The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-11-26
An IDEAL DEMOCRACY.
Functionnries, Not Rulers, Chosen Mt Town
MeetlnGs-moM Xermonters Live.


to have pronounced Vermont tho most per-
feet democracy on the globe" Whether this
remark Ia authentic or not. it Is certainly true
that the government OF the people Ia more
direct and apparent here than in ohor States.
The Government. as elsewhere In New Eng
land. Is based OH the town meeting. which
Emerson considered 40 important an element
in forming New England character; and 1t
brings to the test Of this most democratic
gathering many matters which tho other States
control by counties. notably its roads and
public registries. The townships average
about six miles square. and each one votes Its
| own taxes. provides for Its own highways. pub
| lie buildings. and paupors. This business and
the election Of the necessary executive officers
is all done in the annual March meeting"
held the first Tuesday in March. whore every
| citizen has voice and vote. synopsis OF
the business to DO transacted Is given in
the previously published warning. po-
Of osers arc and aSous the the
utmost freedom of discussion y INDUCED in,
business is transacted in,ellgontly and
three socctmen, Who have tRa t charge sV Of town
business; Listers or Assessors: a Town Clerk:
se h aSr Gcnstab ase and Tax Goeetor and
whom has certain extent Of highway to keep
in repair. Justices OF the Peace are elected
By the oesrs IN the m%
schedule Of fees. and Listers and i somstime es
The amount Of the TIKI tsS o to be y9,sl
Two years ago a change was made in the Tag
law, which takes the burden Of taxation OIL
borne 1t and places it upon the capitalists. OF
course y met with opposition; and IT formed
|
law with ,iPmendments; The Legislature IN
make it stronger. II ANYTHING. As it stands.
each person is required to prepare and make Ike
taxation. refusal being punished by doubling
the value Of all dscoverable property. , and
sweains tbs BY r
in most towns was to double the
rsoco rns on nd hal.
Opponents Of the law were mercilessly scalped
in the, Legislative election. two tax-dodging
ieated for the Senate by two bemocratis friends
Of the law. Two Democrats in the, vHmont
public records before mentioned are land reg
istries. which must contain the title deeds to
fe% and The whe
births. marriages and deaths. all mortgages
ules Of property filed by taxpayers All these
are open to public inspection. and a journey to
the county seat to discover the state oil the title
The actual control OF their own affairs by the
taSes assessed by the Iesisature are SLIGHT
and the people leave the ELECTION OF county Of
politicians. As the State is ovsrwhelmlngiy
the county and State Republican conventions.
the latest metropoI tan style Each town elects
one member OF the lower branch of the Legisa-
ture, and these members are elected by little
would certainly not be a diiicuit thing for any
the county conventions. and the opponents of
the Smith or Central Vermont Railroad Ring
ssa' rhS a they
The control OF the Ring has Just been thor
2nghiy tested in ths election Of Chief Justice by
with the Tax law, and has been doubled by the
tsnsively commented on by the State press and
when the Judges came up for reflection a
foand in nth" the legislature Who refused to vote
for Royce on account OF his Tax law record.
the CHEF suitor pefor sA the verm1nt courts
and Sas bs nSee va hs been
ya; .ss r. these sa5:
home, But when his reflection was found to
be in doubt. the railroad descended on Mont.
As to call for sharp rcbuke from the state press
and on the Legislative floor. \ scandal must
the press dares take ii up. Royce was re-
elected by small majority The opposition to
opposed TO the Smith Ring. and this gives his
friends the opportunity to offset the charge OF
GSSS wSrk Tl, h ySr by the
know what future Legislatures will do with
senators Edmunds and Morrill, when their time
for reelection comes. rs both men have refused
to put in lists under the law.
Schools ar" managed on u basi, even more
intensely local than the towns are. Each town
is divided into from six to sixteen school dis
tricts. sina! enough 50 that all children can
It's own taxes. builds its own schoolhouse, hires
its own teacher and regulates its own term 81
school. the only compuision being that school
may vote in the school meetings, but they al
most universally ignore that privilege. The
law reuuires-a summer term for the little
children and winter term for all who can ge
geography are Observation-Disclosures and spell
ing with especial attention: but not NOR
than half the teachers, comprehend geog
ssnss and ,he Sp ,ach me- wsathc
districts have eight or nine months school. AM
attemp. is made to grade the pupils. those il
mysteries, of English grammar United States
history. bookkeeping, algebra and porhap
omy geometry. physics, English literature. am
Latin, In addition to these tho State is dotte,
over with academies. normal schools an
seminaries, whore young mon are fitted 10
college and young women for teaching Thes
are private schools more or, less heavily EN-
lowed. where board and tuition ara charged
The larger villages maintain graded publ
! schools which do the work of the academic
for the children of the villages
The Vermont courts and system OF laws wer
taken more nearly than in most states iron
the English common law rs it stood mt the clos
Of the ljisttcentury. The practice still follow
the old forms. although the body Of the lay
has. Of course greatly hanged since thu, time
The Chancery practice stllfollows the old form
and stands in great need Of the reform It ha
met with in other. States. Tho practice of try
ing civil cases by Jury is becoming muc
less common than ii was. n Board Of Rel
erecs, usually composed, OF lawyers an
paid by the state. being substituted
The first law to attract u strangers attcntio
is that governing tha sale OF liquors Tho
have the strictcst form of the Maine law. an
you may travel from one end OF the State to h
other without seeing II sign o! u bar. Tn
Prohib itonists have fought these SO hitterl
that they exist in fact only not in name /
the small towns public sentiment ovsrwhen
ingly sustains the law, and it is executed !
the large ones violations are winked ht-wit
n good long wink, when that Is nccessar
TO supply. the demands ot the thirsty
rhprn FIJI, UnpS Al tina SpllprS coma prinpipAll