Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22

den until an application Tor new Trial Is dis
posed OF; read the third time under suspension OF
the rules and passed
Senator KING moved that the rules be sus-
pended and S. 200 be put to its passage pres
emily. Senator Dana objected Motion finally
withdrawn and bill ordered TO be read at three
o'clock this afternoon.
Special Orders 201 an act providing for ad-
ditons to the state house, third reading refused
Third reddings-S Eli, an act in relation TO
town meetings in towns Of over 1000 inhabitants.
Read the third time under suspension OF the
rules. Bill amended so as to make II apply only
to the towns OF 1000 inhabitants and passed S.
90, an act In relation to highway surveyors in
towns OF over 5000 inhabitants; third reading
ordered tomorrow morning. S. PA, an act reat-
ing to vacancies in the office OF assistant judge
OF the county court; same order. 5. 2l2, an act
relating to the salary OF certain officers. IL was
| moved that the bill lie and be made the special
order for this afternoon; lost. On motion OF
Senator Dana, amended so to include the Sec
rotary Of the senate within the provisions of the
| bill Bill passed as amended.
Reports. From com. Of conference in favor Of
ii. ga, an act relating to highways and bridges
and liabilities OF towns as to damages; report OF
committee agreed to.
Special order.-Ioint resolution upon final ad-
| journment fixing the date at Thursday afternoon
at three o'clock. The question was upon the
adoption OF the resolution. Senator Brown, for
the committee, stated that there remained 257
bills undisposed Of Senator Fuller moved to
amend, fixing Saturday at eleven o'clock A. NJ.
| as the time Of adjournment. Not agreed to- Sem
| ator Field proposed Friday at half-past eight
O'Clock in the morning as the hour OF adjourn
ment. Senator Dana moved to amend by fixing
three o'clock In the afternoon Friday as the hour
| This he said would avoid night session The
amendment Of Senator Dana was lost. Senator
Stafford moved that the resolution lie and be made
the special order Of tomorrow at eleven O'Clock
A. NJ. Senator Stafford explained that he made
| this motion because he feared that II immediate
action were taken upon the resolution the proper
disposition Of the pending tax bills might be i'm
| peried, Upon this resolution there was consd-
cradle discussion Senator Field demanded the
| yeas and nays, which were taken-yeas 10, nays
| $50 the motion prevailed
| Third reddings-S. 49, an act amending secs.
20, q and %, chap 1873 e. s., relating to the
state prison; passed. S. 1874, an act relating TO
collectors of taxes Senator Stafford moved an
amendment which was agreed to and bill passed.
| Senator DUNTON in the chair.
s. 207, an act providing for writ OF possession
in certain cases. passed.
Senator SYKES called up II. 20, an act author
zing towns, ecclesiastical societies, etc, to re-
ceive donations for the care OF cemeteries, etc
| the question was upon an amendment, which
was agreed to and the bill passed.
Third readings-.S. 100, an act to promote the
building of bridge from Isle La Motto to AL
burgh. Senator Gleed stated some objections to
| the bill and on motion Of Senator Dana, bill or
dered to lie S. 1879, act to provide for the APP
| pointment of a chaplain of the house of correc-
ton; passed. Adjourned.
House-Forenoon.
| Devotional exercises by the chaplain. The read
| ing OF yesterdays journal was dispensed with.
| Reports Of conference conmittees-The report Of
the conference committee on disagreeing votes in
regard to II 10i an act relating to state printing
and stationery, recommending a modification of
| the senate proposals of amendment (which lin ef
feet leaves the present law in force, except that in
tabular work the size OF type is increased and
| I" leaders " inserted) was agreed to-
The report of the conference committee in re-
| gard to disagreeng votes on S. 12S, an act amend
| ing an act in amendment of chap. 80, G. g., rec
ommending that the house recede from its pro-
| posas OF amendment, was disagreed to- This IL
the bill providing that the days on which March
and freemen's meeting are held shall be added to
the days considered as Sunday in regard to the
protesting of notes, etc. the house proposed to
amend by making the day after instead Of the day
before, the day upon which the protest, etc, is to
| be made. The action OF the house kills the bill
| and leaves the law rs it now il.
Evening sessions-The resolution providing for
| evening sessions on and after to-day was taken
| from the table and adopted.
| Testimony in Justices court,-H. 125, an act re-
| quiring justices to keep accounts and make GER
tain returns, came from the senate with proposals
Of amendment, providing that in criminal trials
the justices shall take down in substance the evil
dence before them and file it in the county court
After considerable discussion the house concurred
| in the senate proposals of amendment
The support Of gorernment.--H. 45S, an act
| making provision for the support of government
came up a special order for half-past nine A. ~
| This is the bill reported from The com. OF ways
that railroads, insurance, express and telegraph
companies shall pay special tax upon their gross
earnings. Several verbal changes were made
where typographical errors had been made in the
Mr.. PAGE said that he would explain some OF
the provisions Of the bill His attention had been
called many years ago 10 the inequality OF taxa
ton in this state. He had studied the tax sys-
TENS of other states, and had found that Vermont
was alone in the unjust practice OF throwing the
greater share OF the burden upon real estate. In
this bill he had endeavored to rectily this wrong
This bill in some form must become a law, or the
governor would have to call an extra session, for
the government would be without support. He
discussed the taxes which the bill lays upon rail-
roads 1.-TWO per cent on gross earnings less than
81, 900 per mile and three per cent over that and
said it in the interest Of the poorer roads In
diana Illinois, New Jersey and other states had
adopted similar methods. He gave statistics show
ing how much could be raised by this tax-about
S72 900. lie next considered the taxes OF insur-
ance companies and said that $4,000 could be
raised in that way. Upon express companies he
| thought about the same sum could be got The
tax upon telegraph companies would net the
state u large amount The corporations in the
state represented over S35 900 900 of capital not
including national bank stock, which amounted
| 10 IS, 100000. None OF these millions paid its
fair share OF taxation, and yet it ought tn. The
taxes laid by the bill upon national banks would
net the state SS5 600 annually. The bill, il it be-
came law and was enforced would put into the
state treasury S4Si, 900 annually by the tax which
| the bill lays upon all kinds of corporations Mr..
Page then discussed the provisions OF the law rel
alive To its enforcement He said that for the
first time in the history Of Vermont the legisla-
| ture had before them bill which relieved real
e-tate and made invisible personal property bear
its fair share of the burdens of government
Nor was this bill experiment. 1t only
introduced in Vermont the systems OF taxa
ton which have been extant in other states for
years. and with the greatest success No state in
the Union had so unequal system OF taxation as
Vermont. lie gave statistics In support OF this
statement, and to show the vast amount OF invis-
ible personal property which would escape taxa
ton. He said that over $50, 600 must be saved to
the ax-payer under this bill in the collection OF the
taxes; for the taxes were paid into the treasury
without cost To the taxpayer.
Mr.. THOMPSON OF lrasburgh said that there
were many Ihings in this bill thai were commend