Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-02-25
Mrs. STETSoN,
Mrs. ENos, Committee.
Mrs. PAQUIN,
Newport, VT, February %, 1S9
Radiators at Vallee Brothers.

The annual report for this town is now
in the hands OF the voters who in a few
DAYS will be called upon to act on the
matters therein contained. The report
shows the financial condition of the
town and all that has been done the last
wear. In judging of any administration
of the town affairs and i'll making COM
parsons many things should be taken
into consideration. The expenses OF the
town now should not be compared with
what they used to be without TAX
ing INTO account the increased privileges
and benefits. For instance we can save
five or six hundred dollars by not having
electric lights, we could save something
by not foriendng against the danger by
fire; nobody can avoid the expense OF re-
pairing damages by extraordinary storms
and floods; we could expend less than
$4064.61 for schools, but not cent by
way of economical management, only by
taking from the coming generation part
OF that which i'll value cannot be com.
pared with money, for the report shows
that not cent has been squandered.
! 1t is unreasonable to suppose that
town with all modern improvements and
with the privileges and comforts that
!
without considerable expense, neithercan
the expense OF any department one year
be compared with another, nor can the
expenses of any department be antiCipa-
ted or estimated with any degree of ac-
| curacv because no one can tell what cir.
cumstances will he met to increase or de-
crease the expenses. For instance, during
the last year an unusual expense was H.
Cured in opening the Bcmis pent road.
| II it was wise to let one OF the principal
| thoroughiares through the town be OBJ
structed by halt-a-dozen gates, and TIN
wise to open it. then in one department
| five or six hundred dollars has been need
! lessly expended; ut the same time it is a
matter not considered in the ordinary
running expenses OF the town. OF course
| the proprietv of such expenditure is a
matter to be Judged of by the town. A
sudden and extraordinary influx OF pau
pers is a thing nobody can foresee and to
! keep appropriations down to the lowest
point based on what can be seen when
they are made seems to be unwise if not
penurious, because if more is appropria-
| ted than will be used it can very easily
be applied on the town Indebtedness. A
man who would calculate his income
with reference to what expenses he will
necessarily be Obliged to make, making
no allowance for sickness, interest
on his debt if he owes several thou
sand dollars, or any unforeseen emergency,
and then complain because he was get
ting deeper in debt, would most certainly
be called unreasonable. Therefore it
seems prudent that a larger tax should
be assessed as is recommended in the
hope that there will be something to APP
ply on the Indebtedness. Of course much
depends on good management. Good
fnanciering is essential and to get the
best services for the town requires man
in each position who has the most time
and best facilities and who is the best
adapted to the particular work of that
position, and they should be selected by
men acting entirely independent of per-
sonal motives. There should he no riv-
alrv for any position, neither should any
personal considerations enter into the Sc
lection. The only question should be
what man will do the work i'll this Office
the best and most economically. When a
town meeting is conducted simply as q
business transaction, as fnanciers would
. conduct any other business. then ano
only then can the pest results DC ObtdlHSu
To illustrate: A board of fence viewers
is to be constituted. A man is NOMINATED
whom everybody knows don't want II
and is not adapted to the work. He Is
elected with great enthusiasm and thu
actors feel that they have done c.
pleasant thing; another and another II
elected in like manner. During the tern
of their Office three or four parties hav'
important differences relating to thei
= line fences. This is subject about whicl
mer are more sensitive and tenacious o
! their rights than they are in respect t.
I most any other thing. There is 10 othe
convenient method OF adjusting these i'm
= portant differences and so they apply t.
! the fence viewers thus elected. One ate
!, another they decline to act, ust asevery
1 body knew and expected they would whe
:, they were elected. So that a town meet
ing is no place for frivolity, passion, pre-
S iudice or any NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Every
G thing ought to be done seriously, wit
candor care and Judgment, and with til
: same solicitude that individuals feel an
! exercise in conducting their individut
business.
Radiators at Vallee Brothers