Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-11-25

ton is considered the stronger the
sentiment grows that the present sys.
TEN is radically wrong and warrants
an early change to something different
and better.
Advocates of the justice of double
taxation are very few; advocates of its
wisdom under existing conditions are
more numerous. The argument COM
monty urged against repeal is, 1--WE
admit the injustice, but what is the
remcdy2 Show us plan that is not
frauoht with danger and we will follow
it Yet these very persons are the
strongest opponents of any official and
exhaustive inquiry after facts on which
to base change and at heart are com
mitted to the present system, wrong
though il be. In Massachusetts, COM
mission was appointed to recommend
alterations in the tax laws and has just
made It's report. In Vermont, prop
osition for similar board Of inquiry
was promptly squelched and its author
the governor himsclf-snubbed for
/ his presumption. One cannot repress
a feeling of resentment against those
who fear to have the light turned on.
Another argument is, The farmers
are always in the majority in the legis-
lature Ifthcy are convinced that the
system is burdcnsome to chem, why
don't they repeal it?" This is indeed
difficult to answer in any way com
mandatory of the farmer as an instru-
ment in legislation. II is an unlortu-
nate fact that the influence of the farm
ers in law-making bears little relation
to their numerical strength Then,
too, the farmer who represents his
town is not usually the dcbt-ridden,
mortgagc-burdened farmer to which
class large proportion Of the farmers
/ belong, but one on whom fortune has
smiled, who is often money lender
himself, instead ola borrower, and
who could not be expected TO see the
/ injustice of the law with the same
vyidness Ms some Of his less opulent
neighbors
One of the most specious objections
to repeal was one Of the most potent at
the last session. 1t was in effect that
if money borrowed on real estate Sc
eurity were exempted from taxation
our farmers would all mortgage their
farms and send the money out of the
state where il could not be taxed. Did
anyone ever hear OF 4 merchant Dor
rowing money on the security Of his
goods and thus dispo>ing oft TO dodge
taxation? He could easily do it under
the present law, which eXcmptS his
debts. but does not the farmers.
Ii is manilestly to the advantage Of
every taxpayer to make somebody else
pay rs big a proportion Of the taxes as
possible. Accordingly, every increase
in the grand listis welcomed andeycry
reduction lamcnted. This is well
enough when grand list represents
property, but rather different, in ethics,
atleast, when it represents debts. To
Illustrate:
\ has farm appraised at $1,000; b
ono listed al $1,000; and G owns prop
crty appraised at $1,000. Their COM
bincd list is $1,000 Supposing the
tax rate to be POO cents on the dollar,
4 pays $40: b and c each $40. Now !
suppose that 4 and b exchange farms.
\ giving b a mortgage for the $1,000 /
difference in value. Under the pres
cnt law their respective lists would be
=, GOO each, A and y both being taxed 4
on the $1,000 mortgage The COM
bincd lists Of a, i and would now be 4
$4,000 and IL The tax raised was the
same in amount the tax rate would fall
10 one and two-thirds per cent. BIS
and C's tax would be S3S.33 instead of
; 10, while As would be S33.:,3. instead
OF $50. Hence it is easy To- see why
b, the mortgage. and 4 the neutral
party, are Interested in preserving the
present law. Nor does A. payment oil
the taxes save him anything in inter X
est for he still has to pay per cent. \
though the merchant who also paws
only e per cent escapes taxation to the
of his debt
These are some of the factors that
have operated to continue double-tax-
alton. However, we hope to see an
enlightened and aroused public >enu-
mcnt g strongly manifested that ne /
next legislature viii either take The
+ spon,ibility Of repeal itself 81 au-
.horizc q commission 10 study an the
facts and make such recommendation
ls conditions warrant Asa variety OH
remedies have bppu ofFarc7 ,a,..I o.,