Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-03-08
ANNUAL TOWN


|farm, but Mr.. Jackson would not have 1t,
saying that he knew nothing of farming,
and it was well to let well enough alone.
1t was then moved hat w. N. Cady have
control of the farm. The name of L. B.
Boardman was also suggested for the
place, but after o. f. Comstock and w.
II. Bliss had called attention to the law
which left the farm in the hands of the
selectmen, the matter was dropped.
. Charles Seeley was elected first consta-
BILE, and f. Nj. Day second constable.
They were voted the jurisdiction of the
state.
w. II. Bliss moved that the taxes be
paid to the treasurer, as this method had
proved a good one, and it was so voted.
An effort was now made to reflect last
wears listers in a body, but this propo-
sition met with decided objection. w.
r. Newton nominated G.. ID. Miner and
he was elected, as was also A. X. Carr,
for third member of the board. The
names of NJ. X. Moore, George II. FL
dredge and George Hammond were pre-
sonted. The first ballot showed 269
votes. George ii. Eldredge had 1876, M.
X. Moore 103, and George Hammond
40. Before the second ballot Mr.. Ham
mond withdrew. On second ballot, Mr..
Eldridge had 157 votes and was elected.
Mr.. Moore received 81.
The following resolution was pre-
scented by r. C. Severance:
Resolved, That this meering authorize the
listers to assess tho college property in town
except what is on the college campus, and
that f1, nnt,f4, hg IN NnG the same nI nfhnts
residents of the town.
The discussion was opend by Mr..
Bliss, who stated in substance that he
was not in favor of discrimination in
taxation, and while disclaiming any
accurate knowledge OF the matter, said
he believed that property owned by the
college outside the campus, not used for
educational purposes, and from which
the college drew an income, ought to be
set in the list and taxed like other
property. He understood that there was
quite a large amount of such property;
lust how much he did not know. He
did not think it was right that such out
lying property, although held for the
benefit of a college which we all deem
to be a noble institution and whose well
fare we ave at heart, ought to be re-
lieved of a lawful burden that is there
by thrown upon people, many of whom
are little able to bear it. Nevertheless,
he should move to lay this resolution at
this time on the table for the fol-
lowing reasons; In the first place he
doubted the power OF the town in
meeting, and especially withoug warn
ing, to instruct the listers in this way.
1t was the duty of the listers to set tax
able real estate in the list and leave un-
taxable real estate out of the list, and
no resolution of the town could alter
their duty In hat respect. If they made
an illegal list by leaving out taxable
property or by introducing property MOI
taxable, any taxpayer, in the one case,
and the party taxed for the untaxablt
, property in the other, could raise the
question by refusing to pay his tax. Ii
. the list is Illegal, taxes cannot be col
lected under it. The town has no power
to authorize the listt RS to make an illegal
, list; therefore he thought it was tire
duty of the listers to ascertain, by pro-
fessional advice if necessary, what real
estate claimed to be exempt from tax
alton really is so, and proceed accori-
ingly. Next he said that he understood
that this matter would probably have lC
. be settled by law, and without claiming
accurate Information he understood thu
> in the town of Mortified they weit
raising the same question and that lit
u CATION was almost certain to grow out G
If rho nrnsppt Npar md thar nrnhahlg
j, the first decision of the supreme court o,
the subject would settle the question TO
all similar cases in the state; and that i
s Mortified settled This question it woulr
. save US the expense of litigation, and h
thought 1t better that some other cats
paw han ours should pull this chestnu
out of the Goals. He said further that
the town had any authority to act il
+ this matter it ought to b. upon a care
5 fully drawn and carefully considere,
resolution, and not upon one got u
n like the present in the meeting, withou
that care and preparation which 81
grave a subject demanded. He wa
afraid that if we did go to law upon tn
n question and this resolution 5ecam
n material in the litigation, ii might b
: found defective. For these reasons h
moved to lay the resolution on the table
v The resolution was supported by f. {
Severance and others upon the ground
q as stated by Mr.. Severance, that it wa
morally certain that the other tax pay
ers were carrying a burden that belonge
to the college to carry and had been 70
q many years, and that they had a presen
legal right to be reliey ed. That whethe
lawful or unlawful, while the colleg