Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-17
From the Free Press and Times.
Our Grand List:

times. How to do this, under the pre-
tence of the "public good" constitutes the
"fne art" in legislation. The high mind
ed and well-to-do rich would scorn, of
course, to rob or to put his hand in the
pockets of the poor; but to do this snda-
rectly, by false lists and returns, by trades
with conscience and tricks in legislation,
whereby the poor shall pay more in pro.
portion than the rich, and the Poll more
in Iroportion than Real or Personal prop
erty, is seemingly not only honorable but
smart. The morality of the proceeding
should be classed with that of the Byronic
period in literature, when the Divine
command "Lo0e thy neighbor," was prac-
tically changed to "Hate thy neighbor,
but love his wife,"
It has been the earnest labor and pur-
pose of Commissioner Wells to show how
the legislation of Congress has been made
to serve the interests of the few, at the
expense of the many, and we must leave
it to Congress to correct, if they will, the
injustice and evil which he has pointed
out. The system of State and local tax
alton, as it now stands, is equally unjust,
partial and oppressive. The injustice in
our system and practice of making up the
grand list, its falsity in the valuation of
real estate, its uncertain value of personal
property, its full value for one class and
half or quarter value for another class, its
open invitation and opportunity for fraud,
deceit and falsehood, in returns and in
deductions by INSCRIPTIONS sharpers and
tax-shunners, are too well known to make
it necessary to specify, and are very gener-
ally acknowledged. Before the war, and
while taxation, both State and municipal,
was light, it was, however unjust in
principle, practically of small moment.
But during the war, and since, when
State and municipal taxes have greatly
increased, and in some instances reached
three or four hundred cents on the dollar
of the grand lists, the injustice of our list
ing system has been keenly felt, and has
been borne by many with groans and sor-
row.
While an honest appraisal, and an hon
est grand list, would, in our own affairs,
tend to adjust inequality and injustice in
our municipal taxes, under the present
law, unless the same honest rule should
be applied throughout the State, our Ion.
esty would be reocarded by an increased
burden of State taxation. Indeed, the
direct motive and inducement of the pres
| ent law, and the ones that most operate,
are for each community to make its grand
| list, prOp0Fti0n0t65y, just as small as posi-
BILE. But as the valuation of the poll is
fixed by law and cannot be varied, the
necessary result is to make the polls pay
an undue proportion of the taxes, and to
pay for real and personal property.
But although the injustice of cur sys.
TEN is admitted, it is said it is difficult, il
| is impossible to better it by change Of
| the law. If | mistake not this objection
is urged by the selfish cunning of those
who are well satisfied with the present
| law, because it enables them to shirB
and shun just taxation. Let us see. Sup
pose we put the following suggestion:
into the form of law of the State,-how
many evils are there in the present sys
tenn of making up the grand list, that
would not be cured thereby ?
1St Real Estate. Let the law be made
imperative upon the listers to appraise il
at its real value as on execution and
| provide severe penalties for any omission
SO to set it in the list, or for knowingly
making any differentiation, and also pro
vide for prosecution of the offenders.
2d. PerS0naIpr0perty. Let a committee
| of the House of representatives., consist.
ing say of two members from each county
in the State, (the committee on the grand
list being so made up in our legislature
report once in five years, or oftener, d
schedule valuation of personal property
which shall be observed strictly in listing
personal property throughout the State
For instance: Cows at $50; working
oxen at 500; horses in classes of three OF
| more bank stock at market value at the
| place where tho bank is located, etc, etc.
in all cases fixing the schedule valua
ton uniformly at the actual value, as
nearly as possible.
This schedule valuation, being thus
made up by members from all parts of the
State, could easily adjust in advance the
details of valuation and classification, in
way to secure substantial accuracy ana
uniformity for the whole State, as the re.
port of such committee would, of course
come before the House for discussion and
adoption.
I'd. Let the person who claims deduc.
ton from his list by reason of debts that
he owes, be required by law to state on
oath specifically and in writing. such debts
| when contracted, and where the person
lives to whom the same may be payable
and provide penalty for perjury and
| false statement.
Under the present system, the listers
have no guide to secure uniformity, and
in each town in the State they are left tt
follow their several judgments and whims
in the listing of personal property. A.
the law now stands, neither the county
meeting, nor the committee of the House
of Representatives, for revising the ap
praisals of real estate and equalizing the
same has anything to do with the revision
of the appraisal of personal property listed
Burlington, March 8. N.