The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-09-08
THE TRANSCRIPT.
ST. ALBANS.
ISridnSs sept. -. TSO5.
Village Economy.

simply as prelude and illustration OF
the subject Of village economy to
which we again call the thoughtful at-
tcntion of our readers. Rcgretting
that our remarks upon this and the
other subjects recently discussed have
occupied so much space, we now re-
new the discussion Of the matter of
village economy and to the end that
our comments may have their full
force, refer TO certain facts and
figures heretofore given, and add
thereto other considerations which
are calculated to illustrate our subject
1t has not been forgotten, we presume
that early last juno a petition was
signed praying the Trustees of st. Al
bans village TO call a public meeting of
the Village Corporation to vote IA suf-
ficient sum of money on the Grand
List to defray the expenses Of Fourth
OF July celebration A warning for a
public meeting, to be held June 10Th,
1860, was duly published. Between
the date OF that warning and the hold
ing of this public meeting, and while
the subject was agitating the village
mind more or less, the following sig
nlfcant article appeared in the ed-
torial columns of the st. Adams Hes
sengcr under date of Juno 9Th, 1865:
Our readers will observe in another
column the advertisement calling IA
meeting of the citizens TO authorize n
tax on the grand list TO provide for
the becoming celebration of the com
ing Fourth" Such provision, beside
equalzlng the expenses, will ensure
method IN the matter, and the eff
cient execution of plans. We are late
III our preparations, but with energy
and public spirited action, the thing
can bo- successfully carried through.
Burlington, Rutland and Brattleboro
are already maturing their plans for
the Jubilee, but let us make up in en-
ergy and dispatch what we have lost
i'll time.
The public warning of the proposed
meeting as well MS this warm com
mendation of the project attracted at
tention from the village tax payers
whose pockets were thus unceremoni-
ously assailed. Ordinarily, those who
dance must pay the fiddler" Now
the Jubilee" was, If the Jlessenqcrs
programme were carried out with
method in the matter and efficient
execution of plans, to be paid for by Il
tax on the Grand List The PROPOSE
ton was very bold and novel one.
Its impudent boldness attracted early
observation, and, of course, brought
into notice the question whether such
vote, if it could be carried, would be
binding and whether the village cor
poration had a right, by charter or
otherwise, to make such an appropria-
ton from its corporate funds. The
General Statutes, page 1T, section %,
plainly provide that "any town, at
town meeting legally warned and held,
may grant and vote such sums Of mon
ey as they shall judge necessary for
the maintenance and support of the
poor; for laying out and repairing
highways; for building and repairing
bridges; for the prosecution and de-
fence of their common rights and in
terests, and for all other necessary and
incidental charges within said town. =
Notwithstanding this plain restric-
hve language of the Statute, it was
the obvious game of the st. Adams
Messenger to procure Jubilee" and
have it paid for by public tax on the
inhabitants Of the village Of St Adams
IN defiance of all law or precedent. It's
pretence was that. if paid for by tax
on the Grand List, it would "eoualize
the expenses and ensure method and
eihcient execution of plans" 1t did
not deign to say whose Expenses. ="
what method" or whose plans"
The Messengers zeal for the Jubilee
payable on the Grand List was all lost.
The public meeting, held June 10Th,
passed no such vote. No respectable
number of voters could be induced to
swallow tho expensive dose the nes-
se0ger had concocted. The PROPOSE.
ton was whistled down the wind. and
the argument, if such it could be
called, made by the Messenger in its
behalf was treated with quiet con.
tempt But the proposition and pre-
tended argument in its support are
on the record to be used as pres
ent illustration and future warning
Tie village Of st. Adams Is in no
condition to tolerate any such new
tangled financial experiment as the
Messenger undertook to inaugurate
IL is suffering now, as never before
from burden resting upon it in the
shape Of bounty, war and special tav-