Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-02-17
The Grand List Question.

The Woodstock Standard is, We believe.
the first paper outside Of Chittenden and
Franklin counties TO publish the table Of the
comparative values at which the farming
lands Of the various counties were " equali-
zed'' into the list for taxes We refer to
the one which shows that the farms Of Chit
tenden county 20 il at 1884 an acre tie
farms of Rutland county at $500 an
acre the farms Of Addison county at Sl3.-
s. and the other counties, excepting Frank
lin and Grand Isle, all along from Sl2 down
to s. a an acre. The Standard publishes
also the grand list Of 1869 and $50 by
counties, and while opposing the PROPOSE
tion to have an extra session called. il de-
clares the conclusion to he " irresistible
from the statistics, that the counties Of Chit
tenden and Franklin " hare good ca,lse for
complaint" This Is frank acknowledge
mcnt. and we are glad.that there is one Yer
mont paper in a county not directly the SUI
ferer by the equalization candid enough
to make it. We quote the conclusion Of the
Standards article
After this statement Of facts ard an analysis
Of the above statistics. which We leave every
reader 10 make for himself, the conclusion Is
irresistible that the counties Of Chittenden and
Franklin have good grounds Of complaint They
are, as we believe, burdened with an undue pro
portion Of taxation There statistics alone,
IL. IL, -
fcient to prove TO every fair minded citizen
acquainted with the geological formation, pro
ductiveness. business enterprise and population
Of the several counties in the state, that there
is 70 such disproportion in The increase or de-
crease Of property as here appears.
But while We have no doubt here has been
q wrong committed, and heartily sympsthize
with the citizens Of those counties who are thus
unjutily bu-dsnei, We cannot think they are
wise in proceeding IS they propose to procure
a remedy They ask for, snd are A. thu mo-
ment circulating petitions 20 the Governor TO
csll, 81 extrs session Of the legislature. We
hope they will cali up the sober second thought
and desist. Should an extra session be called
the expense 70 the state Will approximate the
amount OF relief they claim, and even then the
legislature may net sitter the equalization. " hst
guarantee have the citizens Of those counties
that tins body o. men, VINO uaNe s. il i c4a-lle4
wiifuy eusctsl al injustice, will come together
in such frame Of mind as TO undo what has
been done True We viii grant 81 that may be
said about the wisdom, virtue, honesty, fairness
aud caulor, Of the legislature Of Vermont, and
that there is 10 legislative body that has great
e. regard for justice but tie members
are human sull, and coming together
in obedience 70 special cal, IN
expectsdly, at great inconvenience, in
many cases indignant ,hs; they should be
ueeilessly annoyed and The State put TO heavy
expense. We greatly fear that instead Of relief
the counties Of Chttenden, Franklin, and Grand
Isle would be called upon 20 psy the expenses Of
the session
No, an extra session Is not the proper wsy 70
ob.sin redress Ct this grievance. There usy
be occasions when resort 90 this step Is way
rsutable, but this is not one Of them. We earn
est'y aiyise our suffering neiEhbors TO psy the
tax, under protest snd come before the next
regular session TO- relief. believing thst Z sny
Injustice has been done It viii be fully and free
" made right This Is. we are confident, the
best and suresi way ilr them 20 proceed 60 cb-
tain relief