The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-03-05
HOUSE REJECTED
AMENDMENT NO. 6
Fear of Capitalization and Belief That
Proposal Was in Aid of Rail-
roads Caused the Action.

The Vermont House of Representa-
tives rejected yesterday afternoon pro-
posal No. 6 to amend the state constl-
tion so that the legislature shall fix the
place of recording deeds but concurred
in four other proposals, as follows: No.
!, the equal suffrage amendment; No.
g. providing for filing vacancies in the
House of Representatives,; No. 5, pro-
viding for trial without jury when ae-
cused consents; all of which concurred
in without dissenting vote; and No.
Is, making 2l years the legal age OF
women, the vote on this being l63 to
two.
Mr.. Pollard of Cavendish led the OPP
position to proposal No. 6. He said that
this was simply "an entering wedge"
which might later lead to taking the
recording offices from the town clerks
and centralizing them in the county
clerks offices.
Mr.. Bailey of Colchester said he
thought the gentleman from Cavendish
was worrying prematurely. lie favored
the proposal because he though the
present law worked an unnecessary
hardship upon the railroads which had
to file records OF mortgages, etc, in the
Office of the town clerk of every town
through which their roads operate, and
paw the expense of recording. Mr.. Dyer
OF Salisbury also favored the proposal.
Mr.. Barber of Brattleboro opposed it
and said he thought change in the
statutes providing that printed copies
of mortgages, deeds, etc, may be filed
in the town clerks offices, instead of
paving TO have written records made IN
each town. would remedy the difficulty
with the railroads and corporation, and
do away with the necessity for con-
stitutional amendment.
Mr.. Darling of Chelsea thought Mr..
Barber's plan would be found unconsti-
tutional. unless the constitution was
amended, although he opposed the pro-
posed amendment He admitted upon
interrogation by Barber that printed
deeds would probably be legal. On the
ground that this proposal looks like an
entering wedge to establish county
registrar of records, however, he OPP
posed il.
Mr.. Chase of Bennington opposed on
the grounds that the proposal had evi-
IDENTIFY come from the railroads, aud II
would benefit a few at the expense OF
many he thought.
Mr. keyes OF Reading mentioned the
address made before the general as
sembly by Congressman Frank Greene
in which the legislators were warned
against the dangers Of Capitalization
This proposal said Mr.. Keyes, looks to
ward Capitalization, taking authority
away from the town, and so is dan
gerous.
Mr.. Button of Middlebury favored
the proposal and interrogated Mr.
Darling and Mr., Chase. The gentleman
from Middleburv declared that the
bear batting" Of corporations eventu
ally comes out Of all of us, and If we in
crease their expenses, we viii have (
pay for it eventually Describing th'
methods OF recording in the towns
where long deeds mortgages and othel
papers are copied into the records by
| hand and charges collected ACCORDING
to the number of words, Mr. Button de
clared:
I Its pure graft, and ! am IN FAVOR @
( the amendment!
Mr.. Keyes of Reading spoke again
and suggested that, If this propose
were rejected, il would be well to pass
legislation prescribing that printed rec
ords should be filed in the town clerks
Offices and fixing the fees that could b
charged in each case. He said that
when y came to question OF the rail
roads being unduly taxed. he though
I tho town clerks needed the money a.
much as the railroads did.
/ Several of the town clerks in th'
House took issue with the Statement
of Mr.. Button that eXorbitant charge
were made for recording, Mr.. Butler o
Jamaica thought the railroads pai'
about what they pleased for this work
Al least they made him a proposition
and he took il and was satisfied H
thought many other town clerks di'
the same. Mr.. Simpson of Sheffield toll
of his experience as town clerk.
Mr. Cushman Of Rochester closed thl
debate in opposition 20 the propose
with arguments which were pOpula
With the members and brought fort
applause.