Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-12-16
THE TAX PROBLEM
The Legislature Refuses to Abolish Off
sets. DeBoer, Williams, Howe, Fish,
Fletcher, Davis and Other Able
Men Voted Down.

Can it be possible that the republi-
can party is going to repudiate every
promise it made to the voters of the
state? The party made explicit
promises to the voters upon condition
that the voters return an overWhel ming
majority for the party at the Septem-
ber election. The voters delivered the
goods. Were the promises meaning
less? Were they made honestly or
were they made for catching votes?
We have been defending the present
legislature even when-other papers in
the state have been conuenning it.
We have predicted that before adjourn
ment the legislature would have
accomplished something in the way
Of honest tax reform. We have pro-
claimed the principle that the chosen
representatives of the public would
legislate wisely in behalf of the best
interest Of the state. We have
almost reached the point where we
were willing to believe that We were
indeed living in a "New Vermont.
In face of all this can it be possible
that we are to be held back by the
independence. Or stubbornness if you
wish to call it such. Of the representa-
tives who will not or cannot see?
The tax problem has so overshad-
owed everything else here during the
last week that this report must be de-
voted almost wholly to that all i'm
the bill to- abolish offsets showed ia
representatives voting against the bill.
From what has been seen and heard
about the measure it is safe to say
that one half of these men voted
against it because they would not see
the truth. The other half voted against
it because. although believing in the
bill. they were afraid of censure from
their constituents. It is impossible to
believe that any man OF intelligence
enough to represent his town could
have listened to the irresistible argu-
ments made in behalf Of this bill and
still cast his vote against it unless ii
was for his own personal interests to
do so, or unless he feared his constit-
uents would not approve of his course.
If the honest taxpayers Of his town
could have heard the arguments both
Tor and against this bill they would
certainly censure him for casting a
vote against measure against which
there was practically no logical argu.
ment. Every member of the house has
taken oath of Office. binding himself
TO act upon all measures as to hin
shall seem best for the welfare of the
state. We accuse no man of viola
ting his oath, but we do claim that
many of them have mistaken the in
terests cf their own particular town
or d circle of their particular friends
Tor the interests of the state. Per
haps all OF them believe in the great
est good to the greatest number, bu
some Of them seem to think the great
est number is Number One If tn,
people of the state of Vermont coulC
have been present and heard the dis
cussion of the tax question as it oc
Cured in the house of representative
last week they would have demande,
OF their representatives an overwhelm
ing vote in favor of the proposes
measures. The defeat of the measur
at this time is due to the fact tha
the people have not been made famil
lar with the question. In view o
, that fact it may be we'll to enumerat
J the arguments as presented both fo
and against the kill SO that the peopl
of Orleans. Essex and Caledoni
] CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX.