The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-09
House, After Extensive
Debate, Orders Senate Bill
to Third Reading
REFUSED TO ACCEPT
MAJORITY REPORT
House Killed Bill Raising
Assistant Judges
Salary


its individual views on S. IA, increas
ing the pay of assistant judges from
SO to S4 day, which it finally killed
after extensive debate; on H. 234, pro-
viding that applicants for drivers Ii
censes shall give demonstration be-
fore an authorized representative APP
pointed by the secretary of state,
which was finally ordered to a third
reading by a good majority; and on
s. /, providing that voters in direct
primaries shall declare their party af-
! filiations.
1t was only after lengthy debate in
which there were a host of speakers
that the House by yea and nay vote
of y to l5l refused to accept the ma
jority report and thus refused to re-
iect the latter bill, so that it went
to third reading.
S. /, came from the committee on
suffrage and elections with the major
ity of the committee opposing it, but
with a minority report of three OF the
committee in its favor Mr.. Ballou of
Chester led the minority and was the
first speaker in favor of the bill. He
called attention to the fact that a
plank of the Republican platform had
called for such a measure. Mr.. Chase
Of Bennington declared the platform
was pledge made to the people of
Vermont and that the bill should be
passed.
Mr.. Cushman of Rochester opposed
not only the bill, but the entire pri
mary system, which he said took away
a mans right to vote as he pleased
Mr.. Morrison of Dummerston favored
the bill
Mr.. Pollard of Cavendish spoke at
length against it. He said that the
measure would take us back to the
old system, whereby man il led to
the ballot box and watched while he
casts has ballot.
"John Smith or somebody else goes
mp into room 3l6 in the Vermont hotel
and writes few resolutions, then
come down and reads them and they
are adopted and made the Republican
platform" said Mr., Pollard. He
thought the representatives elected by
the people should not be bound by any
such platform. 1t had been inferred, |
he said, that a large number of Demo
Gratis were voting the Republican tick
ct in the primaries.
That Is the first time that I have |
heard" he said. that there are a
large number of Democrats in Yer
mont"
Mr. Pollard paid his respects to Miss
Beard of Orange. who signed the ma
jority report in opposition to the bill.
Mr. 0'Brien of South Burlington in
terrogated Mr.. Chase Of Bennington as
to what would be done with the indie
pendent voter under this law and if
the law would not destroy the secrecy
Of the Australian ballot Mr.. Chase
thought this might be so TO a certain
extent
Nj. Button Of Middlebury cham
DBrien, saying that the independent
voter has the opportunity to choose
the party tickets, or 70 make
ip a ticket Of his own
'But why an Independent voter
ihould want to % in TO vote at a Re
publican or Democratic primary is
beyond me. said Mr.. Button.
A man should certainly not he al
owed to go in there and vote for the
worst man. simply to defeat the party
n the election
Mr. Button said that the man rea /.
on he was supporting the bill was be
ause the Republican party had given
Is plighted word that such legislation
would be enacted. He disagreed with
ir. Pollard a TO the met hods used in ]
dopting the Republican platform. and
aid that il was done in open meet q
ng and very much amended there c
II feel that this platform is only :
ass sacred than the constitution Of the )
rnited States or Of this state" said !
fr Button. "and as TO the matters I
n that platform we break our plighted
-ord If we change them one iots.'
'ebate on Assistant Judges Salary. ,
The bill providing for increasing the h
of assistant judges Is. Z
1 was refused a third reading in the &
Iouse this morning although several {
lembers came to it, defense after the q
lotion that third reading be refused
ad been made by Mr. Bradley of Swan \
IN. The bill, which had passed the 4
enate. had come from the commit
e under favorable report. with amend
ent. providing that the compensation
: increased from So 10 81 a day B
Mr. Bradley said this appeared to
, the entering wedge to raise salaries
officers throughout the state He
,lieved the members had come. rs he
ID. 10 represent their constituents in
le effort 10 stop the ever growing =
ate expense He had been given 20 ~
informally 10 be sure. by /,
Ie promoters Of the measure which Z
crea sed the salaries of supreme court y
stices and superior Judges, that that
u would not BE- taken a. a precedent y
r increasing salaries generally. Other ~
ate officers are not barred from bust ~
- activities. as are the justices. Z
lieve.~ said Mr. Bradley. ~if We are
ir 70 our constituents and the state
Vermont this bill will not pass II
Mr.. Button of Niddlebury interro.
ted Mr. Bradley a. 10 whether -
ought IL fair 10 pass the bin lH- -
ereasiug jurors' fees and then refuse IN
pas a bill which gives an assist ~
q judge a. much pay a. q jury ~
an. Ut
NIr. Bradley said because tbc House ni