The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-15
Proposes to Tax Machines
According to se-POwer
VIGOROUS DEBATE ON IT
The House Also Passed the Bill Raising
Taxes on Railroads--New Members
Of Special "offset" Committee
Named.
State House Dec. Is.

State House Dec. Is.
The autombile bill passed the House
this morning, l2l to 0s, after a long
discussion which involved yea and nay
vote on the question Of the dismissal
of the bill, and q vote on amendments
which made the tax just half what il
would be according to the provisions Of
the bill.
The bill of Mr. Howe Of 81. Johnsbury,
which raises the tax on railroads one
fourth Of one per cent on the gross earn
ings passed the House this morning with
out opposition and then the bill which
repeals the sections Of the statutes Civ
ing the railroads the option to pay taxes
on the gross earnings was discussed at
length, not being disposed OF ut noon.
The members Of the special taxation
committee was announced this morning
and the committee met for organization
this noon. The Senate asked for 4 com
mittee OF conference on the much dis
cussed printers bill, and the following
senators were named Butler, Lewis OF
OIlthIHt htuucfs CHtINil anu Nhtt<Au.
Adjournment question is still in the air.
1t may be that the effort win still be
made to close up the business and ad.
journ the day before Christmas, but as
was suggested earlier in the session, the
unfinished business makes it appear al
most an impossibility. The fact that the
House this morning voted not to permit
the special taxation committee to meet
during the sessions gave strength to the
idea OF adjourning either Friday or Sat
urday Of this week, until after the holi-
day season. The date would probably be
January 4.
Special Committee on Taxation.
Addison county. Mr.. Power OF New
Haven and Mr.. Balm of Lincoln; Ben
nington county, MIR. Sheldon Of Rupert
and Mr. Hard of Sunderland; Caledonia
county, Mr. EMERSON of Peacham and
Mr.. GRAY of Newark; Chittenden county,
Mr.. Bradley OF Charlotte and Mr.. Patch
Of Hinesburr; Essex county, Mr. Wilson
of Irsnby and Mr.. Balch of Bunenburg;
Franklin county, Mr, Brenou Of Fairfield
and Mr.. Button Of st. Albans Town;
Grand Isle county, Mr. Sowles of Albufg
and Mr.. Tudhope Of North Hero; La
moille county, Mr.. MiIdgett of Cambridge
and Mr.. Emery OF Eden; Orange county,
Mr.. Seaver Of Williamstown and Mr..
Emerson of Orange; Orleans county, Mr..
Warner Of Jay and Mr.. Miller OF West
field; Rutland county, Mr.. Deyette Of
Benson and Mr.. Keyes of Clarendon;
Washington county, Mr. Martin Of Plain
field and Mr.. Tilden Of Barre City; Wind
ham county, Mr.. Akerly of Vernon and
Mr.. Gilfeather of Wardsboro; Windsor
county, Mr.. Goodrich Of Royalton and
Mr.. Fitch Of Windsor.
The Automobile Bill.
Mr.. Davis Of Springfield, who talks on
practically all OF the subjects, apparently
as matter Of system, led of the discus
sion opposing the auto taxation bin on
the ground that the principle was wrong
to tax owners on the horse power of
their machines. Mr.. Kinsley Of Rutland
moved an amendment to the bin, which
cut the tax proposed of practically
one dollar horse power in two, in the
interests Of justice. He believed also If
this bill were passed the summer visitors
whose machines cut up the roads as
well as those within the state, should
be taxed. He stated that at Manchester
there were l,l00 automobiles that stop
ped at the Equinox House during the
season.
Mr.. Martin OF plainfeld believed the
measure was Just and that the machines
should pay for the roads they damaged.
Mr.. Williams of Newport believed the
principle Of the bill was all right and
the tax proposed Just. Mr.. Locklin of
Richford believed the machines should be |
taxed In the towns where owned.
Mr.. Leary Of Burlington made strong
speech against the bill, in which he stat
ed that he believed all property should
be taxed according to its true value The
second year a machine would not be |
worth anywhere near what it was the |
first year and yet 1t was still taxed ac-
cording to the horse power according to
the bill. AS to putting a tax on ma
chimes coming into the state, he said I
that he didn't believe in putting little
Chinese exclusion law around Vermont.
Then Mr.. Martin Of Essex made
strong speech in favor of the bill, in
which he stated that the automobile was
a peculiar piece Of property and that
the intent Of the. bill was to have them
pay for the damage they did to the
roads. He believed the grading Of the
tax was Just
Mr.. DeBoer Of Montpelier opposed the
bill, saying that the automobile was
much piece Of personal property as
else, and that it should be
taxed in the town. Others spoke on the
measure and finally Mr.. Martin Of Brook.
line moved that the bill be dismissed.
The motion was killed laT to so. Then
the question of Mr.. Kinsley's amend
ments was taken up, and they were
killed. Then Mr. Tucker Of Tunbridge.
who favored the bill, called for the yeas
and nays on the passage Of the bill, but
Withdrew the demand, and the bill passed
on rising vote l2l to 6s.
Mr.. Howe Of bennington took the
chair for a time and House bin a53 bv
Mr. Howe Of st. Johnsbury passed With
out opposition. It was measure of
vast importance, as II raised the tax on
railroads ne-feurth per cent. or made
he tax $3.50 a thousand, instead of a
little over S.. This passed without much
opposition.
The next bill taken up was the one
taking the railroads righf 10 choose az
IN option the payment Of taxes on the