Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-01-18
tUaiohman s. journal.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY Is, 1871.
The Real Estate Question.

isded with our attempt to clear up the charges
against the averaging committee, and has
criticised it with more Of sharpness than
sound judgment 1t describes our article as
% an abstract calculation based upon faln.
cous standard :" and again aiirms that it
" gives no clue to actual values" We are
surprised, not that the Free Press remains
unconyiuccd, but that its alleged reasons for
remaining so are totally unreasonable II
our standard was allacious, and gave no clue
to actual values, how happened it that the
results worked out from it agreed with but
slight variation, in all the counties, with the
results obtained by the listers and averaging
committees in the processes required by law 2
| If " the proof Of the pudding is in the cat
ing. the proof Of our theory is TO be found
in its fruits when tested by the iegal stand
ard. ltceriainly has stood that test admira-
bly, and being thus proved as whole IT,
is good 10 the details, and is fairly admi'si-
bio to show that Chttcnden, Franklin and .
Grand Isle counties have been justly treated .
We might well rest here, but we are not
unwilling to attempt q further elucdation for
the benefit Of Chittendon county. Our
standard" was based upon three ascertaincd
facts population, acreage Of land aud tho
lowest assessed value per acre. In all this
there was nothing flacious, ami the Free
Press specifies no fault or flaw except that it
asserts there are such variations in the pro-
portions Of population to acres, or to values,
as to require variations among the counties
in results, before reaching either an accurate
equalization, or actual values. We admitted
part Of this we claimed only that our test
was a near approximation to actual values
we claimed that there must be allowances, or
variations, in the results ascertained by our
process that in the case Of Chittenden
county, we must 60 mp, instead Of down, to
find the truth and that our test, however
imperfect as a test Of actual value, ras an
accurate test Of the justice Of the equaliza-
ton between the countless because it tried
every county by the same standard. or weigh
ed them all by the same balance If it was
not perfect test of value, it Uas perfect
test of the fairness Of the equalization or
distribution Of the value that population does
actually represent We think this is undcn.
able.
The Free Press claims that population is
not good test of the value Of the land that
supports it. Why not2 Give US the reason.
To say that Chittcndcn County has a very
large proportion even Of poor population, to
the acre, does not justify this claim Very
manifestly population is an excellent test Of
the value of the land occupied by it, We
say very manifestly," for we suppose every
body will admit that where there is no popu-
laton, the land will not be used and will
therefore be Of the lowest value; while where |
the population is most dense the land will be
most used, most highly improved by dwellings,
stores mechanics shops and factories, and
therefore be Of the highest value. Yet in
spite Of these facts palpable to everybody the
Free Press asserts that Chittendcn County,
because Of its dense population, many Of them
poor, " illustrates forcbly the prepostcrous-
ness" of our theory. 1t does quite the con-
trary, as we will ondeavor to show
The Free Press admits the dense popula-
ton in Chittenden county and especially in
Burlington city and Winooski village. How
came it there, and why does it live and thrive
there all Of it live, even the poorest, and
most of it thrive? The reason simply is be.
cause the greatest proportion Of the most high
ly improved real estate is there, aud there q
demand for labor and the means to support
the laborers. So population came, and came
rapidly, as the census proves aud with this
influx Of population came greater demand
for still further investments Of personal prop
erty in real estate, in the building Of shops
for these people to work in, stores to supply
their families, and dwellings to shelter them
saying nothing Of speculative investments il
city lots, which are not neglected altogether
Thus it was population, no matter whether
rich or poor, which forced the increase o
3 highly improved real estate in these two
towns; and by the same law real estate goc
up or down everywhere, rises or falls will
the population, The only preposterous
/ ness in this matter is in the failure of tn
S editor of the Free Press to consider the fact
: which have for years been daily staring hin
u in the face.
c According to our theory, rapidly increa'
ing population demands enlarged investment
of personal property in real estate and per
manent and dense population requires highl
G improved real estate to be maintained. Nov
= Of the truth Of this theory Chittenden Count
u is itself strong proof Its population pc
q acre is the most dense of any county in tn
I, State, almost double the average its real es
y tate is highest in value per acre, by cithe
: process Of reaching it, the legal one or GU
u own; and moreover its proportion of taxabl
polls to population is more than 30 per cent
# bcioio the average for the State. This 10,
4 proportion Of polls ougdt to show CORE.
II ponding excess in the proportion of persona
y property to taxable polls; but it does mol
A The personal property in Chittenden count
g is not much above the average per poll, Will
its proportion to population is more thai
fifteen per cent. belop ME general arerag
&c for the State. The personal property {
Rutland county, returned for taxation, is, i
u proportion to population, nearly double tina
Of Chittenden-s0s to s54 and Addison
e Caledonia, Orange, Washington, Windhar
and Windsor are also higher than Chittendei
e. How will the Free Press reconcile thes
le facts with its claim for reduction in the re,
estate Of Chittenden county or how can
y claim that Chittenden proves our theory I