Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-16
Taxation.

pliance with its provisions is the touchstone
by which the fitness of men to make and
execute and administer or interpret the
laws of the state has been finally tested in
the nominating conventions which have
been held in the state this year. Notwith-
standing the vigilance and resolution which
have availed in anumber of instances TO pre-
vent the nomination Of candidates who had
failed to comply with the new tax law, sew
eral men against whom this objection exists
in different parts of the state have secured
places upon the county ticket Bennington
candidate who is violator of the law of the
state. The WATCHMAN suffered mild re-
buke at the hands of one Of its contempora-
ries few weeks ago for advising voters to
give their support only to law-abiding citi
zens, even if such course involved the cleo
ton of honest and capable men Of another
political faith. The Rutland Herald is CIV
ing this subject fresh agitation, and in an
honest voters to bolt the tax dodgers. The
Herald says, ave hope there will be pluck
enough among the people of both parties to
unite in an effort to defeat all tax law delin-
quents who have secured or may yet secure
legislative nominations, even if party lines
have to be oblterated to secure their defeat"
An independent movement is on foot in
each of the counties named to save it from
Oh "a; of
sented in the state legislature by a man
who has indicated his purpose to shirk his
fair share of the public burdens, to impose
levy upon his honest neighbors to pay
obligations which he owes to the state,
which he is able but unwilling for selfish
reasons to pay. Notwithstanding the vigi
lance exercised in Orange county, which
had the courage first to stand up and say
that no tax dodger shall inherit official po-
sition in that county, it appears from
communication in another column that the
voters of Orange county have unwittingly
nominated an assistant Judge who did not
comply with the new tax law and the de-
mand is made for the rectifcation of the
oversight.
The county conventions have been held
and the character of the nominees has been
pretty generally ascertained. Those who
have been derelict in their duties as citizens
are in the hands of their fellow citizens,
and if the latter do their full duty no open
enemy of equal taxation will sit in the next
senate. But how will it be in the house
Will the same sitting be carried into the |
choice of representatives that has been ex-
ercised in the nomination of senators |
The opportunity is greater and so the vigi |
lance should be redoubled. Representatives
of approved capacity and fitness, whose al |
legiance to the new law was proved by
their support during the session of 1880, |
and who have faithfully complied with its
provisions during the past two years, should |
by all means be returned this fall. Their ex
perience is invaluable, their trustworthiness |
has been demonstrated. Legislation covertly |
designed to cripple the law can be better |
defeated, and amendments to increase the |
efficiency of the measure adopted, in house |
composed largely of the old and experienced
friends of the present law than in body
made up of new men however sincerely de.
voted they may be to the principles upon
which the act to equalize taxation is based.
To make general change at the coming
election would be as unwise as for client |
to make change of counsel at critical
point in the trial of a case. The towns
should not do this. An aggregation of
voters cannot afford to pursue a course
which as individuals in the transaction OF |
private business common prudence and
common sense would forbid them to follow.
Great interest was manifested a few
weeks ago in another branch of this ques.
ton of taxation. By an unexplained and
unexplainable perversion of the
plain language of statute, the major
ity of board of commissioners have de-
frauded the state and many towns in the
state of large amount of taxes Farmers |
who are heavily taxed on lands they do not
own see by the action of the majority of
this board extensive corporations practically
relieved of all taxation. BY as much as the
railroads have been allowed to escape, by so
much have the burdens OF individual tax
payers been made heavier. This action
Of the commissioners should not be allowed
to curse the state till the end of the quad
rennial period upon which it has just en-.
Iored. Men who have the brain and the
will to overturn the action of an unfaithful
commission and right the great wrong it
against the people of the state
should be chosen. The matter of fair
and equitable taxation of railway property
must be placed beyond the power of any
man or set of men to defeat, and laws en-.
acted to secure this end, it must be demon
strated, cannot be openly and willfully de-
fled or nullified. Send none but good men,
firm and true, to the next legislature. Mat,
ters more directly affecting vital interests of
the state than have been considered for
many years are likely to come up and will
demand independent, fearless and intelli-
gent consideration.
The Probate Judgeshlp.