Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-01-30
THE MAPLE SUGAR BOUNTY.
An interview with General GrOuI on
the Attorney Generals Decision.


the Attorney Generals Decision.
From the Burlin gton Free Pressl
Gen. Grout is receiving hundreds of let
tiers from the farmers of Vermont in rela-
ton to the late decision of the attorney
general that the maple sugar bounty does
not begin to accrue until July /.
To Free Press representative he said
The farmers are very much puzzled, and
their interest is not to be wondered at, for
you know there is money in it. But when
the regulations are issued all will be made
plain. The attorney generals opinion de-
nying bounty to maple sugar next spring
will cause a great disappointment to the
farmers of our state who have been led by
the ruling of Commissioner Mason, to expect
it On the strength of that ruling large
numbers have contracted debts for the out
fit requisite to an increased production next
spring, relying upon the promised bounty
to help in payment. Besides this special
embarrassment in some cases, it will make
a total difference of at least a quarter of a
million dollars to the sugar makers of YER
mont next spring, quite a snug little sum,
and which they really ought to have for the
reason that the free sugar clause takes eff
feet April /. 1891. Now this is what the
maple sugar men tried to secure from the
committee on conference but at the time
understood that they had not succeeded,
Commissioner Mason's ruling must have
been surprise to you I"
1T was, of course, but / was glad of it,
for it promised to give just what we had
failed to get from the conference commit
tee, though | must confess l feared from
the first that it would not bring the bounty
next spring. a bounty on next springs
crop would make necessary an item in the
deficiency bill for the present fiscal year, to
pay the inspectors for the work of inspect
ing and weighing it, and what feared was
that, should the committee on appropriations
be persuaded to provide for it, when the
matter came up in the House the members
of the conference committee would antago-
nize It on the ground that it was not the
intention of the law TO pay bounty on
sugar produced before July l, 1891, and
very likely turn the item for an appropria-
ton into a clause constituting the law to that
effect
you think the view taken by the attor-
ney general correct y
Il have no doubt it is the sound legal
view though | have not seen the opinion.
The misfortune about this business is that
the commissioner should have been hurried
to a conclusion by the Importantly of the
people before he had time to look the matter
through in all its bearings"
''Do you know when the regulations re-
lating to the production of sugar will be
promulgated y
Soon after April first when the law
takes effect. There is really no law on the
subject till then. We know what il will be
then but in the meantime it is in allegiance.
| think the commissioner saw this after his
ruling and that he could not accept legal
bond or issue legal license under the act
before April LIST, as he had contemplated
doing, that producers might have the boun-
ty on all made after April LIST since to be
entitled to the bounty the sugar must be
produced under a license"
"Do you know anything of the character
of the regulations To be issued ~
81 have seen draft of them and can say
they are Of liberal character and believe
Commissioner Mason will administer the law
in IA liberal way with as few technical re-
quiremeuts aud as little red tape as possible.
! know he expects that all maple sugar will
receive a bounty, and can say that the reg
ulations will be such that small producers
can form co-partnership and present their
product in the required quantity for boun-