The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-04
Governor Pages Message.
GAeuhliNt NhdiiiDeri
Montpelier, October /, 1890.

Gentlemen Of the Senate and House of
! Representatives The constitution of our
state requires the governor to prepare such
business as may appear to him necessary
to lay before the general assembly. An
examination of the several institutions of the
state, made with as much care as the linn
tied time at my command would permit,
has profoundly impressed me with the
magnitude and Importance of the work
before you. Inasmuch as the whole sys-
TEN of state taxation must be readiusted
to conform to recent decisions of our SUI
preme court, grave constitutional ques-
tions will present themselves for your con-
sideration The increasing scale of state
expenditures, at time when the leading
industry of our state is abnormally de-
pressed, makes it especially incumbent OH
you to approach the question of taxation
with more than usual determination to
Tighten the burdens of the people. The
unsatisfactory workings of our present
school law and the largely increased re-
sponsibility resting upon you, because of
recent liberal grants by the national con-
gress in aid of the agricultural depart
ment of our state university, are both sub
jects of the highest Importance. Invoking
the guidance of him without whose aid
and direction all our labors are vain, let us
approach the work of the session with
firm resolve to discharge the great respon-
sibilities resting upon us as the representa-
tives of the people, fearlessly, impartially
and faithfully.
STATE EXPENSES.
One of the most important subjects de-
manding your consideration is the largely
increased cost of conducting our state
affairs. With a single exception of our
legislative assemblies, every department
shows growing expense to the state, and
yet the growth has been so gradual that it
is only by comparison of biennial periods
that the unpleasant fact is brought home
to us with proper force. A comparison of
the biennial period ending August /, 1882,
with that ending August l, 1890, shows
that whereas S56S,000 paid the running
expenses of our state for the first biennial
period of the decade, it took $951 600 for
the last biennial period and this, too, not
withstanding the fact that in nearly every
department of business, the legitimate re-
turns of labor and capital have been upon
a constantly descending scale.
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.
The tendency of each succeeding legis-
lor lilt past Ten years Has Deen TO
guard the treasury with less and less care
against the demands made upon il in the
interests of special objects. The entire
sum paid out on special appropriations for
the two years ending July 81, 1882, was
only $25,S95.77, while the special appro-
priations made by the legislature of 1888,
or paid during the last biennial term under
former acts, make the unprecedented ag-
gregate of 49,, 33025, as appears by the
following detailed statement Mddlebury
college, $500 Gettysburg monument,
S15,8S0; University of Vermont and ex-
pertinent station, S17,250 Grand Isle
bridge, 100000 Soldiers home, S26,544,-
30 new insane asylum, 100000 mis-
cellaneous, S7,S55.90 total, S192, 33025.
The time will never come when multi
tude of patriotic and charitable objects
may not properly appeal to us for assist
ance, and | should regret to see any evil
dence of disposition TO withhold such
support. The present tendency is, how
ever toward prodigality, and / urge that
you scan carefully every bill asking for an
appropriation for special and extraordinary
purposes, giving your approval to such
only as clearly appear to you to be de-
manded by the honor and welfare of the
state.
TAX ON CORPORATIONS.
The supreme court of Vermont has de-
cided that our statute, taxing earnings of
transportation companies, received from
interstate traffic, is i'll violation of the
constitution of the United States. 1t will
therefore be your duty to enact law by
which these corporations may be legally
called upon to bear their share of the
public burdens. The satisfactory solution
of this problem will demand the exercise
of the greatest care, in order that the
courts may not again decide unconstitu-
tOnal such a law as may be enacted. To
no other subject considered in this mes
sage have | devoted SO much thought, but
inasmuch as the honorable commissioner
of state taxes has given the subject an ex-
haustve investigation, | conclude to offer
no definite suggestions at this time. |
visited Commissioner Martin at his home,
where he was confined by sickness, and
received from him assurance that he
would, early in the session, submit for
your consideration bill which he believes
will avoid the constitutional objections
which render our present law imperative.
Having settled the constitutional ques-
ton, it will be your duty to consider
whether the amount which corporations
have been paying under the existing law is
their equitable proportion of the public
burden. Taxation should be just and
equal, bearing upon each industry, and
each class of property alike, considered
with reference to its ability to pay, Since
the passage of the corporation tax law in
1882, the amount to be raised annually by
taxation for state expenses has been con-
tinually increasing, while the ability of the
farming lands of Vermont to pay has
been constantly diminishing | submit
that read justment is only matter of
justice to the end that the arbitrary rate
established in 1882 under favorable condi-