The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-06

srly, even III hullanu county. Nhcu t0E-
ng the census in 1870 he was certainly as =
Lonishcd at the result. There were sixteen {
schools in Brandon and sticklcrs might say I
they all could pay a tax. Should these be ,
taxed it would lessen the tax Of all other
kinds of property. But would it be just
Our legislature has passed a law exempting
these individuals who came into our state
to build up our manufacturing interests for
the space Of five years. This was wise and
laudable, simply because our rivers are in
terspercd with falls which induced foreign
capitalists to come in here and the benefit
we derived should be great. In regard to
school property he did not thinl; Mr. \. had .
any more right to vote away the property Of .
Mr. b. in school meeting than he had to .
steal 1t ont Of his pocket he had sccen /
this done by men who would not scul |
their children to school The speaker OK
planned that he had spoken for the purpose |
simply Of drawing ont The opinions Of
others upon the question.
$. G.. G.. Durkec, who had been appoin-
ted TO follow, was absent, and the Prcs-
dent called for volunteers.
II. A. Sumner said the subject WAS one
of great interest to ALL All have to pay
taxes and the question is whether we get
an equivalent or not In the declaration
of rights Of the state Of Vermont it was set
forth in article 9 the fact that all have
right to the cnjoymcnts of life and of
prosperity, and then says, what therefore,
every man is bound to pay his proportion
for the protection which the state gives
him here paid the laws or taxation 1t
then goes on to say that the legislature shall
take in consideration that the money paid
| is more valuable than than the objects So
cured by taxation. Men sometimes COM
| binc together to secure themselves from re-
vcngc and personal damage. So in relation
! TO property Should those who mourn
and complain because they are taxed and
say they cannot live. step out from under
the protection Of our government and be
exposed to thc dangers incident to other
countries they would soon learn lesson
and bless the government for imposing
upon them this tax. When Il young man
starts ont for himself he is taxed at the rate
of two hundred dollars for the protection
which the state gives him, while his prop
erty Is taxed whether he owns it all or not.
As regards the question whether all prop
erty should be taxed. The speaker said it
should not and instanced The Brandon
graded school, which should be exempted
as it would he imposing burden upon ed
ucation which was of more Importance
than the money that would he secured by
taxation. Intelligence and morality was
the very hulwarks of our nation and all
that tends to there shonld he guarded and
extended As regarded church property our
churches and ministers cost deal of
money, but they advanced the standard OF
morality in our community and should not
be taxed. In relation to railroads Colonel
Merit had spoken his mind as far rs he
went, but railroads in Vermont had been
three per cent and had at once increased
tariff rates six per cent. This he consid-
cred TO he unjust. He thought it would be
better instead of taxing them to make them
lower their rates on passengers and irpights.
Horace Ellis thought that all personal
property aside from that necessary should
be taxed. Much of the present system of
exemption was damage even to the debtor.
If all property was taxed that should be
the percentage wonld be much less lie
instanccd the case of young man who
buys farm for ten thousand dollars with
five hundred dollars worth of stock. I'M
der the present law the man who may hold
a mortgage upon the same may keep out
this money from taxation and so increase
the percentage. Should this be taxed the
percentage would be much smaller and the
debtor would be benefited. Every man
should pay tax on what he possessed. So
far as railroads were concerned he was not
able to say they were not public and at
present were not so well prepared to meet
taxation as large amounts were necessary
to build and equip them but after they
became paying institutions they should be
taxed as other property. Church and
school property should never be taxed and
no Instructions placed upon them. Men
who held mortgages should pay taxes as
the law of exemption should be a benefit to
young men rather than capitalists. In
Vermont real estate is the only sound basis
of taxation that pays the largest tax and
should bear IFS due proportion IN accord
ance with its value.
Mr. W Harrison said the subject was
one that interested every man in some way
if he had not property to be taxed he had
to pay upon his head. 1t was Just and
right that this taxing should be placed Sc
that every man should hear alike. but this
was very difficult to arrive at. If all men
were open and honest in what they SAID
then we could get more Just action upon
it We know that real estate is the prac.
teal basis of all taxation, and we have &c
start from that point. If farm is mort
gagged it has to go into the list and as far rs
his observation went, real estate was moi
priced by the listers at more than half lis
value to relieve the farmers of this burden
In regard to taxing of mortgage holders, {
great many points might be amended fol
the better. He was not in favor of tax
ing school houses, churches or town houses
Our railroads are said to be of great adj
vantage to us and consequently ought moi
to be taxed. They might also say oul
scale works were great advantage which
if taken away would be great loss to tho
community. How far this exemption by
reason of public benefit may be extended
he thought it was difficult to decide
great many things must be considered, as
, men who are taxed very often think, ant
| avoid it all they can, conscicntiously al
least. Throughout our country Il large
number of men invest in Life Insurance
policies, receiving large dividends, which
A cannot be taxed, and consequently real es
tate holuels nave 10 pay thcsc taAcs'
might not be proper to say whether they
should be taxed or not. A great mistake
7 was made in the opinion of the speaker il
| not changing our usury law. Men seek 1
foreign market for their money and we ge
? no tax from it, whereas if Cur usury law
was changed this money would be kept a
5 home and increase the value of real estate
5 Mr.. S. b. June supposed the question tC
be discussed was to show what would b'
right in the matter. Our Statute says al
property sequeslrated to charitable pur
poses should be exempt from taxation
/, Some suspect this right, but not all, it wa
right in regard to schools, churches ant
town houses, hut after these he saw no rea
son why everything else should not be tax
, ed. He did not see why college lands
school lands and other property considered
as set apart for private purposes should bC