The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-09

Legislature. Senator Butler spoke briefly
in the interests OF the measure, as did
Senator Donoway, then the yeas and
nays we're taken and ii was all over.
As 10 the outcome Of the question
there are many doubts. There are those
who believe that the whole thing was
done Co put the whole responsibility for
the taxation question up to the House.
There are others who think the bills
really have chance Of passage IN
some form or other.
Senator Finn said that in bringing
the bill before the Senate he represent
ed the Senate committee on taxation,
the old Joint taxation COMMITTEES and
the recommendations OF the commission
that spent two years in studying the
taxation questions in this state. He
spoke for few minutes on a taxa
ton commission and said that origin
ally he favored one man commission
until he looked into the question more
carefully and he found that the pres
cnt commissioner Of taxes handled mil.
lions of dollars and spent day and night
on the work. He came 10 the conclus-
ion there was not man living who
could carry on the necessary work OF
supervision required and therefore rec
commended three man commission.
He said that there was cry all up
and down the state for some action on
these taxation questions, that promises
had been made In the party platforms,
and IL was now time 10 do something.
In discussing the Offset amendment, he
related an example or two TO show the
abuse OF the present law and called at
tention 10 the great increase in value
of real estate on which taxes were col
lected and the actual decrease in the
taxable personal property. The passage
Of the bill would gfaw out millions OF
taxable personal property which was
now legally Offset.
In speaking of the intagible bill that
called for a fiat rate on intangbles, he
said that the principle was right. Any
body could see that It would be right
to tax only those things that could be
seen and that this other class OF prop.
erty should come into the list, as IL
was valuable, The low rate of taxation
would draw it out.
Senator Cory was on his feet in
minute and expressed regret that the
Senate did not see At 10 allow him the
courtesy Of having the tax commission
bill read in full. He then went on to
oppose the measure in vigorous Language,
terming the Offset bill vicious measure
He said that he did not believe the call
for this bill was general and that he
would hate TO face she merchants and
manufacturers who were building up
their communities after having voted for
the bill. He said Montpelier had offsets
Of about 100000 and Barre $l,300.O00,
and eh believed that in these amounts |
were represented many honest offsets. |
Barre had been built up from little |
hamlet to city of its present proper
tlons on borrowed money. Take away
the Offset privilege, and there was moth
ing man struggling to build up a |
business could do
1t was different with those who had |
because they preferred to live
on the interest OF their money; but the
young man struggling to get footing
and the man who was bringing business
into place was the one hit by this i
BILL He said man would start in bust
ness. We would 60 TO the hank and
borrow money Oh which he paid interest.
He would equip his plant and start in.
The bank would pay seven-tenths Of one
per cent interest on the money, and
be didn't think in addition to that that
! man should be asked to pay tax on
hat which he did not own.
Senator Cory said that the House
lad killed the offset bill and the tig com.
nittee of 3s members had come to moth
ng definite. He did not believe the call
'or its passage was great. He said that
low the friends OF the taxation measures
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