Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-07-02

TNTNNVWNNIENT Ut NHE
VETERAN SOLDIERS REUNION,
MONTPELIER, VI, June 40, 1875.

N. G.. SAWYER, Brattleboro,
Adjutant General.
b. CANNON, JR., Brattleboro,
Asst Adj't General
Il. WALES, Brattleboro,
Quartermaster Gcnn.
GEO. l.. GREENE, Brattleboro,
Asst q. M. General.
FRED Il. SMITH, Montpelier,
Inspector General.
STEPHEN THOMAS,
Commander.
N. C. SAWYER, Adjutdnt General
TAXES.
at is u law Of natare that we cannot have some
thing for nothing "-HonAcE GREELEY.
five do have shirks among us who throw
their burdens upon the backs of others or
get something for nothing, somebody must
bear them, and somebody must pay for the
privilege of civilization. There goes a
gentleman, in accidental possession Of
wealth, driving pair Of horses attached to
nice cal rage containing himself and fam
lily. He certainly has more reason 10 APP
precate the value Of good roads than has a
toiling mechanic who Is barely worth
enough to own the roof over his head and
has but little time TO use the roads. Yet
this mechanic is taxed upon his honest ead
to pay the cost of good roads and govern
mont for the benefit of this rich man who
has escaped paying his just share of taxa
ton by taking advantage of great nation
al calamity. He has declared he will not
become the owner of real estate and thereby
be taxed TO pay for privileges he can have
free as he can enjoy the rain and sunshine.
1t is not enough that his wealth came TO
him without any effort or labor on his part
he must have good roads, good order and
government to protect himself and property
on the same easy terms as all other desir-
able things have come to him. sub
scription paper ought to be circulated about
the town TO supply this unfortunate indi-
vidual with food and clothing and thus
save him the sad necessity of using his
coupons for this purpose. 1t is time we
were corrected in the mistake of supposing
the advantage of wealth is to make its pos
SCISSOR independent Of charity or not a de-
pendant upon his neighbors for such assist
ance.
The great majority of uuremitting toilers
merely get enough oflife's necessities to keep
soul and body together, and thousands of
human beings have starved 10 death in
spite of all their efforts. The condition of
such men could not be worse If universal
anarchy prevailed and all cover nment
went 10 the dogs. The wealthy few need
good order, good government, and all those
movements in society sustained by taxa
ton, far more than do that class of persons
who have nothing 10 lose. That physical
ly weak woman is reported rich, but she
owns no real estate and she has been heard
to say she never means to own even a
homestead and thereby be taxed to pay
even a small share of what is morally and
justly due from her 10 sustain the govern
ment which n ow protects herself and prop
erty from brute force. She would scott at
the idea of being an object of charity; but
by her conduct she is pauper and so is
every person, however rich he be, who
causes the public to pay his deficiencies in
taxation. Everybody condemns lying and
fraud and the practice is in opposition to all
religious teaching; but no religion has yet
been discovered which has made its pro-
fessors believe it sin to defraud the gov
ernment and the character of no person for
verncity is impaired by lying or false rep
reservations to the assessor of taxes. When
man not worth three thousand dollars
must pay more money TO support govern
ment than does the capitalist of more than
a hundred thousand dollars, it proves that
'there is something rotten in Denmark"
ZACCHEUS.