Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-10-24
AbOut bonding.

that they make the strongest case possible on
the part of the opponents of the road. Such
being the case it is legitimate and of interest
to examine these reasons" and see how well
they are grounded and whether they admit Of
an answer We therefore take them up seri-
atm.
/. Bonding is not necessary. when the demand
for the road shall be sufficient 10 warrant the build
ing, men of abundant viii be glad to do it.
Or, 1t can be done now by the able men who think it
a necessity an who would be specially benefited by
It, without taxing the poor man for II.
Bonding is necessary. The road cannot be
built without it, and every man who talks
against bonding knows perfectly well that he
is talking against the road. To use person
al illustration, the proprietors of this paper
would cheerfully subscribe double the amount
of their prospective tax as a firm on account
of bond for the road, and add to this doub-
lie the amount of their taxes as individuals, il
this would ensure the building of the road
without further question or bother. Many
other firms and individuals would do the
same, but the movement through the town
would not be general and the road could not
be built by this means For this reason we
favor bonding. 1t is the rich and well-to.do
who would bear the great bulk of the tax.
The tax of the "poor man" would be so small
that he would never realize it.
2. The present Indebtedness and heavy taxes Of
the town should dissaude from 1t. The first duty and
interest of this town is to Pay her debts and abate
her assessments, II she would have and healthy
growth and genuine prosperity.
The present indebtedness of the town is
exceedingly small compared with its size and
orJ kow
in the average of towrs which have thrift
and genuine prosperity enough to attract
new corners.
8. The present is not the time for either indiydu-
ais or town to be launching out into any unnecessa-
ry, costly, doubtful enterprise The fact that, all
along the lines and in all departments Of business
the discerning and prudent are anxious and fearful
holding back, shutting down, Diminishing men and
ducing wages, should be enough to restrain the town.
at least for the present, from heavy financial prof.
ect Of disputed importance and promise.
There are no signs of an impending bust
ness crash or calamity, and no good business
man pretends to fear anything of the kind.
The outlook as a whole is favorable, and times
simply call for ordinary business prudence,
sagacity and enterprise. 1t is only Flooding
old fogyis which sees lions in the path.
4. The number Of towns and indi viduals in all
directions, that have suffered great detriment and
been reduced even TO bankruptcy by of bond
ing, is a sad comment on the idea often held out
that all are sure to be benefited by q road built in
this way. We have the best of authority for saying
that hs invention to aid the enterprise Of private
corporations has proved itself baneu In the last de-
gree" and that "hundreds Of municipalities in the
country have rendered themselves bankrupt by the
mania to build railways. and hundreds OF others are
groaning under the oppressive burdens occaSioned
thereby"
Not town can be mentioned which has
suffered detriment or loss of any kind by
aiding a purely local enterprise like the one
| under discussion.
s. The number of good citizens, men and women,
Of limited means, who regard bonding oppressive
and unrighteous is too large to justify the measure
The great majority of good citizens" who
have business and property interests identi-
! flying them with the future welfare of tn 9
town. are earnestly in favor Of the measure
6. The still deeper, general and broader con-
vction, the best instincts Of mans moral nature,
that bonding is wrong In principle, IAN invasion Of
the right Of property, Is another reason which nei
Their the town nor any of her people can wei afford
| to ignore or disregard.
Under this rule any tax from which the
citizen does not derive an immediate and tan.
| gible benefit is IAN invasion of the right of
property" Take the school tax for instance
By this rule it is wrong in principle to
compel Hon. Jacob Estey and George j.
Brooks, Esq, Eve quote these as e1smples)
to pay taxes for the support Of schools Nei-
Their of them derive any direct personal ben
eft from the schools, and, putting it on this
ground, "the best instincts of mans moral
nature" ought to rebel against compelling
these men to pay a heavy tax, which amounts
to bond, for sch ooling other peoples chill.
dren.
| 7. Aud still another reason is, that bonding is
contrary to the spirit Of the and the free
institutions under which live, and that the states
Ing against it.
THE greatest good of the greatest num-
Der" is the rule in all things under our gov.
eminent. Any other rule is contrary to the
Esprit" of our free institutions.
8. 1t should not be forgotten that the town has al
ready once and again given a deliberate, emphatic
voice against the scheme as now proposed, for the
reason, among others, that 1t does not insure COM
peting line to South Vernon the only part Of the en-
tire route that could give any promise OF paying.
Every intelligent man knows that the ques-
ton of a competing line to South Vernon
does not enter as factor in this problem as
it now stands. The one point lie to get rail.
road to Wilmington. After that competition
! will take care of itself.
Q. This town has no assurance as to where the pro-
posed road shall be laid whether through West Brat
tleboro or East Guiford, West Marlboro or Halifax,
| West Dover or Nottingham. In this very fact we
have set before us an open door for much ultimate
Misunderstanding, strife and disappointment not to
say failure.
10, The route not determined there is and can have
been no definite survey and hence no possible means
Of knowing what grading mus: be done, rock remov-
ed, cuts be made or trestlework and bridges built.
Are the thoughtful, prudent Of this town ready
to put out their thousands for scheme that is still
developed in so much that is uncertain and chaotic
IL Win no nNed route determined and n dp6ni
survey It follows of necessity that the town has no
good data for proper estimate Of the cost Of the
road. She may have some guesses, but guesses in
such matters are Of little value, aud always pretty
sure to be found much below the mark.
~. The town has assurance as to when the pro-
posed road shall be completed whether In ave or so
years, if at all. Roads begun in this way often de-
fault, and some are never completed as promised In
the beginning.
The answer to these four "rsasons" is ap-
parent to everybody, and is summed up in
the one fact that no one wants the town to
give vote of aid except under such condi.
tons as will absolutely protect the town from
loss. The towns subscription will not be, and
ought not to be, made binding until an ade-
quate amount of capital stock has been sub.
scribed to build the road, until the route has
been determined upon, and until the road is
under contract for completion by responsible
parties. Brattleboro will invest no money in
this enterprise, and will not be asked to do so,
except under such conditions as fully protect
her interests.
Finally, The natural lay, relations and restricted
limits OF the iand through which the road would pass
do not favor the project. II the narrowgauge proves
"a burden OF annual thousands to those who run H.
as It is said to do, much more Of "a burden" would
this be sure to prove
The first part of this concluding treason
] Al
ment. The fact, as has been shown over and
over, is that the region which this road is de-
signed to penetrate is one of the most fertile
in natural resources of any in the state OF
Vermont, and the route has been proved to
be entirely feasible.
To this brief commentary on the feaaons