Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-10-19

personal property set off, and refer them to
the land records where the farm will be found
mortgaged. This is done to large extent,
with many other appliances Of like kind
Another very smart game | have known to
be played since the increase of taxation, is
combination Of a few to elect, by nomination
or otherwise, lister for the purpose Of favor
ing his peculiar friends, himself included, and
men that have paid taxes for years on all
their property and have created no debts,
have suddenly become so poor that every dol
lar Of personal property to the amount of thou
sands is struck off, and some of them do not
pay taxes on as many hundreds Of dollars as
they are worth thousands. This kind of in
genuity should not longer be tolerated it is
unjust to the honest tax payer, oppressive to
the poor man who must pay on his poll and
small homestead if he possesses one and it
is an encouragement to a mean rascality that
should be ffowned upon by every honest man
in our State But it may be said the listers
have it in their power to correct these things.
They cannot do il men that will falsify in this
way will swear to it if their oath is required,
and this is all the listers can do--require
their oath-and they are reluctant to require
this, as some insist " il you put me under
.bhNhs AnbiFN 1pu hnhiA ItlulIt Nut sunni VI
all others il town." and thus they glide along
from year to year in their iniquity, verifying
the fact that " the love Of money is the root
of all evil"
Another very adroit way practced since
it has become so much of an object by the
increase of taxes, is, to give a note or notes
to relatives, to brothers, sisters, sons, daught-
ers, cousins, ETC., which they never intend to
pay; fictitious notes with an understanding
that they are never to pay them. The full pur-
pose is well known to both parties, and the
parties holding the promises to pay ia turn,
either correctly or fctitciously, owe enough
to escape all personal property assessment,
and this single or double iniquity, as the case
may be, swims along prosperously and por-
ton Of their share Of public burdens is thrown
on to the honest psrt Of the community, who
have borne this treatment long enough and
should be relieved from it.
1t 10 impossible to fix taxation upon per.
feet equality if the whole property in the
State is left open to taxation some inequali-
ties would exist, but not moity to what no
exists under the present system. SO far as
cash is concerned it can escape state and coun-
ty taxes by investment in government bonds
but the great strife nov is to clear other per-
sonal effects, farm stock, &C.. they cannot
bear to pay tax on anything that can by any
possibility escape, and we hope and pray that
the clause OF the listing law which opens the
door for so much dishonesty will be ut once
repealed Income so far as it can be reached
should be the basis Of taxstion, and when a
man buys farm, or any other real estate, be
counts the cost, or should do so, lhat ia, he
calculates the income, to see if it will pay in
terest and taxes, aud regulates his purchase
accordingly. If he Is to get a credit for he
whole or part of this purchase, knowing il
must be taxed what hardship is there in the
taxation why provide means to exempt 9th.
er property of his from taxation because b,
has incurred this debit But says one, th,
debt he owes tor this purchase is liable TO ba
taxed to The creditor. Butt you have got to fac
it before YOU can tax it, and this you will no
be likely to do, for If there is no better way
you may be sure it will 60 into government
bonds and you cannot reach it. Now, wher
man buys any other property than real es
tate, farm stock bank stock, or buys Oh
speculation wool, -four, grain, &c, he car
aud should make the same calculation vii
It pay here is interest and taxes accruing
where then is the hardship in taxation , H
intends to make money out Of these purchAs
= es, and very often does to a large amount
) and because he does it n'credt or borrow
the money to do it, to keep law on our stat
ute book to exempt this property from taxa
= ton, is perfectly preposterous. The mer
: chant buys his goods on credit and make
) his percentage three or four times year
can there be any plausible reason ASSIGNEE
why those goods should be exempt from
taxation, because he bought them on cfedi
and has not yet paid for them
We have just emerged from tern -. l,
war, IN which money has been expended D. ,..
t and without stint by our towns and State
J we have onerous indebtedness upon US whic
e requires all the property Of the State to stan
o its share Of its burdens in paying the interes
, and principal. Let US be wise enough {
: equalize this burden, and put a stop to thi
] contemplate lying and cheating
). Look at this in the light that people imsp
/ inc they are the gamers by it, aud in fou
cases out of five they are egregiously mis-
e taken. For instance, man owning real e,
a tate and has honest indie btedness al ainst him
& by the way this law is now admins tered, tn
enormous amount of personal property no
e exempted both rightfully and wrongful,
= throws the taxes so heavy on to the real ei
,, tate that he pays more than he would if a
e the personal property bore its share Of tai
l, alton. This can be demonstrated by goin
= into it fully and showing that the hone
IS debtor is not benefited but rather oppresse
than otherwise by its operation. The on
classes who, are benefited are tine knaves an
those that own no real estate and owe to II
amount Of their personal, though this LATTE
. class is small compared with the forme
i Could every honest debtor in this State 81
! and know how this law, though made for h
- benefit, is now operating upon his interest, !
- would call imperiously for its repeal.
The assembled wisdom Of our State no
> at Montpelier should look into this matte
a and If they wish to do the greatest good
!, the greatest number, they will put up II
= bars against this abominable iniquity, 1t
them ask themselves if this is the best an
;, most rightful way Of taxation, why it is tht
: no State but ours has ever found it out
= Other States have all productive properi
open to taxation, and to bear its share OF Il
= public burdens. No law should be suffere
= to exist upon our statute book when its d
rect tendency is to encourage fraud and di
honesty. 1t has already been there too lonI
= let us hope that it will be speedily wiped GU
' ]. W. C.
SnripoGald not 10 IQR9