Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-10-05
Yesterday Inauguration Day.

Montpelier, pcL. :.
This was Inauguration day at the
State House. Charles j. Bell of Wal
den laid down the mantle of office and
Fletcher D. Proctor of Proctor took it
Inn. Mr.. Bell delivered his retiring
message to the general assembly, this
morning. II was good common sense
message and the message of Mr. Proc
tor this afternoon was far.sighted
business man 5. Mr.. Proctor declares
himself in favor of district supervision
of schools. Of an increase in force in
the auditor : Office, of an increased tax
on railroads and Of the gradual aboll-
ton of grade crossings. Mr.. Bell ia
vors the retention of capital punish
ment law. the abolition of double taxa
ton. the restriction of automobiles on
certain narrow roads and a necessary
reorganization of courts.
No subject treated in Gov. Bell s mes
sage occasions more comment than his
reference to capital punishment, Dur
ing my term of Office, he says, 1t
became my duty to see that this law
was carried into effect. In the general
discussion of the subject thus occa'
stoned in the state and elsewhere !
have been deeply impressed with the
fact that Vermont has more regard FOR
the law than for sickly sentimentallty'
| am more firmly convinced than ever
before that, as a safeguard against vlo'
lence and as a protection to society IN
general. the law making capital pun
ishment. in some form. the extreme
penaltv for crime should be retained on
our statute books y
The one recommendation in Governor
Proctor's message likely to cause the
most discussion is that in regard to in
creasing the tax on railroad corpora
tions. Under the present corporation
tax law these corporations have the OPP
tion of paving a tax of l per cent. on
their appraised value, or z per cent
of their entire gross earnings. Wlth
the exception of two or three minor
roads, they all pay the tax on their
earnings instead of on appraisal. thus
it is evident, says the governor, that
these corporations are paving what
amounts to less than ! per cent. on
their appraised value. The average tax
rate on other property throughout the
state is about 1.6 per cent, showing a
difference in favor of the railroads
which facts and conditions do not war
rant. The reports of the interstate COM
merce commission show that the aver
age tax per mile paid by the railroads
in New England is as follows: Connect
lieut., $lOO5; Rhode Island, $SsS; New
Hampshire, 1924; Maine, $l9S; Yer
mont, $l46. He therefore recommends
that the legislature, while treating the
railroads fairly, should increase the tax
so that they shall pay their fair proper
ton into the state treasury. lie goes
into the question of improving the
schools to a considerable extent and ad-
vises that a system of supervision SINH
lar to that in Massachusetts be adopt
ed, whereby the smaller towns may
group together and secure skilled SUI
pervision. He also favors the simplify
ing of the caucus law, and makes a rec
concentration against special legisia-
| ton.
Little business was done in either
branch today because of the exercises
of inauguration. One request OF state
Auditor Graham, Mr.. jackson of Barre
introduced resolution calling for the