Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-04
Is it Notification

At the regular March meeting In St.
Johnsbury A. j. Willard was chosen first
on the board Of listers. immediately 1t was
set up that the election was invalid by rea-
son of the non-observance Of some formality.
Acuteness, It is believed, was lent to the
search for ground on which to invalidate
the election by the fact that Mr.. Willard
was not acceptable to large corporate inter
ests in the town. Although he believed his
election was entirely valid, In order that the
shadow even of cloud might not rest on his
title to an important Office, with his asso-
ciates he gave in his resignation and new
election was called for Tuesday Of last
week, at which Mr.. Willard was defeated
by decisive vote in very fully attended
meeting. Now come the Springfield Repub'
hcan and certain local papers with the Sc
rious charge that Mr.. Wizards defeat was
compassed by the improperly-applied inlu-
ence of the Ely hoe company and the Fair
banks corporation. "The Fairbanks and
Ely companies" says the Republican, gave
their men holiday with the request that
they should consult their best interests by
voting against Willard" The Inder says ;
" Certain well-known influences were put in
operation and Mr.. Willard was overwhelm-
ingly defeated" 1t asks significantly, Why
was every wire pulled, every sort Of ridicu-
lous story told, and every possible effort
made to kill him Willard has claimed to
be able to unearth large amount of prop
erty that has hitherto escaped taxation.
Why should this declaration be productive
of fear and trembling in certain quarters,
and determination to defeat him, at what
ever cost ?" The Union temporarily reviews
the history Of st. Johnsbury's listing trou-
bles and concludes that the corporations
may give in all the taxable property they
ought to, but do not conform to the plain
provisions of the law, and truly remarks that
"reluctance to comply with the law must
have one very marked effect, viz: to excite
suspicion that noncompliance is financially
in favor of the corporations" The Gale
DOMAIN glides smoothly over the entire mat
ter and is serenely happy over the result.
1t trusts the people will no longer "counte-
nance any such feeling of inimicality to-
wards the corporations as "a few pessim-
lists have INDUCED in and that, in short,
by reason of their value to the town and Of
their generosity they be suffered to be a
law unto themselves in listing matters. Now
if the charge made by the Republican and
the things alleged by the Inder and Union
are true, st. Johnsbury is placed before the
state in very unenviable attitude. On a
doubtful pretext an official Objectionable to
certain interests was induced to resign an
important office, and then, under actual or
implied threats,the employees Of corporations,
which feared that the obnoxious lister would
enforce the law of the state against them i'm.
partially, were taken to the polls to defeat
him and elect in his place man subservient
to their interests,-this is the charge laid at
the door of the town. On former occasion
we crossed swords with the Caledonidn on
this listing issue. 1t is incumbent on that
journal to rise up and plead to the indict-
ment made against the fair fame of the
town and its leading industries. The law
is made for the rich as well as the poor, for
the corporations as well as individuals. If
the former can unmske listers and make
others, creatures of their own and can nullify
the law because it is not convenient or for
their financial interest to obey it, their ex-
ample will eat out the very pith and marrow
of a statute especially framed to equalize
the burdens of taxation between the rich
and poor, between the single citizen and or
gsnzed capital. The matter is of state in
terest and Importance and we hope d" the
bottom facts will be forthcoming.