Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-30
TAXATION AND TUBERCULOSIS
Discussed at Joint Meeting Of Agricul-
tural Committee and the Farmers.

r
Montpelier, Oct. N.-The agricultural
committee meeting and the regular week
~ gathering of the farmers was held to-
gother this evening in Representatives
hall. Representative Russell of Rutland
town. chairman of the Farmers assoCia-
ton, presided and with him sat Chairman
Dean OF the agricultural committee. The
subject of taxation was first discussed.
MIR Gale OF Guilford spoke of taxing n
gasolene engine for cutting Unsilage own
ed by farmers. In his town the farmers
considered these engines necessary there
fore exempt from taxation but the listers
assessed them. MIR. Kendall of West
Windsor said these engines are not taxed
In his town. Mr.. Dunklee of Vernon and
Mr.. Vaughn of Pomfret made a similar
report. 1t was suggested that Mr. Gale
draft a bill specifying what farm implc-
ments or machinery shall be exempt from
taxation.
| Mr.. White of Woodstock spoke of the
| provisions of his corporation tax bill now
| in the hands of the committee, which is
| intended to relieve taxation on small cor
| porations like cooperative creameries.
Chairman Dean and Mr.. Gale favored
such a bill. Senator Brownell was in ia
| vor of reducing the tax from $40 to s.. The
| loss to the State would be small Mr.
Fitzpatrick of Pittsford also favored such
a bill.
| An informal discussion of the evils Of
double taxation followed but no one SEEM
ed able to suggest a remedy.
The question as to whether money re-
| ceived for license fees should go to the
State towns was briefly considered
after which George Atkins of Woodstock
| member of the cattle commissioners
was invited to speak on the tuberculn
test. lie said that in England 26 per cent
of the cattle are diseased, in Denmark 40
per cent and in this country eight He
believed If the Legislature passes the bill
| to abolish the cattle commission 1t will
| be going back to the dark ages. Mr.. At
| kins believed the disease has spread in
Vermont in the past ten years because of
warmer barns. His firm belief is that all
the tuberculosis in the human family to-
| day originally came from the COW. Man
| lives on the COW. He eats her butter and
cheese. drinks her milk and then eats the
old cow. The great mass of humanity is
affected with tuberculosis but many die
| of old age before it ever comes to the
surface but it is there all the same and
| all came from the COW.
| Ernest Hitchcock of Pittsford another
member of the commission, discussed the
matter of compensation paid to farmers
for diseased cattle killed. He said that to
pay for diseased cattle In full Is to offer
a premium OH the negligence of the far
mer and offer a reward for bringing in
cattle from a neighboring stable while
the present plan of paying for cattle as
a practical working measure is hard to
improve upon.
Senator Stiles of st. Johnsbury express
ed himself as thoroughly in sympathy
with the work of the cattle commissioners
and of any legislation to strengthen the
work the board has done in Vermont.
Dana Morse OF Randolph did not be-
lieve the darymen of Vermont are ready
to take n long backward slip by abolish
ing the cattle commission.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The joint committee on temperance helt
a private conference this evening. Meet
ings of this committee will be held nightly
in future
Adjutant General Gilmore accompanied
the committee on military affairs when il
left this evening to visit the Soldiers
Home in Bennington.
| The House committee on corporation:
gave a hearing for an hour this evening
on the bills asking charters for two cleo
trio roads in st. Johnsbury. The commit
tee finally suggested that the two fac.
itions get together If they desire favor