Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-10-12

laws faithfully executed.
We are assembled in regular biennial
session to assist each other in encour.
aging such government in Vermont ano
under Divine guidance let US enter upo1
the work Of such an undertaking.
United states Senator.
Among your duties will be the election oi
a United States senator for the term OF
six years from the fourth day of March
next to succeed the Hon. Justin S. Nor
rill.
Finances.
This is probably the most interesting
subject, all in all, you will consider, anG
from time immemorial has been in
stinctively accorded first position among
the message topics of my honored pred
cessorS.
Receipts, disbursements, resources ant
liabilities are words suggesting the ms
outs, reliability and emergency of thu
eXchequer. Mia afp9flab 5a0i
They are the ways and means language
Of public financiering; four words in the
treasurers report to which your most
careful attention is directed, standing
for revenue, appropriation, dependence
and credit.
The money supply now occupying 81
much thought invites an equally earnes,
consideration Of it's use, wherein lies thu
value.
In raising and apppropriating the pub
lie moneys be just and prudent avoid
both extravaganza and parsimony; keeI
the resources secure and the credit firm
Taxation.
Our revenue flows into the treasury
from various sources, and out in various
ways. Instead Of presenting to you a
statement from the treasurer's report
showing it's different features, it seems
better that you should examine it for
yourselves It is brief and able, rem
dering clearer the particular workings
of the treasury than any abridgement
of it I can furnish you.
From resources and liabilities given,
you will be able to determine the state
tax, additional to other taxes, necessary
to defray the expenses of the state fer
the ensuing biennial term.
This tax should not be larger than
was assessed in 1894, assuming list to be
nearly or quite the same, and if upon re-
adjustment, corporation taxes should
be increased, special appropriations kept
at the minimum, so that ordinary ex-
penses can be the expectation, a smaller
tax will suffice. This calculation en-
counters the proverbia1 if. 1t depends
upon the work of the session, and before
we reach the state tax question you will
know by your own conduct how large il
should be.
Corporation Taxes and the Tax Com
missioner's Report
Thirteen annual taxes have been col
lected under the corporation tax law,
the first in 1883, amounting to $196, ,678.51
and the last in 1895, amounting to $780,
72304. The tax for the last biennial
period was $134, 572.S1, being $42, ,351. G.
more than for the preceding biennial
period These taxes show uniform in
crease, are cheerfully paid and are i'm
portant to the state. They should be SO
assessed and collected as to deal justly
by the corporations paying them, and at
the same time so as to realize for the
state in proportion to the protection
afforded. An inquiry into the equality
Of assessment is suggested as a proper
investigation.
The assessment and collection Of the
corporation taxes, constituting toward
u per cent of the states revenue, is
very important official duty. The faith
fulness with which the work is done sig
nifies much TO the treasury. Your at
tention is directed to the commissioners
report for the information it affords con-
cerning this source of income.
The Five Per Cent State Taxes.
These taxes are equalizers of the
school and highway burdens in the diff
ferent towns Of the state. They are
drafts upon the stronger in favor of the
weaker Steps in the direction of true
democracy is calculated to strengthen
our education and improve our roads.
This plan for upbuilding the state, al