Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-08-16
Our Modern Reformers.
soNr or THEIR DoINos REVIEWED.

souE or THEIR DorSGs REVIEWED
Horace Fairbanks. the Tax Stealer" Whether
"the ST. Albans Messenger is endeayoring 10
defend the character Of Horace Fairbanks, the
boss tax siealer Of Vermont 1.-THE attempt
to clear the skirts Of Horace Fairbanks, of the
gro-sest treachery to his fellow-townsmen.
"The attempted passage Of that hill which
was to transfer q heavy load Of taxation from
his own shoulders TO those Of the laboring
classes who were least able to bear the same
" As the Mssenge, makes such u strenuous
effort to keep it, readers In the dark IN re-
gard to the manner in which Mr.. Fairbanks
attempted 10 cheat his fellow-townsmen out Of
his taxes" "This bill contained three or four
cats In the meal, so cleyerly secreted that the
bill slipped through the two Houses Of the Leg
stature without discovery, except by the know
ing ones, but Governor Peck, with his eagle
eye and legal lore detected the cats IA set
forth in lis message" The willy Fairbanks
did NOT propose to give it up so, aud lose all
his cats, so he came over to Montpelier, with
Judge Ross, near the close of the session, and
organized conspiracy 10 obtain, through the
Grand List Committee, favorable report upon
a bill containing his biggest cat-the tax steal
nicely covered up" II did not pass, how
ever, until the most dangerous claws Of the
cat had been cut of by amendment" What
an argument, when the fact Is established that
the bonded debt was carried more through
the specious argument of the man who de-
sired to relieve himself Of taxation than from
the arguments OF any other man living"
THE taxpayers Of Vermont can now plainly
see, II they will what manner Of IA man this
Fairbanks is:" 1.-THE result Is 10 their hands
and we have no fears to abide their decision
knowing a. we do that the cry Of the people
Ia for REFORM Fright here in Vermont
where Horace Fairbanks, the Republican can
didate for Governor, attempted to procure the
passage OF a bill in the last Legislature ex-
empting his own property from taxation, and
throwing the burden upon the laboring tax
payers" "lIere we have q glazing case of
Fairbanks cupdity in taking from the mouth
of labor the bread II has earned" "Homce
Fairbanks would make the poor man, with a
wife and five small children, who can earn his
deprecated dollar-a-day only a pant of the
time, pay the taxes on his scale works, and
thus swell hi. profits"
The foregoing are rer5afm extracts from
the editorial columns of the argus ant
Patriot of August 9th. The facts which DC
casion all these serious charges are briefly
these +. & r. Fairbanks < Co., for about
forty years prior to 1874, had been partner
ship, doing business in this state llorac,
Fairbanks had been one member of the firm
for number of years They had built NJ
IA large and prosperous business in the manu-
featuring Of scales, which found a market moi
alone in this state, hut in all civilized coun
tries. To supply the market and give EN-
ployment to large number of workinen il
this state, they permanently removed most o
their scales, as fast rs manufactured, 10 tn,
markets of this country and o
some foreign countries, and placed them il
branch houses for sale. The scales thu
permanently removed from the state wer
taxed TO them in the places where they wer
located TO an amount Of about ten thousan'
dollars annually. On all of their property
both partnership and individual, located il
this state, they annually paid a large amour
of taxes here. All governments, state an
municipal, have and exercise the right I
tax all property permanently within their r,
spective territories, and protected by then
no matter where the owner resides. A ma
residing in this state, but owning farm an
stock Of cattle in New Hampshire, Is taxabl
on such property in New Hampshire, M
not in this state. The protection furni,he
property by a government gives it the rigl
t. Tax the owner for such protection The
did not complain OF the manner in whic
they We're taxed so long as they did bushes
as partners. In 1874 the members of til
partnership, and especially Thaddeus Fai
banks, who was then nearly eighty years
age, desired an act Of incorporation, that III
partnership might not be dissolved by ii
death of one of the members Of the firm
They caused such an act TO be prepared al
presented to the Legislature. The only pm
fioioha VI itiht dCl NniCii nav
to are contained in sections three aad Rv
We insert those sections, with Govern,
Peck's objections 10 them, as expressed
his veto message.
sKcrIoS 3-So taxes shall he assessed UNION the si.sk
property and ELECTS OF said corporation wherever the, Ia
he situated, shall be ret aud taxed 10 said tn
same manner they would be u they M ned by
diViduAi.
sSo SALE transfer o. the stock 1T ati c,
Ioraton, except an attachment aud rIe'ai1i. OF by
saecuior OF administration for the purpose paying
debts Of the estate he represents shall be ysl ii
-1eh sale 81 Il. have given the corporation noi Ibef0f
writing, stating the price, erpis of sale and of
person 10 whom the has been honestly contracted
lie sold; and until the other sock hoefs who may take
al the price and the terms agreed pro rata
Otherwise, shall hays ste refuses. 10 aud ay
such stock Al raid price and on said tens for thirty dal
Add NO devise Of the stQk except 10 the legal heirs of
oSnsf shall be valid and binding on said corporation
the deyisee shall have had IA. value Of the same rier
notice IN writing for that pnrlse the corporation
the Probate court for the D.ria Of Caeonl, and un
TIE ethef stockliiefs, who may take the al
ascrftAied value rata uthrrw tSe shall have neg
refused 70 lake and pay for the AT such
sis TOT thirty days alter said corporation shall have
naihed IN writing by devisee, of the value plac
al-'h ss'id stock b. said court
The following is Governor Peck's We
message;
STATE or VERMONT.