The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-02
By Action of Vermont
House in Passing Com
merce Commission
OPPOSITION WAS
VERY SPIRITED
Mr.. Wishart of Barre Was
One of Leading Sup
porters of the Bill

| the Hartness plan for progress came II
the House this morning, when Ii. 81
establishing a commission on forelgr
and domestic commerce, which was ia
yored by Gov. Hartness, was passed
by standing vote of l06 to 81, follow
ing a snappy debate in which the meas
ure was attacked by Mr.. Bradley oi
Swanton and Mr., Bates of Highgate
and defended by Mr.. Barber of Will
mington and Mr.. Wishart of Barre
City.
After cleaning up its calendar thi:
morning, the Senate went into execu
tive session to consider further ap
pointmen sent in by Governor Hart
ness. No action was taken in the exec
utive session and the appointments
will, according TO custom, remain IN the
Senate for "a hours.
Senator Carpenter Of Franklin coun
ty introduced in the Senate this morn
ing new proposal of amendment tc
the constitution which would require a
person to be able to read to be entitled
to the privilege OF voting. The propos.
al was referred to the committee on
judiciary.
The first resolution Of the session
looking toward expediting business was
introduced this morning by Senator
Dlmham providing for the appoint
ment of special committee 70 ex.
pedite the work Of the general assem-
bly,.
Under suspension Of the rules, the
Senate took H. I, increasing the pay
of justices of the supreme court and su-
perior court, clear through the legis-
lative process this morning. the rules
being suspended on motion Of Senator
Coburn Of Chittenden county and the
bill passed in concurrence without a
dissenting vote. All that the measure
now requires to make il law is the
signature of Governor Hartness. The
Senate suspended the rules also and
passed in concurrence II. %, relating
the law requiring the annual vote on
the liquor license question. Senator
Foster of Rutland county moved for
the suspension Of the rule.
Debate on Hartness Measure.
When H. 81, to establish commits
sion on foreign and domestic commerce,
came mp for passage, the measure hav
ing been called from the table recently
on motion of Mr.. Wishart Of Barre
City. Bradley of Swanton opposed the
bill on the grounds that it was going
to cost the state considerable, as he
thought il would require continual ap
preparations TO support this commits
sion, even though the bill said that
they were to serve without pay. He
said that commission is another word
for expense and that he saw no need
for such commission in Vermont
Mr.. Barber of Wilmington spoke for
the committee, saying that the meas
ure was one which came from the exec
utive department He said that he had
no personal interest in the bill, but
that he thought it ought 20 pass. He
explained that commission such as
called for in the bill. already exists,
having been appointed by Governor
Clement, at the request of Governor
Coolidge of Massachusetts,. and that he
thought this commission should be le-
galized. There is now a legal commits
sion of this nature in every New Eng
land state except Vermont. Mr.. Bar
Der explained that the commission had
rendered service in securing cars to
move the products Of the state, had
assisted in relieving the coal situation,
and he thought il was a question Of
whether Vermont wants to work with
the other New England states or 90
along alone in this connection.
Mr. Bates of Highgate said that
Vermont is primarily an agricultural
state and he did not believe that gov
ernment by commission was a good
thing anyway. He said that when a
commission advertises to work with
out expense, there is always more or
less expense connected with it before
il is through.
Mr.. Wishart made a strong speech
in support Of the bill He said that the
measure had been in the committee for
some time, that nobody had appeared
against il. that he had conferred with
the governor concerning il and had
amended il as the governor suggested
as to appointment Of the commission
for longer terms and that the governor
was strongly in favor Of the bill
millions Of dollars are involved in
this state on other things than agri-
culture" said Mr.. Wishart. in answer
to Mr. Bates, and the gentleman from
Barre urged that the agriculture men
in the House take into consideration
that anything which helps the indus
tries of the state also helps the farms.
that the should work together. He re-
minded the House that when the farm
ers had measures mp which interested
them particularly. those measures had
been given careful consideration by the
other members and he asked for the
same consideration for this measure.
and thus work toward a better feeling
Of community interest, 70 get indus
tries into the state and further the in
terest II the Industrial cities and
towns. even thought it nav cost a
little money. The Measure then vent
to . vote as above noted
There vas a general debate IN the
House on the biH fixing the bounty
on hedrehogs. and The fat that g va
Candlemss day added 10 the general