Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-11-27
THE LEGISLATURE.
Our Montpelier Letter.
The Session of 1896 is Now a
Matter of History.

Question---Refusal to Increase the
stringency of the Prohibitory Law
A Saving the Wrong Way in Ex-
pense of the State Boards---A List OF
All Public Bills Enacted, and a Re-
view of Measures that Failed.
MONTPELIER, Nov. %.
While the legislators entered upon their
last week of session with large amount of
work on hand it was mostly of routine
nature. There were no great questions
confronting them, the settlement of which
was absolutely necessary, like the bovine
tuberculosis question of 1894 and the school
and highway questions of 1892. Most of
their work was of the kind that could be
laid down at any time as easily as a wom-
ans embroidery or knitting and with as
little detriment to public interests. There
was an absence, therefore, of the hurry and
excitement that usually characterize the
closing days of legislative session. The
night session lasted till nearly o'clock,
but was the occasion of the transaction of
but little business, large portion of the
time being taken in recesses, mock ses-
sions, story telling and song singing. 1t
was only prolonged to that hour that the
governor might have opportunity to exam
inc the bills passed and make any COM
munications that he wished to the two
bodies.
The unsuccessful measure which per-
haps will be remembered longest by its
distinctive title was senate bill 5. 1t pro-
vided that all violations of the liquor law
should be placed on the same basis and
subject to a penalty of $50 fine and one to
three months Imprisonment for every Of
fence. 1t was very freely discussed in the
senate, and after passing through many
stages of consideration and reconsideration
passed that body by the deciding vote OF
Lieut. Gov. Fisk. Some of the senators,
not liking to go on record against tenn
perance measure, but believing that the
same moral sentiment which fails to stand
behind the present law would be less likely
to respond to one so much more stringent,
tried hard to have the bill. amended so that
the imprisonment clause might be left op-
tional with the court to enforce, but with
out success. When the bill reached the
house it was the subject Sof long and stir
ring debate, but was defeated by vote of
1874 to 81. 1t is a somewhat curious fact,
shown by the records in the state auditors
office, that the large towns in the Second
congressional district quite thoroughly en-
force the present prohibitQry law while in
the large towns in the First district the
reverse condition exisu>. The second dis
trict borders on prohibitory New Hamp-
shire, the first on license New York.
The Vexed Double Taxation Question.
All of the various plans to relieve the
people burdened by double taxation were
sifted out as impracticable and dismissed
from serious consideration, except the plan
to exempt from taxation all money loaned
on real estate at a rate not exceeding At
per cent. This plan, it was said, had the
support of the grange interests, and it was
looked upon by the senate with consider
able favor, finally passing that body after
long discussion, by the casting vote of the
| lieutenant-governor. 1t was felt by some
of the senators that while the object sought
was desirable to be attained, the bill, as
passed, left loop holes through which
abuses might grow up. Nothing would
prevent the proprietors of block of build
ings worth 100000, now unincumbered,
from borrowing 100000 ON mortgage at At
per cent, and investing the money in Mass
| achusetts bank stock or some other species
| of property that would not be taxable in
| Vermont, and thus the 100000 borrowed
might drop entirely out of our list The
passage of the bill was consequently recon-
| sidered and an amendment ats ched stating
that the provisions of the bill should not
apply to indebtedness created after April /,
1897, except to Indebtedness created for
purchase money or to replace buildings de-
stroyed by fire. AS amended the bill failed
of passage. AT the same time like bill
was receiving a good deal of attention in
the house and met its defeat after very
elaborate statement made by the member
from Windsor, showing that under its pro-
visions, if enacted, a very large amount of
now taxable money would drop out of the
list and thus the very object sought to be
attained would be defeated in the much
| larger tax rate made necessary.
After the failure of all of the plans to
relieve the class of people suffering from
double taxation, Governor Grout was very
anxious to have the matter referred to a
commission with power to investigate and
report to the legislature of 1898. At his
suggestion a senator offered joint resolu-
tion providing for such commission con-
sisting of five members, which was adopted
unanimously by the senate and slaughtered
unanimously by the house The governor
then sent message to both bodies strong
ly urging his views in the matter. Where
upon the senate unanimously adopted an
other joint resolution providing for a SINH
lar commission of one member, which the
house, containing a majority of farmer
members, ruthlessly slaughtered with the
same unanimity. So ends the last attempt
to question the wisdom of the fathers in
declaring that real estate must be the basis
of taxation, but that all persons injured
thereby shall have relief by the exemption
of their personal property, if they have it,
to the full extent of their injury. And the
fathers are still ON top.
Another fruitful source of discussion in
the closing days was the bill reducing the
amount subject to trustee process from $40
to So. 1t passed the house by a good ma
jority, on the ground that there were a
good many dead beats who were taking ad-
vantage of the present law, and that the
bill would not hurt the honest man. The
senate refused TO pass the bill, believing the
laborer's right of protection just as sacred
as that of the owner of team or home
stead.
The house passed the bill providing fer
raising the limit of individual savings bank
deposits exempt from local taxation 10
$1,000. The bill was reported as a COM
mittee bill from the committee on banks,
and after very convincing statement made
by member of the committee TO the effect
that it was merely question of allo wing
money to be placed where the state was alb
solutely sure of getting a very good reve-
nue. from every dollar of it, or allowing il
to 60 where a large n0ERAgtiOn would sink
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