Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-05

To the Editor Of the Free Press;
l notice in your last Issue tue following
criticism in regard to that portion Of my
address to the State grange which relates to
"Road improvement"
MIR. Mcssers expressions in relation to the
virtues of the new road law and its probable
effect in the Improvement of our highways
ore commentaries We are sorry 10 sec, how
ever. that he uses language which is cnlcu
lated To increase the feeling among farmers
that they will bear moro than their Just share
Of the expense Of improving the roads. As to
the question of advantage, better roads will
help turner's more than ali other glasses com
hined, IN the easier hauling of their products
to market and their travel to the villages
about them for other purposes. Probably
hundred pcOple,Ht le0st,driv into Burlington,
for instance, from, surrounding towns whore
one drives out and the same thing is undouht-
edIy true OF other large towns. so much for
the comparative advantage of road improve
ment to various classes"
do not object in the least to this criti-
cism, | am glad to zee all sides presented,
because l believe that q free discussion will
10 Of much benefit to all parties interested
in good roeds. But that l am not alone in
my views OF unequal taxation in regard to
roads, aud that farmers are not the only
class to be benefited by good roads is shown
from the following extract which | clip
from Primes Crop Bulletin Of December 10,
by S. Thornton X. Prime, general Western
secretary of the National League for Good
Roads. Secretary Primo says:
u am getting tired Of reading so much
about the great benefits that farmers are
going TO derry. from this new era of good
!slRtion for special cassce," and We hear u
great deal of TAX about the agricultural
classes and the laboring classes in fact every
thing seems 10 be running in class direc-
ton and in this road movement want to see
some plan devised by which the burden OF tax
alton viii he divided among all classes. II is
true TINT the farm needs good roads at all
seasons of the year, but no is generally 90
fixed that when they pre bad lie waits until
they get better. But just look at the condl-
ton OF the pc Pile who are watching and wait
ing for him to come into town with bis pro-
duce; Look ali over This country to-day. Think
Of the vast stocks OF all kinds OF lnerchan-
dis, both u-etu, and ornume ntal, which have
been bought for the no. days. suppose that
the week before Christmas should prove
rain should fall. break up our roads ads
and they become impossible, the amount OF
goods unsala ble and In many instances which
Ron is beyond computation. Hence, the coun-
try merchant is just as much morally obi
hard road as the farmer Then the city NOR
chant who has sold these stocks of gnois 10
the Interior - Watching anXiously for the pay
ment Of these bills and he also greatly ems
bSrraS-es tie manufacturer and importer
i the accounts are not PROMPTLY settled.
Then the railroads become involved; their re-
ceipts fall OF. thvr cars stand idle on the sida
trucks md We see general stagnaton Of
b, siness; all traceehle t. a Frs cause, but all
can De r"mcat by a division OF the burden.
This is the brond view that we must take of
this question which IL now being thorough
ly asitated, and likely t, come mp for discus
sion at several of our state Legislatures this
winter.
This TO me is q fair worded and reason
able view of the case and plainly shows that
farmers will not be benefited by good roads
more than all other classes combined ~
Respectfully yours, ALpnA MEssER.
Rochester, Dec. 80 1892.
We had supposed that tho burden OF tax
alton for roads as well as other expenses of
a town was divided among all asses in
that town, but we are asked to believe that
such is not the case. Just how the burden Of
taxation is or will be unequal Is not stated
however. Mr.. Prime did not stop to draw
the Legitimate conclusions which would ratu-
rally follow from bis line of argument He
shows that the city merchant the manu- fac
turer, and the importer are equally inter
ested in good roads in the country and &C.
cording to his reasoning they should Of
course help to support good roads, but how
are residents OF other States to be com
PEELED TO help maintain Vermonts rondss
y
ed he would be benefited by improved roads
and he is supposed to pay his just share OF
taxes in the town in which be resides. He
does bear bis part OF the burden Of taxation
uuess he ID tax dodger and the tax dodger
is found among all classes. This is the only
way in which the burden OF taxation for
road Improvement can be unjustly divided
in any one town, but the number OF mer-
chants in a country town is SO small that
they can hardly furnish the basis for this
talk about taxation.
Mr.. Messer's statement in relation TO
unequal taxation is somewh hat indefinite, but
the logical inference is that BE would have
the cities and larger towns help tho small er
and poorer towns build roads. 1t would be
nauifestly unjust for instance to call upon
| Burlington to help Colchester and Williston
aud South Burlingto and Shelburns and
other towns in the county to help build
roads when it has all that it can do to keep
its own streets in fair condition, and SO with
other large towns. This would be unequal
taxation with a vengeance. There is a law,
as already stated in these columns through
which towns overburdsuod by the expense
OF thoir roads can secure aid from the State.
Otherwise each town must take care OF it.
own roads, no matter whether it is a granite
| town like Barre or an agricultural town
! like Charlotte or city Ike Burlington.
Neither MIR. Prime nor Mr. Mcsser has
shown that farmers would not loo benefited
by good roads more than all other clasee,
combined, yet we think all classes will la
benefited and all classes should bs found
ready to bear their just portion OF the bur
den of taxation necessary to secure i'm
proved roads If any cases arise in which
the opposite is true we shall DO glad to print
the facts.
Ewes DauhGters.
NI,.;z. - ,,.,.aa 100