St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-04-03

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piled use for the benefit of the peo-
pie of the state, involve among other
things the following factors.
I'd The current use of many
millions of dollars of false offsets
for debts owing, which do not con-
serve the income of the state equ-
atty of contribution to state sup
port and between individual citizens
or general honesty and truthfulness.
(2) The repetition of recurring
perjury on the part of those who
conceal personality or intangibles,
so called, upon the argument, self
addressed, that others do so too and
that in any event the property tax
on personality as it now stands is
-confscatory.
cd The actual contiscation of
close to half or more than half of
the incomes of honest citizens and
of trust funds upon which trusts,
widows and children rely for safe
support, where concealment cannot
be made
(4) An interference with a nor
NAL securement and increase of cap
ital for the development of our nat
ural resources because of the OBJ
solete and unenforceable tax on
personality.
(5) Gross discrimination in
favor of those who are permitted to
report no list under the imperfect
penalty of merely doubling what the
listers find, as heretofore, but now.
under the statute of 1910, leaving
the lists of such to the discretion of
the listers, without, however insur-
ing any genuine reform.
CD The doubling and even null
tiplying of taxation through taxa
ton of the same property by two or
more state jurisdictions and through
the permission to let some citizen
plead debts in Offset, while others
under other forms of debt, like
mortgages upon farms or city real
estate, cannot so plead, discrimi-
nation which ought to be explained
or wiped out entirely.
Cd Inequalities in the valuation
of properties, resulting in gross
injustice within the towns and only
less so through the state under the
laws requiring the 8 per cent school
tax and the 5 per cent highway tax.
CD Failure to apply upon a fair
and graded scale a direct inheritance
tax, bill for which unanimously
passed the House in 1908, but was
ANONYMOUSLY killed in the Senate
without special consideration.
(9) A revision of offsets, ex-
emptions and options so as to insure
equality under the law in the bur
dens of government without inter
fering with either credits or business
opportunity.
(1O) A just and reasonable tax
alton of corporations so as to insure
their due and proper contribution
to the support of the state without
suppressing either their growth or
their opportunity for increase in
number, thus fostering industrial
expansion and improving the near
by markets for the products of our
farms.
CID The restoration to indivi-
duals of the same chance to invest
privately, so far as tax laws are in
volved, which the banks now con-
troll; and, finally,
(12) An actual reform of taxa
ton laws in connection with greater
economy and greater efficiency in
state administration.
The solution of these questions
will conserve the character of our
people, will increase the grand list
of the state, will more equitably dis
tribute that list, will induce a more
careful creation and use of all forms
of property, will induce capital to
stay at home and invite it from
abroad, will tend to increase private
investments and enterprise and will
tend ultimately to unity public ac-
cOunting, reduce rates of taxation,
produce a more economic financing
of public affairs and in every way
increase and foster all those ma
terial objects upon which the state
relies for its real prosperity and
growth.
1t is recognized of course, that
in any reform of tax laws great at
tention must be given to many de-
tails and to a close study of the data
pertaining thereto, which phase of
the subject cannot be covered in this
article from lack of space. To as
sumo, however, that there can be a
great and permanent Improvement
in our agricultural and industrial
progress without first disposing OF
this great issue of taxation reform
is a mistake. That and the is
sue of getting the state
and the issue of getting tn state
government more nearly within the
thought and actual action and un-
der the direction of the people direct
are the two chief factors finally il
the conservation of everything in
which the people have an interest
For government relies upon taxation
for support and conservation de.
lpends upon the character and justice
of the laws passed and enforced
The tax is paid by the people and
they, if they will have it so, will con.
troll actually, not nominally or by
proxy, the selection of their officers
the nature of their laws and theil
application in practice. For thai
reason taxation and conservation
are allied in an inseparable union
and reforms in both subjects of leg
islation should be asked for and
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