The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-20
Concluded from First Paqe.l
HOUSE..

chaplain.
Unfinished Businesses. SO, to empower
the railroads therein named to consolidate
with each other and with other roads; was
taken up, the question being on the amend
ments proposed BY Mr.. Grout, of Barton.
The railroads to be consolidated are the |
Portland & Ogdensburgh, the Montpelier & |
st. Johnsbury, the Lamoille Valley, the |
Burlington & Lamoille, and such other
roads as are necessary to form continuous
line of road between Portland and Mon
treal. The amendments were agreed to,
and the bill was then passed.
Reports-By Mr.. Grout, OF Barton, from
majority of special committee on removal
of the county buildings in the county OF
Orleans, favorable to such removal; and
Mr.. Tyler eff Irasburgh minority report
on the same subject
MIR. Hubbard of Springfield, called up
the Joint resolution relating to the postpone
ment of the day for final adjournment, and
opposed the resolution.
Mr.. Grout, of Barton, moved the reso-
linton be referred to the select committee
on final adjournment, which was agreed to.
The special committee to investigate the
affairs of the University of Vermont and
State Agricultural College, made report
which was ordered to lie on the table and
500 copies be printed.
Mr.. Grout, of Newport, called up the
report of the committee on elections, on
the remonstrance OF Milo Is. Williamson
and others, against the right of Edward s.
Dana to seat upon the floor of the House
as the representative from the town of
Cornwall, and the report was read by the
clerk. The committee find that there were
two hundred and five legal votes cast, max
ing one hundred and three necessary for
choice. OF these, they find that Edward
s. Dana received one hundred and four,
Milo b. Williamson received one hundred,
and Orren Field received one. The COM
mittee decided that they had no right to go
behind naturalization papers when issued
from court of competent jurisdiction, and
recommend to the attention of the House
close and critical examination into all the
details and particulars of the eligibility of
citizenship in instances of naturalization,
to prevent imposition. If we have no right
to go b hind naturalization papers, they
report in favor of the sitting member. Ii,
however we can go behind the naturaliza
ton papers, there were i've voters for the
sitting member, who were not entitled to
be natntalized, and in that case the remon
strant is entitled to seat The committee
reported u resolution that Edward s. Dana
is duly elected aud entitled to his seat,
which was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Grout, of Newport, then presented
a resolution that the state treasurer be, and
he is hereby authorized and directed to pay
Milo b. Williamson, contestant for a seat
in the House of Representatives, as MEM
Der from the town of Cornwall, his mileage
and per diem for the present session.
The resolution was opposed by Mr.. Per-
rim of Be Rim, Mr.. McFadden of Wells,
Mr.. Newell of Shelburne, Mr.. Bartholo-
new of Benson, MIR. Kelsey of Derby, Mr..
Powell of Richford, Mr. Wells of CRANKY.
The resolution was favored by Mr. Grout
CT Newport, Mr.. Abel of West Haven,
Mr.. Guild of Rupert, Mr. Danforth of Bar
nard, Mr.. Grout of Barton.
The adoption of the resolution was then
refused-Ayes, 5S; nays, 121.
Special order-H. ~, to assess and tax
the real estate of railroads in this state,
was taken up as special order, the question
being on amending the amendments pro-
posed by the committee, as proposed by
Mr.. Cook, of Mendon.
Mr.. Hubbard, of Springfield, said he be-
leved the time had come when the i'm
mense amount of real estate owned in Yer
mont by these railroads should be taxed,
like other real estate in the state. The
people have right to demand it. and we
should grant their request.
Mr.. Shurtleff, of Plainfield, said he con.
coded the point that the property OF the
state should pay the taxes of the state, but
posed by Mr.. Cook. He said the fact il
that the railroads do not own the land oc
cupied by the railroads; the land is only
occupied by the road, and in case the roat
is discontinued reverts to the original pro
prietor, the same as public highway. Thu
farms through which railroads pass are no
set in the list at a less valuation than they
were before the roads were laid through
them, and so no real estate is taken out o
the grand list. He also objected to tn,
specific valuation OF $4,000 per mile. l
we are to assess it at all, we should have j
appraised like all other real estate. II,
said the tax proposed by the committee o
$50 per mile is not subject to the claim o
uneonstitutionality, as set up by the gen
tleman from Mendon, as it is a tax levie
alike upon all that class of property in thi
state. We must not tax these railroads to
heavily; if we do, we shall prevent tn
selling of the bonds of those roads not ye
completed; and it should be the policy Of tn
state to encourage the investment of none
in our roads. He would favor tax pay
able direct to the state treasury, and M
leave it subject to the local tax collectors
if there is any constitutional objection I
the taxation, let the state test it. Thel
are various bySttulS duOpteu SeVeT
states and it appeared to the cOmmitte
that the proposition of the committee is II
simplest and best: and the one that II
state should adopt. In most of the stat,
the direct state tax has been adopted, ar
it was found much more satisfactory tha
any other plan.
Mr.. Ladd, of Alburgh, said this was
measure involving the taxation of 1920, 900
600 of property in the state, heretofore e.
empt from taxation.l lit appears that. Il
owners and managers of these roads ha'
assented that the profits should be taxed
matter of right; and the only questit
was what was right. The roads of Whit
Gov. Smith has the management run OF
hundred and twenty miles in New York al
pay tax of $4,000 In Connecticut thu
pay 900 on sixty-one miles of roa
In New Hampshire they pay $4,000
twenty-six miles. In Massachusetts tn
pay S11 900 one thirty-nine miles of roa
In Canada they pay $4,000 on sxty-f
miles Of road The tax as proposed by 4
committee was preferable to the amendne
proposed by the gentleman from Mendo
unless the latter proposition could be moo
fed SO as to fix the maximum valuation
$4,000 per mile instead of ~ 900.
Mr.. Munson, of Manchester, said the
was no difference Of opinion among I
committee as to the propriety of taxing ra
road property. All were agreed that
should be taxed; the question was h,
shall it best be done. One system fixe
specific tax on each mile of the road bed
the roads and the other sets all the pre-
erty of railroad corporations in the gra
lists of the towns. 1t is for this house
decide which system they prefer; and I
first vote of the house should be upon
choice between the two. He preferred I
system which puts railroad property il
the list for municipal taxation as other Or,
erty is taxed; if the house are not satisf
with the amendment to the amendment
can raise the proposed limit OF valuati
The amendment only fixes maximum Ii
it at which it shall be listed, and the list