The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-05-26
the reasons for Withholding his official

sonal property, are taxed i've per cent.
An exception is made when the inherit
ors are perents or children, and in
few other specified cases. In such
cases the tax is made one per cent, at
plying, however, only to personal prop
erty above $4,000 in value. The pro-
posed law increased the FIVE per cent
tax upon personal property after it had
reached $500, 900 in value one per cent
for every S250,000, or major fraction,
until the increased rate reached fifteen |
per cent 1t also increased the one per |
cent tax till it reached ten per cent, the
increase beginning when the estate
was worth 81 900, 900, and increasing at
the rate of one half of one per cent for
every $3.50, 900, till it reached 81, 800, 0OO
Thereafter the increase was one per
cent for every $25O,OO0 till the ten per
cent limit was reached.
Governor Black contends, in the first
place, that New York is not in need
of money, that the State tax rate is
comparatively low, is tending down.
ward, and as the measure affects only
the State tax it is not justified by cir
cumstances relating to state revenue
and expenditure. But his objection to
the bill on the general principles I'M
DERIVING taxation will have the greater
interest outside of New York, as we'll
as within that State. Briefly summar-
lied, his reasons are these: ~
D 1t will not prove to be remedy
for the evasion of taxation by personal
property. Personal property is taxed
under the laws; if the laws were prop
erly enforced there would be but little
evasion; personal property in some
cases pays it's share; to reach those
who evade payment, this law would
punish those who have already paid.
The State ought not to confess that it
is powerless to enforce its laws except
by grouping the innocent and guilty
together and Furnishing the whole.
(2) The law might impose most seri-
GUS hardship. The death of persons
living to All advanced age is soon fol-
lowed by the death of successor in the
direct line of descent. This law would
deduct ten per cent upon large estates
for each death, so that, in case Of two
deaths, one-ffth of the entire property
would be appropriated to the State,
and this perhaps upon property that
once had paid its full tax. In cases
where the tax is fifteen per cent, the
amount taken would be much larger.
The State should not create such con-
tingency without the amplest justifica.
ton.
(G The rate proposed is not uniform.
There is no reason why one mans dol
lar should pay more than another mans
There is no reason why the last million
dollars of a mans property should pay
more than the first million. The die.
elimination between the two is pen
atty, not a tax. Under this bill an in.
heritance of million dollars would pay
a tax OF SIC, 1000; an inheritance of -four
million dollars would pay $500, 900; the
inheritance is only four times as large
but the tax would be forty times as
much. elf this is constitutional il
ought not to be-" In this country
equality is demanded in all things, and
taxation must certainly be included.
Governor Black disputes the claim
that the rich are growing richer, and
the poor poorer, claim sometimes ad.
vanced in support of communistic OF
demagogic measures like this inheri.
lance tax bill he has been brave and
wise enough to defeat. If it were
true, he said, it would have no bearing.
Poverty is not increasing but the accu.
mutations of the industrious are stead
lily on the gain. He denies further that
the rich people receive greater protec.
ton from the Government, according
to their property, than the poor, and
enforces his denial by illustrations
drawn from public expenditure for fire
and police protection and for the
schools, which people of large means
can provide for themselves, by private
expenditure, while people of moderate
means depend very largely upon the
Government for these advantages. The
danger that rich men might leave the
State if this bill should become law
would have no weight, provided the
measure was just. "Taxation," the
Governor says, "should be fairly inn
posed, even though the rich might pre-
fer to leave the State rather than beal
their share, but we should be sure 9
measure is equitable before we face the
risk OF driving millions of property now
in this State into adjoining common
wealths.' In conclusion Governor
Black expresses the belief that every
dollar should pay its equal share of the
burdens of government, and if the laws