Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-07-16

it a vast amount of property, that
ought not and should not be, is exemp-
ted from taxation. Every year under
the present system the bars are let
down a little further. We know of
thousands Of dollars of private proper
ty that is exempted from taxation
through some loophole in our present
system. Cut of all exemptions and
this properly cannot escape paying its
just dues.
In one of our large villages, where
there is noted school, nearly all the
private property in the neighborhood
of that school is exempt from taxation
because it once belonged to the school,
so with the school property, it is still
exempted. In another village, piece
of property valued at $4,000 or so, built
as u private speculation, and which is
paying investment, is exempt from
taxation because it keeps boarders for
a big school, and is owned by one of
the trustees of that school. Farmers
and mechanics who have farms and
small houses of their own are taxed
heavily that these institutions and
these men who are SO deeply q inter.
ested in education, can be exempt from
taxation. These are only two in
stances where property is wrongfully
exempted from taxation, but the State
is full of just such instances. We hold
if all property was put into the list,
that our taxes would not be more than
half as large as they now are, as the
grand list on which they are based
would be twice as large.
One more instance to show how prop
erty can escape taxation. In one OF
our large villages lives man, who
claims to be worth from $25, 900 to$50,
900, who has not dollar of personal
property put into the list, because it is
all covered with debts, fictitious,
doubtless, but that does not change
the fact that his personal property
fails to pay any tax. The listers at.
tempted to put him through for false
swearing, but soon found that under
our complicated system it would cost
thousands of dollars to convict him
even if proof was obtainable. A prom
inent lawyer recently said that way
could be found under our law to evadt
the payment of nearly all our taxes
if man was bound to be dishonest
Sweep away all exemptions, and lisr
property where it is, at uniform rate
and all these veXatious troubles would
be at an end and taxes would not b.
over 90 cents on the dollar.
A man of means said recently to us
81 do not put only u part of my prop
erty into the list. know it is not RICH
to evade the laws, but all my neigh
bors do it and | DO not think it is fai
to pay any more than they do, in pro
portion" What a monstrous system
this sin an enlightened Christian com
munity, when honest men, Christian
men, think it is no sin to steal from til
State, for every dollar of taxes that
not paid through failure of the lister
to list property, or otherwise, is dol
ar stolen from the State treasury. A
gain we say, for the moral and financ
al good of our State and her citizen
sweep all exemptions from our statut
books. Let all property be put int
the list, and all be taxed alike. The
let the State pay, if need be, such il
situations as are benefit to the Stat
and the community at large, certai
sum for each and all benefits they rel
der the State.
Under our present system scho,
That is more dead than alive, is place
upon the same basis, by having a
property pertaining to it exempte
from taxation, with a school that ever
year sends out score or more of teacl
ers to en- Tighten and educate our pc
pie. And what is said of schools wi
apply to any institutions that are e,
empt by law. What is it that keeps
many churches, schools aud instit'
tions alive, ON PAPER, for many
them do not pretend to do anything
1t is that the property, often and a
most always used by private individ
ais for other purposes than those d
signed by law, may escape taxatio
1t is a blot on our fair fame that sue
a law is permitted, year after year,
stand upon our statute books. Rope
it next fall. Vote for men who will S
that reform is made in this, and e.
cry other unjust system. - Vermont Fla
naer.