Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-13

The whole theory OF our state government IL |
based upon q township system, and we either |
ought to adhere to that where possible, or change
II entirely and make state system. II Is a mis-
take on the part Of the legislature TO throw any
work or expense upon the state which can prop
ery be borne by the towns. II II the funda- |
mental principle Of state government, that the
state should assume the least possible control or
burden of municipal affairs II Is the great New
England idea, and ought never to be lost sight OF
in legislation. Our town matters are, rs a rule
well managed; everything is under the eye OF |
the taxpayers, and II officers make mistakes
they sure to be called to account. There is no
so good system Of municipal government for
rural population known. It has attracted the at
tention OF statesmen OF foreign countries.
great writer calls our townships miniature re-
pubcs in themselves. Sometimes town repre-
sentatives seem to think that II they can vote any
expense from the towns to the state, II Is so much
clear gain, The people must invariably suffer by
this course, for IL increases the expense and II Is
the total amount of all the taxes, not the form In
which they come, that concerns them. Our sys-
TEN was framed with no reference to having
these burdens borne by the state. The founda-
ton Is for n town system, and that should be
changed II the superstructure Ia to be. We have
not the proper machinery for doing the work, nor
checks and balances to stop mistakes and careless
extravaganza " we undertake it, The result IL
that the expense Is very largely Increased. |
refer to some items in point by which you can see
this tendency to increased expense when the state
assumes 1t, under the heads of insane asylum, re-
form school, criminal expense and others, and
you can judge whether the cost is counterbal-
anced by greater benefits
1t has been proposed to provide for the state ex-
pense by levying upon the towns In proportion to
;heir population, and allowing the towns to raise
the money In their own way, thus avoiding the
necessity of any state tax and saving all the ma
chinery of its collection 1t does not at first seem
that property is distributed in proportion to the
population so as to make this a just method, and
| am not prepared to recommend II. But 1t is not
so unequal as might at first appear perhaps less
SO than our present method
| In the sparsely settled towns where there are
few large tax payers there are but few poor;
| There Is usually quite an amount OF land owned
by non-residents, while in the villages, with some
| large tax payers there is also large number who
pay nothing but poll tax, so that the average
| per capita in the different towns is more nearly
| even than might at first appear.
II the state expenses are kept at the lowest pos
| sible limit, and nothing assumed by the state
which can be borne by the towns the state tax
| can be kept so small that the temptation for I'M
| equal assessment will be much less than hereto
| fore. In addition to this, some special taxes can
be paid directly to the state without injustice TO
the towns, and If a method can be devised for
raising the money necessary for state purposes
without separate tax the evil OF unequal ASSESS
ment as between towns would be entirely obvated.
Then the assessment in any town would be merely
| question between citizens OF the town in which
| IL would be for every man interest to look out
that his neighbor paid just portion Of the tax,
| while now, with a large state tax, all are willing
to join together in consenting to an unfair valui-
ton, excusing it on the plea that other towns do
| the same and they must not be surpassed In this
race for precedence in fraud
1t was my view that the savings bank tax, I'M
der the bill Of the last session, should all have
been paid directly to the state treasury with no
| provision for u division among towns. Money
evades taxation more than any other property
and the fact that town has more than its pro-
portion of this savings bank tax is evidence that
1t has large proportion OF money II is no real
injustice, then, that portion Of this money tax
should be taken from its town location and passed
over directly to the state The table presented
by the inspector of finance will show you how
this tax has been distributed. Let me here add
that the officers work at the last session in con-
nection with this law, and the general law regu-
lating savings banks and banking companies, Is
deserving OF all praise, and makes an honorable
record of sound finance. 1t has been mooted
question whether the railroad tax might not be
paid in the same way, but this is n matter which
would require very careful examination, and am
not prepared to express an opinion.
In some states the state expenses are largely
paid by tax upon corporations, but this would
work unequally in this state, as corporations are
so unequally distributed, and there is no reason
why a manufacturing corporation should not be
taxed where its property lies in precisely the
same way that an individual is, but any just
method of providing for the state treasury in
whole or in part by some other method than a
state tax is desirable.
Two wears ago | expressed the opinion that the
expenses might be so reduced that tax Of twenty
cents would defray them. That expression was,
to some extent, misinterpreted. do not mean
that a tax of twenty cents would surely be enough
for that session. for the expenses were largely in
; CURED, and the necessary reductions could not
take effect at once; but did mean that expenses
could, without parsimony, be brought down 30
that a tax of twenty cents one year with another
} would be ample, and that view | repeat and ill.,
sist upon, and il the result cannot be reached at
this session, 1t is in your power to make 1t GER
tain that this will be the last time that TINS
J amount need be exceeded for the ordinary ex-
penses Of the state.
JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT.
In the fall of 1879 the Hon. Walter c. Dunton
resigned his position one of the judges OF the
, supreme court, and appointed the Hon Vince
lock G. Veazey TO fill the vacancy. Possibly II
was not, under the constitution, proper ques-
ton for me to consider whether should fill the
vacancy at all not, but the need OF having
seven judges having been discussed by the last
legislature, | did consider the question before
making the appointment The older judges in.
formed me that the business OF the courts would
Q suffer seriously unless the vacancy was filled al
once 1t was at the beginning OF the genera
+ term of the supreme court and 1t was OF grea
> importance that the cases should be heard, and
( doubtful il they could be unless the appointment
Q was made. Whether the amount OF business has
t decreased since that time am not able to state
but reference TO the report on the causes OF the
increase Of court expenses will show you tina
i there has been large increase OF business since
; 1860 In this connection let me add, that with al
/ intense belief in every proper economy in stat
: expenses 1t does not seem To me that the supreme
Q court is the point at which to begin. OF cours'
: II the Judges can do the business promptly ant
WELL the number should be reduced; but 1t is no
G true economy that they should be overworke'
! OF greatly undergrad | can think of no salaries
o from the governors through the whole list, which
n would not bear reduction better than the judges
Q They are obliged to give their whole time ant
a service to the state they must be men OF sucl
= character and ability as would command goo'
G income in their profession good men as TIL
state affords Their expenses are considerable
= The authority of Vermont decisions ranks anon
l. the highest in the nation, and any action tina
might deter the best men from this service, woul
not be true economy As the salary now Is, whe
v good lawyer has an opportunity TO go on tn
2 bench his first consideration is whether he cal
g afford il or not Does this occur in connection
. ! itL on. atLaE ..raIlainapt Unto aline2