Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-12-19
Flat Rate Bill Passed by House
in Difference to Demand
for Something.
RECESS TILL MONDAY NIGHT
Tax Measure Intro
duced by Committee on Ways
and Means-90 Bills Be-
ing Revised.

Montpelier. Dec. l3-Yoth houses Of the
General Assembly have adjourned until
Monday evening and many of the mem
bers have gone to their homes. The great
| accomplishment of the week has been the
passage of a taxation bill by the House
Debate on the fiat rate measure has con-
stunned he mos: of the time OF the House
and few members of that body are
satisfied with the action taken. but they
submit to the action of the majority be-
cause of the general feeling that some
| thing In the way of an experiment in
tax legislation must be placed before the
people. fiat rate tax bill passed the
Senate In 1905 and was killed In the House.
A similar bill passed both houses in
1910 and was vetoed by the governor The
action of the House this week makes the
third time that such a measure has been
favoraby acted upon, and members are
inclined to believe that these votes fairly
represen. the feeling Of the people of the
State on the matter Of taxation.
| 1t is perfectly apparent. however. that
| the fiat low rate of taxation on in
tansibles will at least temporarily reduce
the revenues. Such intangbles as can
now be uncovered and brought into the
tax list pay the local rate of taxation.
which averages for the State about sl.Sl.
To reduce this to the bank rate of seven
tenths of one per cent. Will mean ser
ious .oss in the town revenues. II all
offsets We're abolished, the personal prop
erty that might be brought into the list
would in some degree offset the loss from
this reduction of the tax on intangibles,
II Is fairly to be presumed, from the
experience of other States. that in the
course o. few years this reduced rate
will bring into the list many millions that
are not now returned, but this will not
be effected Immediately.
There is no prospect that offsets
will be abolished. The farmers, hav-
ing no offset on their indebte lness on
real estate, desire to continue the OF
sets on personal property as "A relief
from what they consider double taxa
ton. The merchant. carrying "A large
stock of goods unpaid for and also
carrying a long line of credits. feels
entitled to the exemption the law az
for1s. New Industries, and many es-
tn blished industries. are conducted on
a credit basis and the managers ~
the abolition of offsets. The theorists
claim that in a few years the situate n
will adjust itself and that the taxa
ton rate will probably be lowered b,-
the abolition of Offsets but the aver
age man looks for imme late returns
or results. and sees that many of his
constituents will be harmed. at least
temporarily, by the passage of such
an act.
One measure that tends to help the
, State revenues was introduced in The
House this afternoon by the commit
tee on ways and means. which is also
| responsible for the Nat rate bill. n
Q provides for an inheritance tax rang
n ing from one per cent to five per cent
| on estates exceeding $4,000 in value
; The revenue from this tax would go
to the state AMI would not tighten in
any degree the local taxation.
There are now 90 bills in the hands
of the revision committee and prob
ably as many more will come in as
. committee reports or by unanimous
consent. Both houses are striving for
an early adjustment. but there is nc
present possibility of securing a fnnl
Z last two sessions.
II MUCH WORK AFTER HOLIDAYS.
, The Senate has fallen into the habit Of
, ! ordering bills to lie and has half a dozer
that must be called up next week The
taxation matter will doubtless consume
as much time in the Senate as it has
u In the House, so that, at the time OF
It adjournment for Christmas, there is ne
: prospect that much real legislation vii
= have been accomplished beyond the ia,
matter, and it is doubtful if the actor
that may be taken will stand after the
e members return from insulation witt
= their constituents.
g The bill ordering interchangeable mile
= age on the railroads In the State has
been ordered to lie in the House. II
is claimed that If this bill should become
a law 1t would cost one road alone 5000
a year, and some of the radical members
believe that amount ought to be saved
to the people who travel on the road
=. If the bill should be passed there is :
possibility that the railroads would raise
" in the courts the same objection tha
they raised to the two-cent mileage bill
some years ago. that by reducing the
revenues OF the road beyond the lim
. Of profit it amounted to the taking o
property without due process OF law
:, In defiance of the provisions or the con
stitution.
There will he public hearing Thurs
day evening In the Supreme Court room
on ii, i05 to establish the office OF live
stock commissioner. This measure
changes the name OF the present OFFICE
l. OF cattle commissioner and changes soin'
sections OF the present law.