Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-12-25

exeess of sl0oU. making tax on iniAng- !
ibles Of one half Of one per cent ard
creating a commission 10 administer
the tax laws. In fairn-ss Ia these
members who have once voted against
abolishiug offsets il must lie said that !
the offset hill which was killed stoc.
alone aud IL has since been found that
many Of them voted against IL because
there was no assurance that they we're
going to get the benefit OF lower rate
Of interest. Therefore th. committee
propose 10 combine the bills 30 that
IL one passes the other will also i.ass.
This new committee on taxation IL con-
posed OF the eight members Of the com
mittee who first reported the bills and
twenty eight members who are on record
as voting against the Offset bill. IL the
twenty eight members can agree with
the eight it is practically certain that
the report they submit will be accepted
by the House. Their proposal TO per.
NIT man 10 offset his debts 20 the
amount of $1,000 will let in practically
all Of the farmers aud poor men to the
extent of their whole debt, hut will pre-
vent the gross abuses practlced by
the merchant aud manufacturer. While
It is plain to he seen that this is a
compromise measure and the principle
Is rs wrong ~ under the existing lsS,
yet the many abuses will he impossible
aud the farmer will get an advantage
over the merchant and Manufacture.
But even ri that il would have TO stay
on the ST atute hook. Tor tsenty years IN
order :" even up the advantage.
The parity OF election hills will not
get through "ithouts struggle. They
contain some very stringent features
among Which is the clause foIbiddiug
the free transportation of voters To aud
from the polls. The public utilitir.
bin putting all public service corpora.
tioas under the supervision of the rail.
road commission will be fought to the
bitter end 10y the telephone companies.
THIS has already been discussed through
these columns aud the matter stands
the same A. IT did at that time. Several
employers liability measures have been
introduced, but the Que most likely 10
psss is the one applying only to corpor-
atoms. The Normal school question is
yet unsettled. Some favor AN appropria.
ton OF 100000 to fix up one Of the
| present schools. Others have in view a
more elaborate school building which
shall be In keeping with schools OF other
states aud they think an appropriation
/ Of 100000 at this time will delay for a
long time any further action toward Que
! central first class school. The taxa
tion of railroads although a, first not
| supposed 10 lee very serious measure
has assumed proportions which make
| II a serious matter for the railroads Of
! the stat. Mr. Howe OF st. Johnsbury
introduced hil providing tina, railroads
should pay tax oil sl2 30 on each
$1,000 OF their appraisal. The bill was
reported adversely by the committee on
railroads, but Mr.. Howe carried the
| light OH Ia the floor of the House aud
showed up that the average tax rate ia
the state is about sld on $1,000 aud
that heretofore the railroads are only
paying about Is co. 1t being generally
understood tn at railroads are good pay
ing properties he did not see Why they
should no, pay at least three fourths as
much tax as the farmer. merchant aud
manufacturer, The House heard strong
arguments on both sides aud passed the
bill by All overwhelming majority OF
! more than Tour To one.
On Thursday committee WAS an.
pointed 10 take AL account of stock and
see what prospects, there were for hual
adjournment before Christmas. This
committee soon reported there WAS no
possibility Of doing good work and ad.
jouruiug before the holidays. Thereup-
on II WAS decided 20 take a vacation OF
two weeks. When the Legislature al.
ionrned Saturday morning 1t VAS to ri.
convene again on Monday evening Jan.
uary 4. This vacation will do the mem
hers much good. There Is 10 doubt
that many OF the farmers need rest
aud chance to stretch themselves I,
isuo joke to sit at desk even five hours
a day aud listen TO the dry oratory which
must necessarily accompany many of
the measures which are about To become
a law. 1t Is fact that many of the
members must attend committee meet.
ings until late at night and when they
finally get chance to get to bed they
are as tired as after long hard day S
work upon the farm.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The developments of the past week
leave no room to doubt that Harland b.
Howe OF St. Johnsbury is the floor man.
ager of the House of Representatives