The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-03
AS TO TAX REFORM

1t is rather significant that 40
Washington county listers, who met
i'm Montpelier at the call of the states
attorney, were practically unanimous
that no tax reform can come without
the abolition of offsets. Naturally
their opinion, as practical men, will
be Immediately discounted by some
backwoods expert, who will prove,
to everyones satisfaction, that abol-
ishing offsets will raise his taxes ex-
actly 1887. Therefore he is opposed
to abolishing offsets. The fact that,
be increased $13.S7 cuts no figure
whatever What he objects to is pay
ing more money, right or wrong, and
he will fight against it with every
force at his command That is the
spirit which blocks reform in Yer
mont and the sooner we recognize its
stupid selfishness the better.-Rut
land Herald.
There is still another aspect to this
question and that is the suspicious
ness of a certain type of citizen
Without entering into a discussion of
the merits of the issue it seems
strange that Mr.. Bill Barnum of
Shady Nook, whose experience in life
has been limited to cultivating
side-hill farm, going to town once a
week and reading the county weekly,
should set up his judgment against
that of Mr.. Joseph A. DeBoer, who
has given years of thought to the
question and whose ability and the
soundness of whose reasoning is
proved by his own business record
and standing.
The saddest and most hopeless
part of it, too, is that Mr.. Barnum
means to be an honest man and to do
the best he can. He isn't a fool by
any means and can understand some
things pretty we'll, but. living as he
has, an isolated life he isn't much of
judge of human nature. So when
Mr. Jones. who runs a store at Bunko
Corners and profits several hundred
dollars year through evading taxa
ton, goes to Mr.. Barnum and tells
him privately and with much wise
wagging of the head that he must
look out for Mr.. De Boer because he
is connected with a big corporation,
Mr. Barnum follows Jones instead of
Mr. DeBoer.
We are rather discouraged about
tavatfor vof,~,,, f,v mon, ,,,g,,,,.
than one. There is the petty. selfish,
ignorance instanced by the Herald
there is the natural suspiciousness of
men inexperienced in considering
large questions above referred to;
there is the disinclination to swap
something well known and understood
for an uncertainty; and worst of all
there is the undue pressure brought
to bear by selfish interests.
In every community there are a few
men who escape paying a fair share
of taxes. They perjure themselves
openly or dodge indirectly but just
as dishonesty. When a change in
tax system is proposed these men
are right on hand. With one plausi-
BILE argument after another they get
after the members of the Legislature.
The members hear nothing from their
constituents on the other hand in ia
vor of a change. The chances are
that the people who would be bene-
fitted by the change don't know it, or
at least do not feel sure, and so keep
quiet
As a result many members are led
to believe that the sentiment of their
home people is against change
Those who favor a change because it
is right in the abstract find themselves
outvoted by those controlled by stu
pid, ignorant obstinacy, petty avarice
and personal selfish interest, com
bined with the larger number misled
by outside pressure or rendered I'M
reasoningly suspicious by cunning
sophistry. The outlook is not encour-
aging.
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