Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-08-02
Much Ado about Nothing.

Horace Fairbanks happens TO be the Re
publican candidate for the Governorship of
Vermont lie is a very modest man. and
therefore he did not push himself into that
position, and we have not particle of doubt
that he would prefer not 10 be in it. lie is
very good man every way, in both public
and private life-pure pious, patriotic, pru-
dent energetic and successful in all public
and private enterprises, and withal exceed
ingly liberal in his contributions for every
good work. As the Republican candidate,
the democratic papers are expected TO oppose
him "a a matter of course as modest man,
they deem it safe To abuse him and as a
truly good man, they think he deserves moth
ing so richly as 10 be painted as a devil.
That is the fashion of these papers, and it is
so well understood that more harm is likely
to come of it TO their editors than 10 any
body else.
" As some muskets so c0ntriye it,
As oft to miss the mark they drive at
Aud though well aimd at duck or plo,er,
Rear wide, aud kick their owners over;
So he Jared whose reas ming toll
Would often on himself recoil,
Aud much injured more his side,
The stronger arguments he applied
As old war elephants dismay'd,
1rod down the troops they came 10 aid,
And hurt their own side more in battle,
Than less and ordinary cattle"
The last Argus devoted column aud
half 10 the abuse of Mr.. Fairbanks with all
the apparent pomp and circumstance OF of
fetal documents, but the real essence of
sham. The sum OF the attack is, iii 1t he
labored successfully TO induce the people of
st. Iohnsbury TO bond the town in a large
sum, and then in "haae, Immediately after
the bonding had been accomplished, had
bill in the legislature to exempt the larger
portion of the Fairbanks property" from
taxation. 1t has been said that lying Is fine
art, but ii must have been mistake GER
tainly this is the most transparent and cheap
est sort Of lying. st. Johnsbury hal been
bonded for some years before the session of
1874, at which this bill was born; it was
bonded sometime ahead Of Montpelier and
like Montpelier we presume, st. Johnsbury
had not only paid the interest due but por-
ton Of the principal-all with the cheerful
and most essential aid of the Messrs. Fair.
banks, aud before this bill was offered
And what was the real purport aud object
of the bill Z It was TO incorporate the
Messrs. Fairbanks, with all their immense
manufactures and trade, as a permanent
business 4" IN 81 Jokns5uy." See first and
third sections Of the act, pages one hundred
and eighty-three aud one hundred aud eighty.
four Of the acts of 1874. 1t was to fasten
the business ia he state and torn, aud to
bring into them for all time, aud from all
quarters of the globe, the profits of that
great business which go to increase the
wealth of the town aud state, and by SO much
as il does that 10 increase the grand list, and
contribute 10 the support OF the town and
state. Would any one seek 10 drive that es-
adjustment out of the state, 10 New York,
for example, whose statutes give all that was
asked for in the bill complained Of? Would
any one Danish from st. Johnsbury one-third
of its population, aud more than one-thrd Of
its grand list, and leave the remainder OF the
inhabitants crippled in their means and yet
hound by their bonded debtY
The specific change is that the original
bill proposed 10 exempt the stock Of the cor.
poration from taxation. 1t certainly did
aud yet it was upon the theory that the real
and personal property, in which that capital
Is invested, was to be taxed. Hence all that
Was asked was simply that the property
should not be subjected to double taxation,
Governor Peck's objection was to The mode,
rather than the principle Of the bill aud We
venture 10 say that he does not believe, nor
ANY other judge Of the Supreme Court, that
the same property ia the same hands can be
legally taxed more than once at the same
time, aud for the same purpose. That, at
least, is sound law, and the bill was ia har