The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-12-11
THE YACANT FARMS.

l fail to see how any native OF V er-
mont can read the early history of the
State, and the achievements of the Green
Mountain Boys without feeling a sense
of satisfaction. One of the
principal reasons for the depressed con-
dition of agriculture in this State and the
consequent abandonment of farms is
found in the fact that the burden of tax
alton bears more heavily upon this inter
est than upon any other. If l have
money invested in bank stock, in mer-
chandise, in anything except real estate
and at the same time owing, the law will
exempt that property from taxation to
the amount equal to the extent of my in
debtedness, but if am the owner of real
estate l must pay taxes upon its full
value, no matter how heavily it be mort
gagged. We will suppose that two men
come into this town to invest in business,
one is merchant the other a farmer.
Each has $1,000 to invest. The merchant
purchases $1,000 worth of goods, pays
$1,000 down and gives security upon the
goods for the remainder. The farmer
buys farm for $1,000, pays $1,000 down
and gives mortgage upon the farm for
the remaining $1,000. We will suppose
when the listers come around they 60
first to the merchant he tells them that
he has $1,000 worth of goods but that he
is owing $1,000 for them. The listers say
at once ''that is all right, the law fixes
such cases as yours, it realizes that it
would be unjust to tax you upon the full
value of your goods when you are owing
$1,000 for them and therefore it Will eX-
empt that amount from taxation" The
listers next call upon the farmer. His
farm is appraised at its full value.
When he tells them that there is a mort
gage on it for $1,000, they answer that
makes no difference you must pay taxes
upon its full value just the same as
though you owed nothing" But he
says, 'you granted my neighbor, the
merchant an offset" "Oh," they an
swer, "his was an entirely different
case, his is personal property, yours is
real estate and the law grants no offset
on real estate" In this case the mer.
chant is taxed upon $1,000, just the sum
that he is really worth. while the farmer
is taxed upon $1,000. or just twice the
amount that he is really worth. 1t is
just the same as though the State should
say to the merchant who sits behind his
counter, 81 will tax your property fifty
cents on the dollar" and then should
turn to the farmer who earns his bread
by the sweat of his brow and say to him
''I will tax your property 100 cents on
the dollar" Is this right? Is it just?
Is it not discriminating against the farm
er? Is it not virtually offering a pre-
MUM for abandoned farmers? Other
states have tried to remove this injus-
tice by legislation. In Mass. real estate
that is mOrtgaged is taxed in proper
ton tn the interest of both mortgageOr
and MORTGAGE in the property and
tax commissioner appointed by the
| legislature of Maine advises the adOp-
ton of similar law for that State. l be-
lieve that while under the present cir
cumstances foreign immigration to this
State is to be desired and should be en-
couraged, the true source to which the
| State should look for material with which
to repeople its farms and build up its ag.
ricultural interests, is to the boys grow
ing up within the State and to the young
men now coming forward upon the stage
of action. They will follow that Occu-
patton and make their homes in those
places where they believe they will best
succeed. If they think that Vermont of
| fers as great inducements to them as
other places they will stay here in pref
erence to going West to face the biz
yards of Dakota, the cyclones of Kansas
or the drouths of the Southwest. No
State has grander history than Yer
mont, or names of more noble men upon
its records. The names of those stern,
bold, resolute men, the fathers of the
State, of Ethan Allen who with uplifted
hand demanded the surrender of the
fort at Ticonderoga ''in the name of the
great Jehovah and the Continental Con
gress," of Ira Allen, of Seth Warner and
others of like mould will be remembered
so long as single Vermonter shall re-
main upon the soil of Vermont. If Oul
ancestors had the hardihood and courage
to come to this country when it was new
to subdue the forests and reclaim the
land from the wilderness, to build the
fences and walls that everywhere remain
as monuments to their industry, we
their descendants should be able to pre-
serve the heritage that they have given
us.-GeO. Hammond.