The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-05-13
Candidate GrOut and the Schools.

1.-THE Montpelier Waterman is opposing
Major Circuit for governor on the ground
(among other reasons) that he is opposed to
the state school tax. We do not know
whether as matter of fact Major Grout is op-
posed to this tax or not But we sincerely
hope that he liz -aost other men OF oonse
and ability: % opposed to this communistic
system. II so, it is one more good reason
for p' Choosing him for governor. As the sys-
t.-n costs Burlington $4,000 per year, our
people have exactly ten thousand reasons
for favoring Major Circuit"
The foregoing is from the Burlington
Ne,os, one Of the daily papers recently re-
ferred to that is supporting Major Grout
for governor and denouncing the five
per cent state school tax, assessed for
the purpose of equalizing taxation for
support of the schools in the state at
large, as the town system does in the
town. Under the old district system,
many districts having a small grand
list paid an enormous percentage of
their taxable property for the support
of schools and at the best had poor and
inefficient schools, while districts with
large grand list supported good schools
at low rate OF taxation. The town
system wiped out this inequality and
injustice by equalizing taxation for
schools, just as taxation had always
been equal for maintaining the high
ways. supporting the poor, and every
other town expense. Many of the
towns were in the condition the poor
districts had been. They had small
grand list and the tax rate for schools
was high. Their neighbors, with large
grand lists, sustained excellent schools
ct relatively low tax rate. The five
per cent state school tax was designed
as an evener; to lessen the burdens of
the poorer towns and give them better
schools.
This benefcent law, the News, a
leading Grout organ in the wealthiest
and most populous community in the
state, rich in school privileges and
reveling in wealth bestowed for school
purposes, denounces as communistic.r
1t sincerely hopes" that Grout SIS
opposed to this communistic SYSTEM;
and if he is, sees in this fact " one more
good reason for choosing him for gov
ernor." But the two hundred, more or
less, rural towns to whom the crumbs
that fall from this sneering Dives
table of rich things would be feast,
onH for Uhnoa hanaGt fh;a Low
enacted, will take different view of
this matter, and they will enforce that
view at the June convention.
School reform had been for years
leading issue in the Vermont legisla.
ture. No other approached it in real
Importance. On other occasions, in
some crisis in the progress of this re-
form, Major Grout has been on the
side of it's enemies and has contributed
to their aid and comfort, and to their
temporary success. AT this same SEES
sion OF the legislature, in 1892, the free
Textbook bill, after many defeats, had
passed the house. 1t went to the senate.
1t came up in that body for final action
on the forenoon of the last day of the
session. Senator Grout requested that
the bill be ordered to lie; there were
some sections he would like to exam
Inc more particularly before voting.
The bill was never heard from again.
1t never emerged from Senator CIRCUITS
possession. In his hands, on an order
to lie, the Inflated measure was effect
ually chloroformed. 1t was not the
first time he had been employed in
similar tactics to defeat progressive leg
islation. After years of agitation, and
after many defeats, bill for the re-
form of the states school system was
advanced to its third reading in the
closing days of the session of 1884.
There had been many hearings on the
subject during the session. The gen.