Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-11-05
TAXATION, AGAIN.
what has caused the depr

Not one thing alone, OUT tlauy +,
chiefly the canker-eating tax laws OF
J this state. Fer thirty years (my mem
\ ory runneth back that far) in the hill
towns in which | am acquainted, real
estate values have constantly deprecl-
ated and farms that would ind
ready Bale at from $1,000 to 5000
three or four decades ago could be
bought now all the way from $500 TO
$500, or less, with more sellers and
no buyers.
Vermont has been classed as an ag-
ricultural state, because agriculture
was her main industry. The vast pre-
ponderance of her inhabitants were
farmers and when it came to the vot-
ING end of the machine the farmers
could Whoop ii up and send phenome-
nal maiorities for what they consider
ed right. Our laws were enacted by
the servants of the people, chosen and
elected for that express purpose, and
what have they given usP In effect
1 this
II a man purchases real estate and
makes small payment ON it, straight
way he must be taxed on the value Of
the whole premises. He is legislated
against; he is not given an equal
chance he is legally robbed, 10, these
many years.
This is old straw that is being
threshed over, but will still yield
wheat. c buys real estate of ID; con-
sideration, $4,000; cash paid, $1,000.
When the papers are exchanged, c
mortgages the property back TO ID for
$4,000. The premises are listed to G
at $4,000; rate of interest, six per cent
per annum. and the tax rate in this
town, Brooktield, VT, Sl7 per thous-
and. The proposition is that c in
vests $1,000 and ID $4,000 so we see
that each man has an interest in the
same property; but DIS claim is a pre-
ferred claim and C's claim is a subor-
dinate or subsidiary claim; one man
rests from his laboTs, Tor the other
party is bound hand and foot, also he
has the "millstone tax law securely
hanged to his neck and has $1,000 in
the pool besides.
When the game has been played one
year, and the clouds roll away, we find
that the man that had the preferred
stock has got his interest, $3.50, the
taxes have been paid on the whole by
the man that had the subordinate
claim. Cs fair and honest share of
the taxes was Just Sl7, while the man
who owned the preferred claim paid
no taxes at all on the premises, though
he had $4,000 invested in il and was
the owner of the best title to the farm.
c paid S5l taxes on DIS property, not
because there is any justice in it, but
because the legislature OF Vermont,
that elect body whose bounden duty Is
TO enact just and equitable laws for
the whole people, says that the poor
man, the man owning the secondary
claim, shall pay all the taxes on the
preferred claim owned by the wealthy |
man.
This law was conceived in iniquity
and enacted in corruption. c finds
that although he has worked hard.
been economical. had but few play
days, paid all claims honest and dis
honest as shown in this transaction, |
he has practically nothing to show for
his years work. He has received no |
interest on his investment of $1,000. |
but if he had saved the SOL which |
went to pay the taxes on DIS $4,000. he 1
would have had something at least to |
show for the use of the $1,000 he in
vested in the place.
1t Is not one year of this alone with |
this one Illustration that has wrought /
destruction to the farming interests of
Vermont; but several decades of years |
and many thousand instances. How |
many homes are desolated, how many /
hearts broken through the greed of
some and the carelessness and heed /
lessness OF others Of our servants who
framed our real estate tax lawsp is
it any wonder that real estate does
not sell at a premium, but is a drug
in the market?
In answer to the question, Whose /
fault is it?n which induced the writing
OF this series of articles on taxation / /
would say:
LIST. A weak legislature dominated
by the money power that enacted the
tax laws OF Vermont, followed sue
cessively by other weak legislatures
that bad not the courage or conviction
to correct the evil that saps the foun-
dation OF the home maker. the men
who till the soil, the base of all our
without the products of
the land no nation could exist. Let
the laws governing the farmers, ware
earners and capitalists be Just and
equal; let the foundations thereof be
built on the solid rock of Justice. and
when the storms come and the winds
blow and beat upon that structure il
VIII stand, because it is founded upon
a rock.
"a. The evil has been continued by
The people OF the state because there
has been no concerted action made in
regard to the matter The fathers
have submitted to the wrong: the
have grown to manhood and
have taken the same burdens upon
themselves that their fathers have
borne. Today the fault is ours: the
iuty and privilege to correct it is ours.
10 those honest, patriotic men in our
lair state who are especially benefited
by having their rate OF taxes lessened
by enforced donations from poorer
men | would saw. as We love mar.,,