Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

which are necessary TO sustain and protect
this thriving village because, as you say,
their "real estate is moro valuable" in conse.
quence. You can't evade this conclusion from
your own admission. Bat you say, "But If
tho village is taken away entirely, the farms
around it would not be ruined nor much the
less valuable to carry on" Have you not
admitted in the same sentence that these
farms are "more valuable" 10 consequence Of
the "thriving village p "The farms would
not be ruined !" certainly not, but ''less
valuable" you concedc. Could not the
farmers, therefore, afford TO pay small adj
ditional tax to keep up the value of their
farms 2 You admit the principle, aud why
not its application
A practical illustration has come to my
notice since writing the article under criti-
cism. An excellent farm was recently for
sale in the town of U. A good farmer wanted
TO purchase. He came from another town
for the purpose Of examining the premises.
He was pleased with the farm and its imme.
date surroundings. The soil was good, the
buildings and fences were in excellent order
field and pasture and woodland were all
suited to his wants, and we'll supplied with
water In word, he was well pleased with
the farm. But the purchaser had several
inquiries to make before he could decide to
locate in that town. What we're the mill
privileges enjoyed there? Very poor. They
were formerly much better, but the village
has run down." and we cannot find good
grist mill short Of eight miles to a neighbor.
ing town. The man had a family and nat
urally inquired what educational advantage.
we're offered in that town. What convent
ences for attending church ? Aud whether
there was a good physician near by2 TIL,
owner Of tine farm was obliged to tell thC
inquirer that the school was very poor, tina
they had no preaching in town now, and tina
the physician, not being able to live, haC
moved away. The purchaser was assured
that they had good mills 6ne preachers, al
excellent high school and good physicians il
the town of q. only eight miles away. Thes
facts settled the question: at once, that tn
farm was not wanted at any price. An,
was not this farm "less valuable" allow m
to inquire, than it would have been with
thriving village near by? And would it DO
have been better for. the farmers in the tow
of IT,, if they had cherished moro town pride
and interested themselves in building up an
sustaining the village2 Would it not bav
been profitable for this farmer, who now dc
sired to sell his farm, to have paid his shar
of the taxes necessary to secure the contem
plated advantages l do mean to say tia
it is profitable and right that property out
, side village should be taxed to sustain vi
lage institutions" because these village inst
buttons are indispensable for the prosperity
the rural districts where this property is Il
Gated. The value of the property is increase
or lessened, as have. shown, by the cond
, tion of these village institutions.
s Now, Mr.. Editor, would like to inquil
, on what ground you would justify the COLLIE
a tion of county and state taxes, if this prime
pie is not correct The fact is, every man
personally interested in the prosperity
n every other man in his town, county, state
1t nation, and especially in his own immedia
= ncighborhood every local interest uecess
A riy becomes of general interest every trat
N and profession is mutually dependent upc
e every other, and hence, it is proper and pro
$ table for all to share according to their Sc
! eral ability, the burdens which are borne f
!, the good Of the whole. EQUALITY.