Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-10-13
Gov, Grout'S VnlcdiCtory.

at the conclusion of his term of office, Is
che of the principal features of the OPEN
ing exercises of the legislative session. 1T
is criticised by many as u useless proceed
ing and tax upon the time and patience
Of our legislators. There is an element of
truth In this structure, especially where a
governors valedlctory Is unnecessarily
and ineXcusably long and prolix. But the
valedctory OF n retiring executive serves
ing quite generally enforced with respect
to members of both branches of the Leg
stature as well as to the occupant of the
executive mansion, a large proportion of
our lawmakers go to the capital having
comparatively slight knowledge of the
varied interests and Institutions of our
State, and an utterly inadequate concep-
ton of the duties confronting them. Any
governor is a poor executive who fails to
learn many valuable lessons with refer
encc. to the problems of state in the
course of his administration, and but for
the gubernatoria valedlctory those les
sons would be lost. Summarized intelli-
gently and concsely in n message to the
representatives of the people, the sugges-
lions and recommendations of the retiring
governor not only have large intrinsic
value for the general public, showing
what has been accomplished during the
two years preceding; but they are also
helpful to the Legislature with reference
TO new legislation. particularly to those
members without previous legislative ex-
periencc.
Gov. CIRCUITS valcdctory covers an I'M
usually important period in the history Of
the State and nation, and 1t is of more
than ordinary length. After preliminary
remarks, the first place is given to the
subject of taxation. Gov. Grout consoles
those who charge that we are enjoying
too much or departing too far from the
economy of the fathers, with the state
ment that the direct tax upon the people
for State purposes is less than in the
times with which the present is COM
pared. AS regards double taxation, he
holds that we in reality are afflicted with
no such thing. lie claims that the mort
gagor in whose name real estate stands
in paying taxes on its fun appraised value
while having Indebtedness above his per-
sonal property, which, If applied against
his rcl, estate, would reduce his taxable
list, is in reality not paying twice, but
paying a tax on what he does not own.
lnasmuch as the mortgage is also sup
posed to pay tax on the portion which
the mortgagor does not own, double tax
alton would seem to exist so far as that
portion IS concerned But be this as It
may. the remedy suggested is interesting.
GOV. Grout would solve the whole prob
lom by allowing an offset against real
estate. This IS exactly opposite to the
idea of relieving mortgages from taxa
ton entirely, and yet strangely enough
the results which the advocates of both
systems claim would follow the adoption
thereof, are very similar.
Another subject which receives consld-
GRAFTON at length in Gov CIRCUITS message
Is that of our National Guard. He shows
how the First Vermont regiment was
handicapped owing to our methods of or
ganlsation, and says maintenance of oui
present guard. which has cost the State
from $1,000 TO $4,000 per year, was suf'
hcicnt for parade purposes, but did not
prove equal to actual service, not because
of quality, but owing to an insufficient
organization. lie recommends u guart
organization sufficient in number to con
st.tute maximum regiment for the Uni
ted States service, which in his estimation
will call for a guard twice as large a:
that now authorized by law, excluding
the battery. In order to maintain THU
force under the conditions of our popula
tion, he thinks the companies will have I,
be small, probably no larger than author
lied by existing laws, and twice as nu
morous, properly distributed over tn
State which would make two ivs.ment
of the same size as at present authorized
Gov. Grout also suggests that the con
tract of enlistment be such as to rende
the men enlisted under it subject to tn
call of the President, without further en-
lstment, and that possibly the organiza
ton should be made under II nationa
statute so that 1t should constitute a par
of the regular army. If the State doe
not feel able to maintain n Nationa
Guard of this character he says it bette
do without one.
With reference to good roads Gov. Grou
calls attention to the fact that the sS1,
0oo of state money annually Distribute
among towns for permanent road worl
is too frequently used 10 patch roads an
in somc instances for ordinary town pur
poses. He expresses the opinion that tn
roads Of the State have been noticeabl
improved during the past decade, bu
there Is still great room for Improvement
Gov Grout believes that State road mon
cy should be expended under State super
vision. and that If the tax was raise
from to IL per cent, and every dollar o
the 100000 expended under competent su
pervislon the State would enter upon
new era of prosperity. 1t is slgniican
that these suggestions for read improve
ment are in line with the recommends
lions of Gov. Smith and the espresso
views of some of the leading men no,
members of the Legislature. 1t is reason
able to expect, therefore, that a stron
effort will be made to embody some o
these ideas in a revised road law.
Gov. CIRCUITS sentiments regarding pro
hibition Will commend themselves to
large proportion of our people. He hold
, the law to be vital to the welfare of on
society and finds that it is fiagrantly vic
= lated in only few communities. Ate