Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-21
EXPENSES ARE INCREASING
STATE rREAsURER's REPORT
AND WHAT IT SHOWS.
Communication from G. n. Oavsnport
Points Out that No Attempt Has
Been Made to Decrease Expenses
Return to State Tax Necessary.

Editor of the Reformer:
The financial statement Of Vermont
for the year ending June 30 last, given
out this week, contains much food FOR
thought of kind that will eventuate
in action at the polls one Of these
days.
In last years campaign discussion,
taking every figure from the ofnciai
reports, | pointed out how the states
expenses had increased. step by step
with republican majorities, from
$255,271.T in 1882 to $73S,S6S.ss In
1908. or from $3.76 to $10.52 for each
average family--how where the popu-
lation had increased only 3h per cent.
and the wealth of the state only III y
per cent. the expenditure imposed by
our onesided misrule-of whose meth
DDS in two or three of multitude OF
channels we are catching some
glimpses under the investigation now
| in progress-had jumped 2S9 per cent.
and how 1t was four times over the
worst showing, comparatively, maze
| by any state in the union.
| clubbing answers were put forth
| by the republican state committee In
the name of the state auditor and
state treasurer-names fraudulentiy
used, probably. because the state
ments contradicted the figures OF
these officials as given in their own
official reports. But this among the
other impudent falsifications to fool
the people through the campaign
falsifications that never would have
been dared in state where the
parties were anywhere near equally
divided and where such use of the
names of the auditor and treasurer
and of the honorable men of the COM
mittee would be followed by SWIFT
punishment--di not after all 1901
anybody that didn't want TO be fooled'
The recognition of the need or REFORM
and reduction was so general that the
republican party solemnly promised 1t,
In platform. on the stump ana III
campaign literature. GOV. McCul-
Tough in his retiring message urged IT,
as Cows. Proctor, Barstow, rage
Fuller and Stickney and others be-
fore him had done In vain, admitting
that expenses had got away beyond
reason. And good citizens again ac-
lcepted the same promises as had been
steadily fed TO them for 20 years be-
fore. ny.
And the result is the same. Inc
Legislature did cut off the woodchucR
bounty and straightway proceeded, II
conjunction with maladmihisterins
state office holders, who are nearly
three times as numerous as ~ years
ago, to waste all that had been saved
and s34171.05 more. -
The net expenses in 1908 consisted
of auditors orders. interest and leg
islatiye debentures amounting te
sS73,O7224, less receipts from county
! clerks. municipal and probate courts
and state institutions, everything no.
in the nature of taxes, amounting te
s134. 7O3.29, and leaving the net ex'
penses for that year $73S.S6s95
On the same basis, after deductins
all items like the state school ant
highway taxes, the agricultural col
} lege and soldiers home funds, tina
simply pass through the treasury, TN
same items or classes OF expeho.tnaounI'
lin the year Just closed foot up 1881
, All 7S--an increase of $26.279.56.
The receipts to be deducted In I'M
same way-and including also -,
4OO.17 from the cattle commission 10
; .hides and carcasses of CONDEMNED
, animals Sold. an item which DID no
, annear in l9O3-amount to $126,sll.s'
:. "a decrease of $7,89140.
Net state expenses therefore =,
are, $s'o
Vet , l'tIs scar 34,171.0!
e No. ;ncraase over 1882. 517.26S.5.
4 Or over 302 per cent. and IL pc
I cent worse than two years ago.
In addition to the expenses apov'
committed was $4,000 devoted b!
$ Act No. AZ of last year to perma
e nent school fund. from payments
q civil war claims by the federal gov
eminent. Of which S155,453.56 wa
collected last year and $125,00O wv
years ago and swallowed up then II
general expenses. This means ina
:, the past year $S4,566.46 OF taxpayers
money has gone to make good 10 I'M
. fund what had been spent peioe. :
? this be counted In the years expenses
J as in one view, though not the com
narrative one, It should be, the tota
: reaches the outrageous figure OF 1900
65935. ~
= terms of Act No. ~ Of 1904, as tn
q civil war claim apparently amounte.
: to more than expected. II there ism
s40.45356 more to be paid into tni
permanent school fund-all repre-
senting money that has been was .et
d borrowed Temporarily" during tn
/. wear 1t still owes, with $25L744.i
!, state school and highway taxes col
Iected and yet to be distributed I
: the towns, so that including estimate
l. ayails OF taxes the coming yea
n Treasurer Bacon finds only t534.2S2.
s. on hand or in sight with which :
. meet the present years expenses
some 100000 or 100000. And
means that there must be a return !
o the direct state tax to cover On
: deficit. OF course our misruiers nav
v known this all along; but the coilec
E, tiou OF the four-year-old civil wa
q claim gave them a chance to nos
o along while fooling the people VII
n the campaign cry of mo state tax
e Ali from the corporations" though q
Is a matter Of fact, If the cry hadn
been essentially false. it would SUI
9 have been the shallowest nonsens
because these taxes, whose conecuo
e the state has taken over to itself. az
o taxes that the towns Formerly co
% lected, and at local rates: SO Iar
:, thew could trace and reach the PROF.
. erty. ~
" nroduct simply of waste, extraVs
"a rance. an infinitude Of petty gra
and Iooseness Of administration. use
le less MULTIPLICATION Of Offices and con
y missions and abandonment OF non
i. rule methods. l remarked last yes
- that II the Vermont taxpayer liked
70 and wanted more OF 1t. ne couio sur'
It, Nv get 1t by helping to roll up more
Il, these big republican majorities.
70 And he has got 1t. Ex-State Aud
- for BARBER made what was substai
tally the same prediction. and verths
OF in the same way. when he said Ia
al fall that under present legislation az
m systems state expenses In the presel
avenues" must inevitably go on II
A And the only way to change the
n svstems and this kind of legislatit
i is to tip the republican party out
To- mower. for a while at least. set its Of
er ponents to overhauling things. az