Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-08-06
TAKING THE FARMER.

!. Mr.. EDITOR In your issue OF Jul
23d the problem OF taxation was intro
duced and discussed at some length
and in answer 10 the question o
Whose fault is it?n | would like 4
make a few suggestions.
| The first will be By illustration.
purchases real estate of b for 5000
and pays $500 and mortgages the en-
tire property back to B Tor the balanc,
Of the purchase money, $500. Query
first who has the better title TO the
property, the mortgagor or the mort
gage We viii reason about it Just q
little. If the purchaser. A, is unable
10 make the stipulated payments re-
quired in the contract, the holder OF
the mortgage can foreclose and regain
possession OF the premises In a court
of chancery. b can get his entire
property back and keep the $500 be-
sides. How is it with A? He loses
the $500 which he paid in, also he loses
title TO the property. So we will al
low that in this case a first mortgage
is better title to the property than
the deed. All this we allow 10 be right
so tar-and right here we would sug-
gest that the holder OF the best title
should by right pay taxes on what he
owns IN the property, instead Of the
mortgage note, because the real estate
is the real value and without the real
estate the mortgage would be OF no
value. II the premises were listed at
$4,000 let A pay taxes on $500 and b
$500, for that is their respective
ownerships in the property ;it is there /;
il is in sight.
As the law stands today A must pay
taxes on $1,000, the assessed value OF
the premises, while b, with the best
title to the premises, may be travelling
in some neighboring state and avoid
taxation entirely, not even paving a
poll tax. Allow me at this point TO
suggest that you Tax a man on his
and not on his poverty =
Article LIST Of chapter LIST OF the con-
stitution OF Vermont reads as follows
That all men are born equally free
and independent and have certain
inherent, and inalienable
rights, amongst which are the enjoying
and defending life and liberty, acauir-
ing, possessing and protecting prop
erty,n etc. Let the laws governing
taxation in old Vermont be agreeable
TO the above quotation.
We well know that our laws regulat-
ing taxation have made il possible for
: man worth thousands of dollars to so
place his fortune that the tax assessor
cannot find 1t; that certain class OIL
men do not pay their tair share of
axes for the support OF schools, roads |
md the government. And so the poor
nan must pay on his poverty; taxes on
iebts owing on mortgaged real estate. |
The law should be such that all offens- /
S against them should be punished |
'qually, whether the offender be rich |
n poor; and the burdens of taxation /
likewise should be borne equally ac-
'ording TO the true value OF a mans
ownership of wealth. II the constitu-
ion OF Vermont means anything when
reads that all men are equal under
he law. let us by all means amend the
avs regarding taxation so that the
shall be honored and up
leld, instead OF evaded and ignored
ct the laws be so amended that the
lerson and property of every son of
'ermont shall be equally protected
nd equally amenable Tor the burden
I taxation.
Doubtless one reason why the laws
ave not been changed so that the
urden of taxation shall rest equally
pom every man according to his abili-
7 to pay is that the masses of voters
ave never been properly organized
nd given that issue the importance il
hould have in our gubernatorial cam
aigns. The people should be educat-
d in the matter and this can best be
one through the press and / feel quite
1re that the press of Vermont win
dvocate any honest measure that
leans the greatest good to the great
st number. The children OF Israel
ad a Moses to lead them through the
'ilderness TO the land of promise
nd they got there. The high license l
zeal option element of Vermont of re-
emit date had leader who put his 9
hole energy into the canvass and the
loud no bigger than a mans hand )
bread and covered the whole state.
An earnest, able standard bearer. ami |
lated by the spirit of justice, with this !
lotto on his flag, TAX a man only on
he cash value OF what he owns,
ould put himself in the way of be- 9
)ming public benetactor. f
If this issue should be kept before I
he public, and the people become s
interested in the matter of
Ixation, the future legislatures of Yer
ont would have greater and better r
sues to discuss than dog laws, fish f
ws and hedgehog bounties. :
Hoping the topic of taxation may be
instantly discussed by the press OF .
lie state of Vermont, / am I
Yours truly, il
JOHN II. SPRAGUE, 4
East Brookfeld, VT.
Pofen4 Pill Pfa--..- L