Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-10-07
GOV, CIRCUITS FAREWELL,
Question of Double Taxation
Discussed.

Some OF the RtcOmme ndRtIOns Made
by GOV. Grout In his VaIedictory Mes
sage.
The farewell message of Gov. Grout fills
a pamphlet of 33 pages, and there are
added seven pages of official statistics in
an appendix. There is nothing of an alb
sorbing interest in the document, but sew
eral recommendations are made that APP
pear well worth considering.
He refers first to the state expenses, say
ing that the affairs of the state are eco.
nomically administered and suggests that
if expenditures seem large they are intend
ed to promote the general progress of the
state and contribute to its material pros
peritY.
The question of "double taxation" arts
ing from the fact that the owner of mort
gagged real estate pays taxes on its APP
praised value, and is not allowed to put in
his Indebtedness above his personal prop
erty appraisal in offset, and that the holder
of the mortgage notes pays tax on them,
is taken up at some length. Two means
of remedying this have been suggested-Lo
allow the Indebtedness to offset the real es-
tate appraisal or to exempt the notes from
taxation. Such exemption, he says, would
be too much to the money lenders advan
tage; none of the states has any plan by
which this inequality is wholly corrected,
and he ventures the opinion that "any
conceivable remedy would not fully relieve,
and disturb more than it would quiet"
Strictly speaking, he says, there is no such
thing as double taxation and it is then
deemed good policy to either prove the
error of the premises or cease agitation.
He recommends that Norwich univer-
sity "be given such state recognition as
will enable /: to enlarge the field of its use
fulness and enter upon a new era of pros
perity."
Every need should be provided for the
Industrial school.
The state prison ought to have more
farm lands and a warden's dwelling, for
which an appropriation was once made.
"Many conviCts can be safely employed at
farm labor, profitably to the state and to
great individual advantage"
Referring to prison reform he advises
that the board of directors of the state
prison should ascertain deserving cases
and recommend them for executive elem
ency and also that "a board of prison SUI
pervsors should be created, charged with
the duty of knowing through the sherffs
and other police officers of the state, the
faith with which such cOnvicts keep the
terms of their release and to finally recon-
mend full pardon to all whose lives prove
them worthy of restoration TO citizenship
He favors conditional pardOns of prison
ers, by which they are placed on their
good behavior, watched and finally treated
according to their deserts During his ad-
minislraliOn III applications for clemency
have been received and As prisoners have
been conditionaly released
Commitments to the house of correction
have cost Sl0,0S0.79, while if they had
been made by a warden, which could have
been done without an additional force,
from 5000 to $1,000 could have been saved.
If the same change were made with COM
mitments to the state prison the amount
saved would be larger.
A radical change of administration,
which in many respects must be consid
cred an improvement, is reported at the
Waterbury asylum. The lack of ground:
for exercising patients and more farm ter
ritory upon which the labor of the inmates
can be utilized are mentioned.
In regard to the Brattleboro Retreat
Gov. Grout says: Few establishment.
Of the kind in the country are superior tC
this retreat, in location, equipment, sur
a retreat Astounding in conveniences and
comforts. The state has about 100 pa
tients in this institution, and the countie!
of Windham, Windsor, Bennington anC
Rutland are authorized to send all case,
arising within their jurisdiction to thi.
asylum. This arrangement was made be
cause the asylum at Waterbury was in
crowded condition and the retreat is useC
to accommodate the overflow, the under
standing being that whenever there il
room at the state institution it shall be oc
cupied by these cases"
A cordial support is recommended fo
the soldiers home, and the work of tn,
fish hatchery is commended. The ques
ton is raised whether the compensation
of the railroad commission should not b,
restored to the old basis. State aid is rec
commended for the laboratory work com
menced by the state board of health II,
advises that the appropriation for stat,
benefciaries, deaf, dumb, blind and feeble
minded, which amounted to 500, 700 TO
his biennial term, be made in one genera
sum, to be expended according to tn
judgment of a commissioner instead of be
ing apportioned among the different classe
by the legislature.
Nearly five pages are devoted to the Ma
tional Guard, showing what was dom
when ii was called out by the government
explaining why it was not fully equipped
and uniformed, and recommending
change in the system, by which the militia
shall be organized into two regiments anC
made equal to the requirements of actua
service.
The Battery property has been turned
over to the government, and he asks il
legislation provided for the Reorganization
of the militia the battery be omitted.
The camp ground at Fort Ethan Allel
has been fitted with buildings for perma
nent use, S2Ol5 being donated for tina
purpose by citizens of Burlington an
$1,000 being drawn from the state treasury
Highway improvement is strongly urge
as great advantage to the state and it
suggested that the highway commission b
revised.
While admitting that the prohibition
law is flagrantly violated in some sections
with the full knowledge of the officials, h
believes the law can be enforced whe
complainant, prosecutor, witness, judge
jury and citizen cooperate to enforce it.
He thinks that little good has been az
complished by the expenditure of betwee
10000 and $4,000 for the extermnatio
of Tuberculosis, and advises that if thes
efforts are to be continued the tests for tn
disease be made compulsory.
A strong TemOnslT rance Is made agans
the vicious practice of granting charter
by the legislature when the corporatio
can be Incorporated under the general Law
Legislation for the rigid control of cat
III