Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-12-08

An article appears in the Rcformer en-
titled "What the voters should dc" where
in they are gravely informed that no town
or village should have the power TO bond
itself, for any purpose whatever. Every
city or town in the United States that has
desired the privilege of banding itself for
sanitary measures, like the introduction of
water or sewerage, has been granted that
privilege, and in the eyes Of the most con-
sentative capitalists these bonds are con-
sidered the very best class of investments,
because the courts, including the supreme
court of the United States have decided
that such a prerogatve was true and le-
climate thing for such corporation to do.
Perhaps II The supreme court ofthe United
States had heard Of this opinion Of the Re
former, they might not have 50 decided.
Now what is his awful act Of the lcgisla-
ture which our people are to have the priv
ilege of adorl.ng? 1t is TO allow the vii
lage of Brat.lcboro TO vote TO introduce
water into their village, provided that
majority of the voters of the village in
meeting Specid Uy crHed for Mat purpose,
shall decide so TO do, and shall say how
much it shall cost, ard shall elect beard
of water commissioners 10 take charge Of
the same. Sot dollar can be expended
for this purpose unless the people 'ciH it;
and no sane man has the faintest idea that
100000 will be used. Such charters are
always drawn with some kind of a limit;
but the whole thing is under the control of
the voters, and although a very few Of our
people are quite disturbed in their minds
because the voters arc to be allowed 10
speak for themselves, and are not TO be re-
stricted in the subjects upon which they
can exercise this right, there cannot be any
doubt but that the people of this village
will act intelliGently and wisely when they
have fully considered this subject.
The next thing that disluibs the writer
of that article is the gross injustice Of adopt
ing the highway clause. In Sec. Of the
charter adopted in 1872, the baiif's were
empowered to expend three-fonrths of the
taxes of the village of Brattleboro or all Of
them, IL the selectmen would assess the tax
es TO them. This charer was drawn by a
committee, of whom Il financial RESPONSE
bility of the ReformoI was one, and it was
adopted by the village Was there any in
justice in this? All the money of the viii
lage taxes assessed for highway purposes
could lie used by the balifis. Was this a
dangtI"u7 power, an unjust privilege TO
confer upc,. he balitfs TO the injury of the
people OUTSIDE of the village? If it was,
why did not this legal gentleman inform
the voters so when the charter was about
10 be adopted, and have it stricken out?
Most likely he considered himself on the
other side Of the question. When the pres
ent amendment was being prepared it was
thought best that, inasmuch as the village
had expressed preference for that way OF
expanding their highway taxes, 10 put the
design of Sec. 6 in such form as 10 make
it practical and legal (; but in order 10 do
justice 10 the lax payers of the town it was
thought proper TO put the care of the high
ways TO Guilford and the West River road,
so called, upon the village, as these roads
were used exclusively for the heavy travel
to and from the village, and there were few
or no Inhabitants thereon. Which is the
unjust act, the iginal or the amendment
} 1 assure you il makes all the difference in
the world who designs an improvement fol
the llage whether it be a sel:-appointed
rerormer,-a self constituted guardian Of
''our dear people" the prescribed wing
of this baliwick. W.