Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-11-23

Let the course of trade and the condition Of So
ietcy alone, Is the best advice which can be given
10 the legislator. the proNc,or and the Teformer.
''Ihe limitations OF this let alone principle are
almost as obvious as the principle itself. The
ofiice Of the legislator s not by bis own superior
VISION to chalk on; path for society to move
IN, but TO remove all casual and unnatural
imptdimeDis from that path which society in
siinctHeiy chooses for itself Ii l. 10 give wider
scope and more ache action, 10 the principle we
have just teen considering. rather than TO judge
and narrow il by artificial limits and petty re-
s.r.cucns -
sIr, il seems to me the objections sought to be
raised a.a nst tins I'LL are taciily met and an
sWeItd BY the principle here set forth.
We can readily perceive. that by holding out
extraordinary iuducemeu :, and Offering large
houn'its, We may attract foreign capital 10 our
borders, and by iniuc'ng it to engage in manu-
actuIes and internal improvements, both create
a maike, to- cur products at home, and provide
mean to compete with the markets Of the world.
Allowing this proposition to be true, We come
10 the consideration Of the desrableuss Of that
particular form Of enterprise ana whether the
fun and legitimate development Of our own re-
sources would rot constitute healthier condi-
ton ct growth and progress.
II Vernon It i a well known and universal
" acknowledge fact that on the land owners
and ullrrs Of the soil lies almost the entire bur
den Of Supporting the Institutions Of society
ana government, ami the large amount Of per-
s0nal property annually exempted from the
grand lists, aud the still larger amounts of cap
Ital actively invested in nontaxlble bonds,
stocks AID securities, are only So much more
increasing the disparity; ami il any new
legs alton is initiated touching this PECULIARLY,
o. = uui natural that our eyes should be turned
t0warilts relation 10 TINS great fact.
H. alt be subjects coming before this iouse
for Legislation 1t is siugularly suggestive that
s. Ir.i, especially related to the interests OF
agriculture Is attempted, while other interests
are largely c.smorlng for your fostering care.
ami your committees are loaded with plans
devised 60 adsa the Interests OF the capital
81 and the protector AT the expense Of the
State. ana /; would, indeed, be passing strange
o.. " ia the iac', patent before our eyes, they
should be p,Imittei 10 p,If,ct schemes
whershy 20 shrink their lust AID natural pro-
portion Of taxes, while they are under she pro
lection Il cur laws, constantly relpiug vastly
ial ger profits than even the most successful and
Fortunate land owner, 70 say nothing Of that
large share Ct farmers " hO do little more than
meet the demands Of the family and society
from year 30 year. Ii IS now objected
that by taxing this species Of property. created
10y the State and II which much Of the CAPT
Jal Of the estate Is being invested whenever it
shall be SO well founded and valuable as to pay
an annual dividend to the owners, we are dis.
criminating against the interests which are rep
resented by il, AMI we are meuaced with the
threat that the corporators Will at once dissolve
aud close up their corporations, and retire from
tue markets those very stocks which are yield
ing these golden haryCsts rather than sub nit TO
the demands Of the State for their Just pIopor-
tion OF the expenses OF the government by whose
statutes and under whose protection they we're
created, and with about the same pr0priety that
my friend here might object 10 the increase Of
the valuation Of the assessment Of his real es-
tate, situated in the uGghborhoOd of the same
Corporations and fayoraby affected by its opera
tons, On account Of the corresponding Incl ease
IN the amount Of his taxes. As il was once
iacetously remarked by a gentlememan Of my
acquaintance, that his lands were already so
high that he could not sell them.
Here and there the large landholders and
wealthy farmers are becoming more and more
coguizaLt Of the truth Of the c0uplet so often
repeated:
- III fare the land TO Fastening ills prey,
When wealth accumulates and men decay"
Entertaining these views. Mr. Speaker. am
convinced Of the vision Of the provisions Of
the bill before US, even in its original form and
lu spite OF the apprehensons Of those who pre-
dict the most disastrous and fatal cousequences
10 the prosperity Of our State.
Identified by my earliest interests and asso-
ciatious, and at a later period Of NY life, by my
mature judgment, with the tii.ers Of the soil,
ealing comparatively secluded and coutem-
plauye lite. thes' sentiments have, as II were.
ur cnrue erxsfql I'd INF. nv varv r.s.,r. I
nave now no higher earthly ambition than to
see exempllhd around me the problem Of a
well-ualanced STATE, Whlre the several indus
tries shall combine 10 produce, bot the greatest
amount OF wealth, but the greatest amount Of
actual well-belng, an exempliica Jou OF the sen
lment Of al eminent writer "a political economy
- IL Is not that "a duke has ejO. 900 a year. but
'hnt thousand fathers Of families have $50 r.
year that IS true national wealth and we'll
being"
JOINT ASSEMBLY.