Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-10-14

ent upon the nature of the action, can be, /
and often are, carried to the county court |
by appeal. The trial of such eases is
rarely completed in less than day. 1t Is
not plain perversion. not to say viola
zion of that clause in the constitution
heretofore cited, TO impose tax of one
hundred dollars upon community, to set
tie a matter ia which one of two parties
may be entitled to twenty-five or even
fifty dollars, and should not the right OF
appeal in such cases be taken away unless
the amount involved is nearly equal TO
the amount of taxes which the appeal will
probably impose upon the community.
The allowance of the right of appeal in
such cases is no kindness even to the pre-
vailing party. Besides the i'll feelings
likely to be engendered by such trials, the
expense of the trial to him is usually much
more than the amount of the claim.
The ordinary expenses per day of a
competent referee do not exceed ten or
fifteen dollars. Hence, if all jury cases
should be referred, and the State should
assume the payment of the referees fees,
II very great saving of expense would be
secured to the State, and no right. OF par
ties would be thereby sacrificed.
The main obstacle in the way of an ar
gument of reference is that parties know
that they can try their case by jury on
the payment of six dollars to the State,
and.that Il trial by competent referee
may cost them many times that sum. Il
think it would be economy to provide for
| the payment by the State of part or the
whole of the referees fees, and that the
expense of trial by jury may be lcssencd
by proper legislation in the two directions
indicated, without any detriment to pub
lie or private interest.
| ASSESSMENT OF TAXEs.
The framing of statutes so as to COM
pei an equitable and just contribution
from every interest and citizen, towards
the expenses of administering the affairs
of the State, has ever been one of the
most difficult and perplexing questions
with which legislators have to deal. The
right of the State to compel such just
contribution is unquestionable. Without
it every department Of the government
becomes paralyzed.
The duty of every citizen, and of every
species of property to contribute towards
the expense of his or its protection, is
equally clear. The protection furnished
by the state to its citizens, and to the
property within its limits gives the right
to exact, in war, the personal services
and in peace, poll tax from the formel
and contributions from the latter, where
ever the owner thereof may reside. This
is substantially the doctrine announced il
the ninth article of the Bill of Rights.
Within the past few years there have
been frequent complaints that the Spiri
of this article in the Bill of Rights il
violated in the apportionment of the pub
lie burdens. Not unfrequently has it beer
claimed that property of the same kline
and value was placed in the grand list q
different valuations in different sections
of the State. At other times it is claimed
that large amount of property investes
in railroads, telegraph companies, insur
ance companies, and other companies, t.
, protect which, and determine the right
thereto, annually costs the State larg'
sum, almost wholly escapes taxation; ant
D again, that owners of real estate are un
!, Justly Disseminated against, in that the.
are taxed on its appraised value, notwith
standing they may be largely indebted 70
it, while the owners of personal estat
are allowed to deduct from its appraise'
value the amount of debts which the
may owe. 1t is claimed by some tina
!, there should be no deductions made fror
the assessed value of personal property
for the debts of the owners; that sue
allowance induces fraud and the creatio
of fictitious debts for the purpose @
,, obtaining deductions, and that tn
expense to the State, to protect and de
termine the rights to personal propert
for which the owner is in debt, is create
S than when the same is fully paid for, an
g hence it is unjust that the owners c
: property, because he isa debtor, should b
e relieved from contributing therfrom t.
: the expenses of the State.
{ Without doubt there is too much foun
= dation for these complaints, though tn
e class first mentioned could have no ex
istence in fact if listers would faithful
observe the law and appraise all propcrt.
} at its just value in money. 1t is motor
G ious that they do not regard the law i
t this respect, but appraise property a
e from one-third to two thirds its just valu
4 in money, often vieing with each other t
place and keep the property in their lc
a caltty in the list as far below its value a
!. possible. am Informed that censcier
e tious listers often refuse to sign and max
e oath to the list from knowledge of thei
q failure to comply with the law.
: am convinced that the law in regar
. to the assessment of taxes needs a care
! full and considerata revision-such a re
G visions as will apportion and distribut
{, the public expenses as equally and justl
Y as possible among all the citizens and ur
S on all the ecuniary interests Of the State
4 EDUCATION.
/, The Importance of this interest canno
+ be overestimated. More than ninety thoU
sand children are in process of training i
v the Schools Of the State. Their veal O
f woe is largely determined by the charcte
S of the schools which they attend. Thes
S children are soon to give character to tn
s State and other States. The State ca
0 better afford TO neglect any other interes
than this, which is so closely allied to he
! welfare and destiny Free institution
o cannot long exist among people charac
l. terized by ignorance and vice. Int
j. ligence and virtue are the bulwarks of q
J. free government. The pecuniary interest
# connected with education are very large
n The direct taxes raised annually for thi
= purpose amount to nearly six hundre
: thousand dollars. But this sum repr,
s SCENTS hardly a 1.-THE of what the people
u the State annually expend to educat
ii their children. There must be added
e large sum paid for text books, and
IS many times larger sum for the boards
IS clothing and time of the children.
e But the pccu1iary interests connecte
], with the public schools dwindle in impo
t. lance into insignifcance, when compare
&c with the habits and characters which al
l. there being acquired A thorough
n intelligent and virtuous people, inure
9 to habits of self-control and perseverance