Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-10-03
MODEL TOWN IN UTAH
vERNAL THE eEsr GOVERNED PLACE
IN THE COUNTRY.

No Town Tax Collected since II Was
Incorporated, and officials Serve
without Pay-Its Perfect system of
Licenses.
Who would ever think of going to
Utah to find model of city govern
ment? Yet it can be said without fear
of contradiction that the town exists
under the shadow of the Wasatch
range. Down in Uintah county, near
the Uintah Indian reservation, is the
town Of Vernal, containing between
5000 and 1000 persons. This little
burg is governed in such a manner as
towns in the state, says the st. Louis
GlobeDemocrat.
There are no boodlers in Nernal, and
there never has been suspicion of
scandal. Its public buildings are finer,
it's streets are better kept, and it is
cleaner than any other town of its
size in the country. All this speaks
of the public spirit of it's citizens, but
it Is far from all. The one thing which
makes Vernal unique among the towns
of the United States, if not of the
whole world, is that there has never
been q dollar of money raised by city
tax since 1t was incorporated. The tax
gatherer may make his visits for coun-
ty and state purposes, but the item in
the bill which in all other places
swells the total to the squirming point
is always absent in Vernal.
This year there has been over a mile
of asphalt paving put down, and the
mayor gives his opinion that in three
years there would not be an unpaved
completed one of the finest school
buildings in the west, which makes ev-
cry public edifice In the town right up
to date and adequate for the wants of
a town three times its present size.
"How have they attained to this
Utopian degree of perfectionY is
question which will be largely asked.
In the first place the town has pro-
vided for perfect system of licenses,
having in view the placing of the bur-
dens of the town on the shoulders of
those who receive the most benefit.
Saloons are considered luxury pure
and simple, and as such have to pay
a heavy price for each concession.
Crimes and misdemeanors get the full
extent of the law in the way of fines,
which go to swell the town treasury.
Any concession gained from the town
is paid for at the top value, not given
away, as they are in most places All
this taken together has been sufficient
to raise the funds needed for town
purposes, and in the opinion of the
leading citizens will meet all needed
expenses for years to come. Added to
this, the people take a deep pride in
their town, and a full days work is
done for days pay, SO that the money
goes farther in Vernal than in any
town in the country.
Politics cuts no figure in the elections,
and the best men in the place are
chosen to fill the offices. To be mem
Der of the town government is con-
sidcred a high compliment to the bust
ness ability Of the man, so the offices
are sought by the leading business men
of the place, and when once elected
they gladly serve out their terms with
out pay. II has long been the habit
Of all otfici to turn back their sal
aries into the treasury. One exception,
however, is made to this rule-the town
marshal, W devotes his entire time
to the public, takes a generous salary
for his work.
1t may not be possible to carry on
the business of q larger city along
Vernal lines, yet there is not town,
big or small, that could not learn use
full lessons by studying the methods
which obtain in the little burg.