Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-07-11
PUBLIC OPINION.

Mr.. Elitor Il wish to pen q few
words after a hard days work, in COM
mendation of your excellent editorial
in a recent issue. The subject interests
all classes, but especially the farmer.
The question has come home with ter
rible force to the weary toilers, many
times in the past few years In what
way can farmers be benefited Pin
what way will our toll requite us some
thing beside our daily bread? What
causes are so powerfully operating
against MS? The West not only feeds
itself, but all the world besides. 1t fills
the mouths we used to and at less price.
1t is true their goods are laid down in
our market at less prize than ours, with
few exceptions. The breyity of thie
paper will not allow the reasons
Briefly stated, they are competition,
the immense business capacity of the
great through lines, and cheappess of
construction in comparison with New
England roads. Another reason your
article suggested was-excessive taxa
ton, that it was a load the farmers
were unable to carry. 1t is true taxes
are high, and this is the great question
in political economy that our sages
ought to solve if their wisdom is far
reaching enough. First, to make it
equal, and secondly TO make it less,
And | ain frank to state that can see
no remedy for the first, considering the
moral condition of the world. When
the ''mote and beam" of seliishpess is
pulled out of the eyes of men, then
equality of public burdens might be
attained. But the latter il possible in
measure; that is, remove the causes
of taxation. Consider the vast burdens
men lay upon themselves needlessly,-
the rum, the tobacco and other super
fuities. q, Here the tax is dead but in
its consequences of pauperism and
crime, what a tax is laid upon the in
nocent, besides the immense cost of our
courts. When we have to build Houses
of Correction, make additions to our
State Prisons and Reform Schools, and
support their rapidly increasing in
mates it is time for us to be casting
about to see where we are to raise the
money to pay the taxes. But to take
things as they are how are veto bene-
fit our condition and render our bur
dens lighter? Some Legislatures have
taken the right to regulate r. r. tar
ifs and reduce them to fair profits.
And most States now compel the r. r.
to pay proportionate tax with the
farmers. Not so in Vermont. To be
sure few roads pay small tax mere
ly nominal in proportion to the farm
ers tax. 1t is said the Railroads are
lnortgaged, and are in debt. So are
farms, but the poor occupant must pay
or leave. 1t is an unjust discrimina-
tion-many farms don't pay, as well as
Railroads. The one is run by muscle
and pinch, and the other by fat sal
aries and ease. Let the farmers take
this in hand, and there is one partial
remedy. Our methods must be chang
ed, we can't depend on the old ways
entirely. This topic leave for others,
or another paper. One thing we must
do: Tear up the grog shop, and plant
the school houses more intelligently
and firmly. Pull up the tobacco weed
by not using it. Break the pipe by
making it unmanly. Teach the young
that good principles are worth more
than money. Everywhere SOW seeds
of goodness and morality. Uproot and
overturn everything that destroys and
wastes man, and we shall find that our
burden of taxes will rapidly grow less.
| hope the farmers of Essex county and
elsewhere will discuss this matter in
your columns, which doubt not you
will heartily welcome. c. w,K.