The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-13
LETTERS on CURRENT rop,cs.
The Farmers War-EqunI Taxation,
oranges. Patrons Of Ibusbaudry.
THIRD LETTER.
RUTLAND. Dec. 18th. 1913.

council of ccnsors of 1869 did some good
and valuable reform work. believe, how
ever, that no other action was taken on the
report, quoted in my letter of Wednesday,
other than to lay it on the table and order
the usual number printed for the use OF
that body.
The recommendation of this report which
of course can only be considered advisory
to the Legislature was in fact an arraign-
mcnt of the legislature for its action of the
past quarter of a century on this question.
and shows most clearly how the industry
of the state has been oppressed, by sys-
TEN of taxation Of such injustice and in
equality. 1t may he stated as Il further
fact that when it became necessary to
create new corporation TO succeed to the
Vermont Central railroad, the new Central
Vermont was chartered WhAoW the en-
emptiOn from taxation referred to in the
extracts from the report. So far then as
the railroads are concerned they now all
stand ON the same footing of statutory
law.
The Legislature of New York. mt lis last
session. think, created sort of rowing
commission, to inquire into the valuation
of property for taxation as fixed by the as
SCISSORS or listers of the different towns and
the board of supervisors of the several
counties The meeting of these commits
sioncrs with these supervisors and asses sors
of the different counties has thrown few
facts in my way, having bearing on the
taxation Of some Of the railroads which
center here and connect with lines from
Rutland.
1t may he interesting to your readers to
know how railroads are placed in the list
and how they contribute to the support of
the state, county. town. school districts
and highways in the poor state of New
York
In the town of New Lebanon. y. T.,
through which the Harlem Extension rail
road runs, it is assessed at ~ 900 per mile.
The assessor of that town said 'hc did not
know as it was enough, but the road. 81
far, had not paid.
The assessor of the city Of Hudson stated
that the Hudson River road was assessed
200 per mile, and the Hudson ~ Dos
ton--a short line from Hudson To Chatham
village at $1,000 per mile,
In the town of Chatham, the Boston and
Albany road is assessed at S4i.0 per
mile and the Harlem Extension at -l0000
per mile
1t turned our on further examination that
the aggregate railroad assessment was equal
to oHo-hird the valuation of all the real cs-
tate of the town.
In the town of Client, the Harlem rail-
road is assessed at So, 900 per mile. and
the Hudson and Boston at 500. 900 per
mile.
In the town of Stretport, ON the Hudson.
the Hudson River railroad is assessed ut
$40, 900 per mile.
These are the figures at which the rail-
roads are assessed in the towns, and on
which they pay n state and county tax
The roads are again divided and sub-divid-
ed into shchool and highway districts, and
are regularly assessed and pay their due ~"
portion for the education OF the children
and repairing of the highways.
Suppose the same system of taxation to
be pursued in our state, what shifting of
burthcns there would be from the shoulders
of the agriculturist, and the laboring poor
of the commonwealth We cannot tail to
see that so simple an act Of justice would
increase the value of real property in our
state, or at least stay the tide of dcpreci-
alton, which is now having its noticeable
effects on the farming interests of Yer
mont.
We have the spectacle in our state of Il
railroad which, while it has been practi-
cally in bankruptcy, has extended its con-
trolling lines from the Atlantic scaboard to
our inland seas, and at the same time
stretching on, with laudablc ambition to-
wards the Pacific in an effort to form one
continuous line, which shall unite by iron
chains the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and
yet this vast corporation spending its mil
lions in reaching out its iron arms across
the continent and scattering layshly of its
money among its paid officers and retained
attorneys are yet tolerated by the indus
trial classes in not contributing one farthing
to swell the grand list of the state
How many farms in Vermont pay to
thpir a N inpop1n Of Ct
their value: There may be such, but they
must be few and far between. But they
are taxed not only for their own lands. but
for the proportion that should Justly be
horne by the railroads.
Take the Rutland railroad marvel of
successful management. 1t is leased on
terms that pay more than six per cent. on
all the capital of its new organization.
Take the Rutland and Washington and
Rensselaer, and Saratoga railroad, another
not less successful railroad enterprise. II
is leased also fora sum that pays most
satisfactory income 10 its stockholders.
No one can be sorry that this is so. They
are both among the early railroad enter
prises OF our town, in which all have taken
pride but we would not for this reason
make them pensioners on the hard earned
Industries of our state, The men
who gave 10 these enterprises in
their inception, their energy, and to a
great extent their property also, have gone
to their reward, What has been paid to
I,,l1
They are now in the hands of men who, to
certain extent, and from no fault Of
theirs, are protiting by the fallen fortunes
OF those who risked everything for the sue
cess of their enterprise, 1t is not pertinent
to this issue to say that the railroads,
proved the misfortune and wreck of the
original owners. They are now among the