Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-10-09
THE LEGISLATURE.

Our state legislature meets this week. 1t
is composed of little old and good deal
of new timber, and will have an opportunity
to distinguish itself in acting on several
questions which may come up.
A reform in the system of taxation is
loudly called for, and probably will be made.
The taxation of railroad property is one of
the moves toward reform which we wish for
but hardly dare to hope for. 1t is no more
than fair that railroads should pay their
portion towards the support of the govern
ment. 1t is unfair to lay heavy burdens
upon the agriculturist, and exempt other
branches, even though those other branches
do add to the productiveness of the state.
The farmers of the state deserve as much
at the hands of the legislature as any other
class. They contribute their share to the
general prosperity of the country. We are
no advocate of class legislation, class favor
itism, or class distinctions Of any kind. All
men should be equal in the eyes of the law.
We do not desire any laws favoring the
farmers more than other classes, but we do
protest against laws which favor other
classes at the expense of the farmers. Some
times special legislation is necessary for the
general good. In the building of the first
railroads, when few believed in their pract-
cability, it was all right that governments
should offer them aid. But now the useful.
ness and value of railroads is understood,
and except in rare instances there is no real
call for government aid.
The agricultural interest is the leading
interest in Vermont, and every improvement
in the system Of farming is step forward
in the general prosperity of our state. For
this reason, we believe it to be the part of
wisdom for the state to afford every pract-
cable inducement for increased and continu.
ed improvements. 1t is a well-known fact
that the production of the cultivated area in
this state might be doubled at compare
lively trihing expense, and We believe the
state might proftably encourage improve
ments by exempting the most productive
lands from taxation. The Chicago Tribune,
and few other papers, have printed articles
favoring general exemption of farming
lands, or of cultivated lands, from taxation.
This, as it looks to us, would be as unfair
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erty in this state, because it would amount
to the unqualified exemption of the property
of class. While the farmers of the coun-
try are protesting against class legislation in
favor Of others, they do not ask for such
favoritism for themselves. But the exemp.
ton from taxation of every acre of land
which produces certain amount of hay, or
grain, or potatoes, the production to be sat
isfactorily proven to the proper officers,
could not fail to result in good not only to
the farming community but to the whole peo-
pie. 1t would lead farmers to be more care
full and accurate in ascertaining the prod
ucts Of their SOIL and consequently to better
understand how to deal with the soil and
crop each succeeding year. 1t would create
sort Of rivalry between farmers, and afford
additional inducement to strive to raise the
land to its highest point of productiveness.
What say our representatives in the general
assembly? and, more important still, because
applying not only to this but to coming leg
islatures, what say the people ?
The proposition to subject church property
to taxation will probably be discussed, but
we do not think the change will be made.
In country of perfect religious liberty, the
only question which should influence the
law-making power is, does the exemption of
church property, by encouraging religious
meetings, raise the tone of morality and con-
soquently of good citizenship enough to
Justify it?
The abolition of the board of agriculture,
manufactures, and mining, and the board of
education, is talked OF, but the same kind of
talk was INDUCED in last year, and did not
accomplish much.
One thing which demands attention is the
law relating to injuries sustained through
insufhciency of the highway Many towns
have been numerically bled under the ex-
listing law. Any horse jockey who has been
jewed into buying a worthless animal at
high price has only to drive him off a bridge
and break his neck, and the town pays him
for his horse. Every time man gets drunk,
drives into the gutter and has a general
smash-up, the town foots the bills. These
cases are getting altogether too common and
the sooner the law is changed, and stop
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