Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-18


II. l8Y, an act to regulate the sale OF
concentrated feeding stufrs.
II. III, an act relating to inter-lockng
or automatic signals at railroad cross
ings.
H. 210, an act in amendment of section
$50 V. s., relating to salary of judge OF
probate for the district of New Haven.
II. 24O. an act to pay Isaac N. Chase
the sum therein named.
H. ga, an act providing for the prepare
ton and publication of the names and
records Of Vermont volunteers in the
Spanish American war.
n. $50. an act to legalize the quadrennial
appraisal and grand list of the town of
Morristown in the year OF 1902
H. 2S3. an act to legalize certain grand
lists, taxes and quadrennial appraisal of
real estate for the town of Highgate.
II. 30 an act to amend the charter of
the village of Hardwick.
III. 800, an act to incorporate the village
Of Richmond
Fl. 327, an act to amend section 23i V. s.,
relating to the duties of the sergeant-at-
arms
II. 34S, an act to pay Levi B. Moore the
sum therein named
II. $50. an act amending and act passed
October 90, 11Ss entitled. IAN act for in
cooperating part of the towns of New
Haven, Panton and Ferrsburgh" and con-
solidating and amending all amendments
thereto and revising the same, and in
amendment of No Ill Of the acts of 1892.
II. $50, an act in amendment of No.
22S of acts of 1892 entitled, AN act
to incorporate the St. Andrew Benevolent
society"
&. 393 an act in amendment of section
5375 ofN. s.. relating to the salary of
the Judge of probate for the district of
Grand Isle.
II. $685. an act to provide for certain
repairs and alterations to the jail building
in Chittenden county.
II. 401, an act amending the charter of
the city of Burlington and creating n
board of park commissioners.
II. 4l5 an act to pay c. n. Roberts the
sum therein named
II. 416, an act to legalZe the quadrennial
appraisal of the real estate, also the
grand list of the town of Lowell for
the year 1902.
II. Az, an act in amendment of No. S03
of the acts of 1896, incorporating the Rut-
land & Montpelier Railroad company,
II. 1872, an act changing the March term
of Windham county court
". 1877, an act TO pay Romainc A. Spaf-
ford the sum therein named.
". 3l7-Relatng to exemptions. was tax
on up on report of conference committee,
who reported the recession of the Senate
from its refusal to accedc to House pro-
CORPORATION TAX BILL.
II. 43s-Relating to taxation of corpora
lions, changing present methods of col
lectng the taxes. Mr.. Dart of Spring
field moved to amend the bill by providing
that no tax should be less than 50. MIR.
Carpenter of Middletown Springs opposed
the amendment, which was subsequently,
lost
Mr.. Gale of Guilford said it was an i'm
portant bill and was sorry more time could
not be given to it. He analysed the meas
ure somewhat and thought railroads ought
to pay more of the taxes He moved to
amend by making the railroad tax one
and one-h half per cent. instead of seven
tenthS Of one per cent.
Mr.. Dart of Springfield explained tho
deliberate action of the committee in pre-
pairing this bill. The idea was TO cquaize
the taxes as nearly as possible The bill
changes the tax in only two or three cases
One object Is to facilitate Tie work OF the
tax commissioner and to discover if there
WAS any necessity for an increase in the
corporation taxes. While the exemptions
throughout the State amount to GO per
cent. OF the whole property, the railroads
have no exemption whatever. He referred
to existing prejudice against the railroads
md said he had himself been prejudiced
| until nc had looked the matter up care
fully and found that the inequality claim
ed did not exist Ii this bill! goes through
we shall not need n State tax. He didn't
want to go home with a State tax. Hc
gave some interesting figures to show
the small net earnings of the roads, and
did not favor increasing their taxes.
Mr.. Gale of Cuilford asked if the basis
of railroad appraisal was not practically
the same as ten years ago and If the OBJ
Ject of the increase in savings bank de-
posts was to increase revenues
Mr.. Dart answered attrmatively.
Mr.. Hammer of Lincoln criticised the
policy of exempting savings bank de
posts to the depositor claiming that il
vas used ty wealthy people to dodge taxa.
| ton.
| Mr.. Fletcher Of CaVendish replied that
money was elusive and that increasing
the limit to s. 900 as proposed would NEAR
the addition of large sums to the taA
| revenues which would otherwise escape
| taxation altogether. He asked what ,hs
State would do with the large increase ii
revenues proposed by Mr.. Gales amend
mcrt.
Mr.. Durick of Castleton wanted to speal
once more on the subject of corporations
He claimed railroads had exemption!
enough. Why say seven-tenths of on,
per cent for the railroads, when the aver
age tax throughout the State is doubl,
| that?
Mr. Pape of Barre city demanded thu
roll call on the Gale amendment.
| Mr. Bailey of Ncwbury believed in sus
tanning the committee who have made
careful study Of the whole subject.
| Mr. Stafford of Morristown conceded
| The speakers own Investigations had lee
him to the same conclusions as those o.
the committee. The appropriations o
this session will not exceed those of tn,
| last session.
Mr.. Adams of Marlboro contended tina
the present apportionment of taxation Il
unequal; the farmer pays more than tn,
railroads.
Mr.. White of Woodstock queried as {,
whether we are or not equally taxed.
Mr. Gale of GuilfOrd said the principle
of equality was involved. He did not be
lievc the bill provided for equality
Mr.. Fletcher of Cavendish said the prn
ciple involved was the making of homes
something out of what we now lose
Mr. Smith of Mortified favored thu
amendment as n surplus producer.
| Mr.. Wheeler of Rockingham indicate,
that if this tax was increased the peopl
would have it to pay in passenger AM
freight rates. He saw no need of highe
tax.
Mr.. Vincent said he wasn't a railwa,
man. but he had some business ideas. II
thought the amendment unjust.
The roll cali on the Gale amendment re
suited: Yeas 81 nays 126, and II was disa
greed to. An accompanying amendmen
was also disagreed to.
Mr., Carpenter Of Mlddletown Spring
objected to the proposed telephone tax
as discriminatory against the small com
IpanieS, requiring them to paw higher
taxes proportionately. He moved t
amend so that all companies should pa