The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-08-11

The Montpelier uiolAssan is not happy
over the administration Of the nes tar law
In con, ,,Ariug different localities Il says;
II appcared among other things that
Franllia sai Windhsni counties have
larger population aud larger aria VI
valuable las,Ls than Washington. but that
each Of these counties has y smaller yAlua.
iion-- frsnklin being II fact over two and
oue.hslf millions aud WindhAin nearly one
million seven hundred thousand dollars
smaller As matter Of figures = conpar.
ison would show ,hs. Windhaui has .
population 800 larger than Washington;
that Windham has an area Of l6l, $50 acres,
Washington 3sS. 493-an ercess in favor OF
Windham Of rs. 063 acres. The total valu-
alton Of Washington is reported st Sl4,-
la, ais. Of Windham Sl2. 462. 967 that is,
q county with ] 300 more people aud 73,.
O63 more acres Of better land than Wash
ington Ia appraised nearly sl.7oO, 900 less.
We think the WlicAp,D, is decidedly
wrong when il says the land in windham
county Is better than that in Washington
county. With the exception Of narrow
strip Of land on the Connecticut aud West
rivers tho land is very billy and rocky and
80 unproductive that many Of the farms
are being abandoned 10 psstursge or wood
land.
Again the Watchman says:
As between Montpelier and Brattleboro
the figures are; Population Of the former
toun q 900 araa A oIO aaxa.. ~ tha Late.
population 5,ss2. area IS, 26l acres Mont
pelier appraisal is real estate 81. 1886. 206,
personal property sl,707. l6l; total 80, 542,-
372. Brattleboro's appraisal is. real estate
81, $50, 0s9. personal property 81, 244, 246;
total &3, 104. 1886. In other words. Brattle.
boro. having nearly five times rs many
acres ~ Montpelier, double the population
and very extensive manufacturing and in.
dustrial interests besides, apprsises its
real estate at about the same figure as the
latter town, and its personal property
about $3.50, 900 less. There are no physi-
cal or material features in the conditions
OF the two towns that explain this incon.
gruity OF results, and ii is certainly . Gu
rious circumstance that two bodies Of list.
tiers subscribing to the same oath TO faith
fully carry out the provisions Of the
same law. in the discharge Of similar du-
ties, could "conscientiously" arrive at
conclusions so unreasonable. Evidently |
tho Convictions or conclusions" OF either |
the Montpelier or Brattleboro listers need
to be adjusted by square" that will not
vary so widely and so inexplicably. 1t
matters not what ~ careful sitting Of the
facts would show" AZ To W{ndham's ap- |
praisals under the old law: that has no
bearing upon her duty under the new law.
We can see where tho Watehmm may
have made another mistake. The very
fact that there is more manufacturing in
may account for the smaller
valuation. II the larger part OF the popu'
lation consists Of mechanics aud laboring
mon il follows as matter OF course that
they do not live in fine houses and have
money invested 10 stocks and bonds. The
of the state capitol would be
more likely to possess an abundance OF
this worlds goods than the greasy me.
chanics of Brattleboro. At all events we
ARE bound to believe that the listers OF
Windhsm county made as fair an apprais-
Il as the listers Of Washington county un-
Ill we have more proof Of crookedness
Than has yet been furnished by the Wutch.
nan or from any other source 10 which we
hare access