The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-06

loans at 5 per cent interest on good
real estate mortgage in her town, where
in the local tax rate may range IRON
$50 to $500 on the grand list, would
there be any inequality In according to
her the sam etaX rate on the loan Sc
cured by mortgage, that the bank pays
on her depositY If not, would it be in
equitable to tax all inactive moneys OF
ike character in the same mannerT
This foregoing illustration by promi-
ment state official is quite pathetic, but
does il advance any sound reason, that
bonds. moneys, etc, should not be sub
ieet to the same tax rate Of other classes
Of personal property? Let us refer to
another mother of equal integrity and
amiability who loses her only son by
death; his life was not insured but ae
had been mainstny and support OF his
mother, and had bought house in a
village and had paid S500.60 towards It
and had mortgaged it to secure the pay
ment of the $4,000 still due on the pur-
chase. The mother being the only heir
comes into possession OF the home and
assumes the debt; she is taxed on the
value of her modest house. No commits
sioner of state taxes has suggested to
the general assembly the propriety or
taxing her the minimum rate OF seventy
cents on the grand list of what she owns,
but. living in the same town as her
more fortunate sister, where the local
tax rate may range from Sl.50 to 500
on the grand list she is taxed the To-
cal rate on what she owns, and also on
what she owes.
He told his pathetic story for the pur-
pose of the passage of bill similar to
| No. 69l which failed to become a law
! az the last session which would take
hundreds of thousands of dollars from
the local rate and benefit class Of PEG,
pie thereby that have no moral or legal
claim for excise preferment. Every leg
4 islator had a copy OF his report. Inc
state did not need the extra cash that
would be converted into the treasury
by its passage, for he suggested the
tax rate be lowered from seven-tenths
to six-tenths Of one per cent. on the
grand list But the widowed mother
whose case we present pays taxes on the
entire amount she owns in her home /;
she pavs the interest on her debt to
the mortgages and, in fact, pays the To-
cal tax rate on her indebtedness TO him.
Now il that the reason why the Hon.
! commissioner of state taxes suggests
that the mortgage be taxed six -tenths
OF one per cent. of the grand list in
stead of seven-teathsl Is that the rea-
/ son. because the mortgage bond own
ing class are to be considered honorary
tax payers and are required to pay only
small tax rate annually, Just enough
to insure them against taxation to build
or repair roads and bridges that may be
/ DESTROYED BY floods ead freshets in the
town where they reside
If by some unforeseen calamity the
county buildings should be destroyed,
the owner of intangibles would escape
ltaxation for their rebuilding, for
wouldn't he be immune from all local
taxation on intangibles if No. 69l had
become a law When a man seeks and
obtains an election to the general as
sembly he ia supported to act in ms
/ capacity as a lawmaker for the best
interests of all the people in the state
He was elected for that purspose and
the state paws him for his services
lIf he should so far forget his duty to
the state as 10 present " Diiis thS P''
sage of which would inure to his per
sonal benefit, but to the disadvantage
Of every local rate taxpayer in the
town in which he lives, where the local
rate may be from $50 to $500 on the
grand list, then our widow living in the
same town would have to pay higher
rate on her mortgage indebtedness than
She would If boniface paid taxes on hrs
property.
Remedy.
When Vermont shall have written and
adopted the initiative, referendum ano
recall as an amendment to the eonsti'
tuition politics. will mean craftsmanship
and not personal political plumber Oui
officials shall cease to be our masters
and become our servants. The people
Of Vermont will be protected from leg
Iislatiop in the interest of money buzz
yards. Then shall the saying of tbs
immortal Lincoln come to pass and W.
shall have "a government OF the people
and for the people and by the people
aud equal rights for all the people b
placed on sure foundation.
- j. II. Sprague.