The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-17

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than eighty-one millions two hundred
thousand dollars, and the personal proper
ty, "above debts owed" at something over
eighteen millions Eve hundred thousand
dollars, the whole value OF taxable prop
erty being nearly one hundred millions of
dollars-S09, III, 0O3. We judge this to be
something less than one.quarter OF the &c
tual valuation; and, if so, the value Of real
and personal estate in Vermont would be
somewhat in excess of four hundred mil
lions of dollars against about one and a half
millions of dollars in 1881.
These comparisons sufficiently show the
progress of the century In Vermont, but to
make it a trile clearer, let US sec our pos
ition as compared with our sister states.
particularly with the other New England
states, as shown by the census of 1870.
We ra,s by the production of marble, slate
and slate pencils, and the manufacture of
scales and forks, in which we are simply
unapproachable, and conn TO the produc-
tions in which there is a show of compe-
tition. In the manufacture Of sugar, YER
mont stands fret and foremost, her product
exceeding that OF any other state in the
Union, even any of the southern states,
and being greater than the combined pro-
duct Of any Of the other New England
states and New York. In the manufacture
of chlldren's sleds, we are the third state,
New York being first and Massachusetts
second. We are the first of the New Eng.
lind states in the number of live stock Of
ali kinds, and, also, of cows and sheep :;
and ia the production Of wheat, corn,
oats, wool, butter, cheese, hops, fax, and
mola'ses; second only to Maine in the
manufacture of cars to Massachusetts, in
starch, wooden ware, roofing materiAl, en-
craving and stencil cutting, furniture and
chairs, and in homes and w~hetstones to
Connecticut, in cutlery and edge tools; to
Maine in the production of buckwheat, po.
tatoes, rcas and beans, hay, and honey
and TO Massachusetts in the production OF
rye and barley-and in all of these things,
in proportion to population aud area Of ter
ritory, VIC Stand first. We are the frsi
state in the Union in the production of
peat, and second Only to Michigan in the
production of copper-and these are bu; q
1.-THE of the articles in whose production
Vermont supasses all, or nearly all of her
sister states.
But 1t has not all been progress in
no right direction. Twenty-four repre-
'entstives were all sufficient TO declare tie
state independent, but it now requires thir-
Y senators and some over two hundred and
forty representatives to legislste for us,and
we, one Of the smallest of states, have one
of the largest and most csmbrous of legis-
latures In the Union. We are living, prac.
tlcally, under the came constitution that
was adopted nearly q hundred years ago,
with all of its Inconsistencies and incongru-
tiles, and are afraid to make it conform to
the present condition of the state.
The EXPENSES of the state government
from October /, 1871 to October /, 1892
Including debenture of the general ascent
bly,, salaries, fees, occasional expenses, au-
dltors orders, elc.-were three thousand
two hundred and nineteen pornds, nine
shillings and ninepencc, or nine pence
twelve and a half ceuts-per capita of the
population. In 1906, the state sexpenses
we're something less than twenty-three
thousand dollars-$22, 9G6 Tor only
fourteen cents per capita of tic population
This is the sum-" says the historian,
" which Vermont pays for the protection
of his person, properly, and the advant-
ages of free government" And, in COM
m9nting on the expenditures in 1906, he
.ays THE sun then which each indiyidu.
" al pays for the blessings of civil govern.
" ment is scarcely any more than it was
{ fifteen years ago. Notwithstanding then
" the increase of representatives, salaries,
' and other unavoidable articles Of public
Expenses, the economy of the government
. has not abated; no degree or appearance
" OF corruption has taken place In 1t but
" the public economy yet remains highly
" desorvingo of praise, and worthy of future
g imitation"
60 ne we nov down seventy years later,
to the ytar 1879, the closing year of Yer
mont's Fl ST century. For the biennial
years 1875 and 1876, the gross expenses of
the state, exclusive of payments on account
of the principal Of tho public debt, were
S84S, 639.80, or an average of over four
hundred and wen'y-four thousand dollars
a year being about one dollar and twenty
six cents per capita Of the population
against twelve and a half cents in l791, and
fourteen cents in 1906. Wa the historian
OF Vermont, writing nearly three-quarters
OF a century ago, prophecying IN reference
to Vermont at the close of her first
century, when he said "Reasons and
causes are easily found, to increase the
" number Of public places and offices
And those who arc 10 power, and derive
their living from the public, will compute
"tne honor and dignity of the government,
" by the sum of public money which are
" allowed to item. The progress has ever
" been certain, gradual, and regular from
" small beginnings, to the almost extreme
" OF luxury, and dissipation, that the ma
" tlonal wealth could supply. It would be
" almost a miracle, If public affairs should
" not assume the same aspect and course,
" in America. If it Is prevented, It will
not be by government 1t can alone be
" done by the virtue, the knowledge, the
" economy, and the public sentiment of the
90 people"
e PreposterOus Proposition Defeated.