The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-12-25
Judges Choice Will
Interest Legislature
Continued from Page l

C0nLlnueQ rom rage i
new building at the states prison
to take care of its growing popula-
ton, and that such extra demand.
would call for at least 100000, is
little bit of a discourager in view
of the prediction campaign along
the lines of greater economy and
a decided pairing down of oppro-
priations. The Rutland Herald
may be right in its Yankee guess
that the expenses this Legislature
will be more than for the last.
Good Lord deliver US.
For the first time in several
years, there will be no congested
seats at this session. There will be
no vacancies, either. The contests
were evidently all threshed out at
the primaries or on election day.
Without making any handicap
predictions, it looks like a first
class body of lawmakers. They
will go to Montpelier with their
pockets full of bills and resolu-
tons and their heads full of ideas
about all sorts of ways to do some
thing for the good of Vermont.
The most of this proposed legisla-
ton, luckily will be eliminated. An
apple tree often blossom profusely
in the spring, but many of the
buds and smaller fruit drop off
in order to give room for the more
project crop to mature better. 1t
will be so with the legislature. II
everything proposed for new laws
or as changes in the old were to
be accepted and passed, it would
be tragedy,-nothing short.
There are more democrats in the
legislature this year than usual
This is no cause to ring the alarm
and call out the fire department
Partisan politics will be the last
thing to be considered at Montpe-
lier after the legislature wheels
get to turning in earnest. Demo-
Gratis are not the worst people in
the world. There are the Turks.
Democrats in Vermont eat, dress
and act Just about the same as the
do, and when it comes
to something to stop that cough,
there is the same general COM
plant.
In the cemetery at Ryegate
Corner is the grave of one of the
earlier inhabitants. On the head
stone, in addition to the dates of
birth, death, ETC., are chiselled the
fact that "He was an active, hon
est and successful merchant and a
firm democratic representative in
the legislature of Vermont, he died
as he lived-happy,
| liv'd on earth, | died on earth,
In earth l am inteTed
All that have lived are sure of
death;
The rest NAV be inferr'd."
This early settler would die hap
pier than ever were he to be in
Montpelier this winter and see the
fine democratic showing in the
Legislature, really enough for a
mess, good-sized bloc.
The announcement from Barton
last week that Judge Willard w.
Miles of the Supreme Court would
not be a candidate for reelection
when the Legislature gets to Sc
Letting judges on the third Thurs
day of the session, explains why
Frank d. Thompson, representa-
tive eject from Barton has dis
couraged all preliminary talk
about his being a candidate for
Speaker, leaving the border terri
tory free for Major Aaron H.
Grout of Newport City. Thompson
is a candidate for consideration
for the bench when the usual pro-
motion process leaves a vacancy
in the Superior Court. If custom is
followed, Chief Justice Fred NJ.
Butler of Rutland, of the Superior
Court, will be advanced to the Su
preme bench, a position he is
splendidly qualified by tempera-
ment and experience to fill. This,
in all probability, will make Judge
Frank L. Fish of Vergennes, chief
justice of the Superior Court.
Judge Miles was appointed in 1905
by Governor Bell, is IT years old
and retires to private life after an
honorable record on bar and bench
and with the sincere respect and
good wishes of all. Thompson who
aspires to succeed him is his SON
in-law, a graduate OF st. Johns
bury Academy and Boston Law
school the son of the late Judge
l.. H. Thompson or Irasburg, pre-
sent reporter Of decisions of the