislature have
until tomorrow to get their ideas pre-
sented to their fellow members in
concrete form.
Both houses meet at o'clock to-
night after the regular weekend va
cation and less than a dozen bills
will be presented in the House and
perhaps two or three in the Senate.
The present body of lawmakers have
not given any indications of being
over anxious to "stick to their knit
ting" and work Saturday mornings
and Monday afternoons as did the
body Of two years ago but on the 9TH
er hand this assembly has less I'M
portant legislation to consider.
Suffrage always has created more
or less discussion, given the floor
leaders chance TO display their pow
ers of oratory and causing more or
less amusement for the spectators,
but this year the Senate has shown
that it is for woman's rights to vote
by about two to one and seems to be
giving the women of the State as
many franchise rights as can be given
them without an amendment to the
State Constitution, which amendment
cannot be effected this year.
The bill to allow drafted men to
draw state pay, ten dollars month
for every month in the service of
the country, has been introduced and
it is believed that it will pass both
houses without much debate Gov.
Clement favored such action and ad-
vocated it in his campaign last fall
and to the average person it seems
only fair that the drafted
men should have the right to the
money the same as the enlisted men.
1t means considerable expense to the
state but possibly would be money
well spent as it will aid many a man
who has been discharged and is hav-
ing trouble securing employment
This state will probably not consid-
er any measure looking to the finding
of employment for discharged SOL
diers because the situation is different
in Vermont than in the states which
contain large centers of population
and there is not likely to be any Sc
rious difficulty in soldiers obtaining
jobs, Many will have their former
positions back and others will un-
doubtedly be glad to return to or
take up farm work