Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-10-30
THURSDAY EVENING.
The ve.ed Question of Double Taxation.


The veHed Question of Double Taxation.
The grand list committee of the house
and the land tax committee of the senate
are still wrestling With the double taxation
problem. Several new bills on the subject
have appeared the past week. One pro-
vides that money loaned by savings banks
on real estate mortgages shall be set to the
banks in the grand list as real estate, and
that the aggregate amount so loaned by the
banks in Vermont shall be deducted from
the amount on which they are subject to
the state corporation tax. AS the banks
are required by law to invest a certain por-
ton of their assets in Vermont real estate
mortgages it is claimed that they would
still supply their customers in this line, al
though perhaps preferring investments of
other classes. The stump that this propo-
sition runs against the hardest would seem
to be the great inequality in the rate OF
taxation in the different towns. With
two-dollar tax rate -.s1s2sss,fs saAss
dollar rate in VernSin Jamaica and a one
suppose that all .on it is quite natural to
eren< blenders would have pref
- zee as between the two towns if the
amount of tax was to come out of interest
returns. 1t thus might happen that the
very persons who most need relief from the
burdens of so-called double taxation would
find the burdens all the heavier under the
proposed change. Another proposes. rem
edy is to exempt from taxation 'sFrmoney
loaned on real estate at rate of interest
not exceeding four and one-half per cent.
The PrOhibitOry Law.
Another question which Is apparently
coming in for a good deal of discussion,
and which is equally hard to fix just right,
is the prohibitory law. The most radical
change is that proposed by Senator
Durkee of Franklin county in senate bill
5, which provides that person selling,
furnishing or giving away intoxicating
liquor or cider shall be fined for each Of
fence not more than $500 and not less
than 500, and also be imprisoned not
more than one year and not less than six
months. This bill has been ordered for
the third reading tomorrow by the senate,
but will probably be the subject of discus
sion when it comes up for passage, and
will meet opposition from those friends of
the temperance cause who believe that
what we need at present is not more law
but more backbone in the MI ~ of en-
forcement.
Another proposition is that TOW grand
jurors and states attorneys shall be re-
quired to institute search in all cases of
suspected violation without waiting for a
| complaint. 1t is also proposed that pros
ecuting officers should not receive fees In
cases of appeal TO higher court unless the
| trial should result in conviction. 1t Is
said to be quite common practice for
| liquor dealers t. take appeals with the eX-
pectation that when this case is called for
trial the states attorney will not be able
| to produce the witnesses necessary to con-
vict. 1t is claimed that in some counties
the witnesses would be more likely to be
| forthcoming if the fees of the prosecuting
officer were contingent in the matter.
In the other direction comes the usual
bill to regulate the sale of Intoxicating
| liquors, and providing that towns so vot-
ing may grant licenses to sell liquor to all
persons making good use of it, The friends
of person making bad use of liquor may
| give notice to the dealer not to sell to such
person and if such notice is violated they
may recover damages to the extent of 500
or more. The license fees may vary from
| $50 to $1,000, three-fourths of such fees to
go to the town and one-fourth to the state.
BrattIebOrO Street Railroad Extension.
Mr.. Haskins has introduced bill pro-
viding that the Brattleboro Street Railway
company may extend its lines in Brattle-
boro, Vernon and Guilford, to the west
line of New Hampshire or the north line
of Massachusetts,, and in Brattleboro,
Marlboro and Wilmington to the village of
Wilmington. The company may con-
struct necessary power plant for that
purpose, may transport passengers, freight,
express and mail matter, and may increase
its capital stock to an amount not exceed
ing $1,000 per mile of road constructed.
The towns of Brattleboro, Guilford, Yer
non, Marlboro and Wilmington may aid
the enterprise to an extent not exceeding
eight times their grand list.
The house and senate committees on
education have material enough on hand
in the shape of bills to destroy the present
school system and construct an entirely
different one in its place. They are hear
ing the views of all who appear before
them and will report their conclusions in
the shape of bill later in the session, if in
their judgment changes are needed. 1t
seems to be the impression, however,
| that the opposition to the town system Is