Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-22

rural community, not 90 largo a. the city
Of Buffalo. We are one small family. We
know each other we'll. am proud to say
that am . member Of that family. To
Vermont and her schools, including the
noble institution on your hill, God bless
1t forever. owe all that I am, and all
that hope to be; and when the fair name
OF that State is slandered; when is iegis-
lattve and executive ofiicials for the last
20 years are branded as lacking either in
mental or moral capacity; ~ either 30 in
capable or so corrupt that they have been
olAv 10 the hands Of those who are rob-
Sehg the people Of this State, the '1nter-
ssts," ana the political bosses;" when II
In asserted that the press Of this State y
In league with those VINO are thus OPP
pressing the people thereof. who are
themselves 30 spirftless and dull that thoy
have. without knowing It, ''as a sheep be-
fore her shearers 10 dumb" supinely suf-
fered themselves TO be fieeced through the
corruption or incompetency Of every
branch Of its government, can no longer
keep silence.
Harland B. Howe the democratic candi-
been associated in the trial OF many law
suits. we have been opposed In many 9TH
ers. know him well. and respect both
bis ability, and his integrity But his
zeal in this campaign has led him publicly
to make statements. the true import Of
which fear he does not fully appreciate.
In 1882 the Legislature Of this State cre-
ated the office Of tax commissioner. and
Instituted a system of State taxation OF
public service corporations that. with
slight modification. has continued ever
since, and Is the law to-day. BY that law
railroad corporations are taxed a desig-
mated per cent. on the appraised value of
their respective property in this State, or
at their election, designated per cent on
the gross earnings Of their property there
IN. This is the system Of taxation that
Mr.. Howe has assailed. He brands II as
Ubiquitous" as FRAUDULENT" as so cor
rupt that no political party could ever
have passed 1t. for no political party could
be organized that would be sufficiently
base and corrupt deliberately and inten-
tionally to enact such legislation; that Il
was not enacted by either the Democratic
party or by the Republican party Of this
State. but by the "bosses," by the Inter
ests." who have outwitted the Legislature,
corrupted all our public and influential
officials. and silenced our public press
Now, at the outset, is 1t not a little
thought provoking, to say the least, that
this system Of taxation has been the law
Of this State. publicly administered, for
at least more than 25 years. during
which time such men as Dillingham;. Page,
on tho Ca
tor and Prouty have occupied the execu-
tive chair. and neither they nor any Of the
press of this State. nor any citizen there
OF has ever discovered this monstrous
fraud. this gross inequity. this unspeak-
able wrong. till Harland b. Howe, now in
this time Of "progressive'' ideas. in
speeches so flaming that asbestos paper is
required wherein to transcribe them, for
the first time makes the startling an
nouncement. Have the BOSSES" the in
terests" been able during all those years
to hoodwink and corrupt such men as
have named, not only, but also all the
Legislatures of all those years, all the in
telligence Of this State in every depart
ment Of human endeavor. including the
public press, so that they have all tame
~ kept silent in respect Of this mon
strous inequity affecting every individual
in this State? Is 1t no longer true that,
though you may fool all Of the people
some OF the time and some Of the people
all Of the time. you cannot fool all Of the
people all Of the time" but, In respect of
the dense, corruptible. and degenerate
sons and daughters of Vermont at least
the Interests" the political BOSSES" can
easily fool all OF the people all Of the
time?" Does not this proposition give
you pause. cause you at least TO view
with suspicion the claims Of the demo-
cratic candidate In respect Of this matter
of taxation? Does not that proposition,
without further argument on my part
convince you as intelligent men and wom-
en-, that there Is something rotten" In
any cylogism, in any line of reasoning
Of which that is the conclusion? One
might as we'll try by argument and f1am.
Ing oratory to convince you that your
native Mansfield Is a mole hill. You know
that 1t Is a grand mountain. your pride al
home and boast abroad. You know thai
the intelligence, the moral character, the
sterling manhood of he people of Yer.
mont Is such that no such gross wrone
could have been continuously perpre
trated upon them for the last q years.
Moreover in this connection ! should
remind you that the Legislature OF 1901
created a commission. and instructed thai
they should thoroughly investigate thu
subject Of taxation and, on or before the
first day of June. 1905 make report there
OF to the Governor, with such recommen
dations as II may consider best adapted
C. remedy the evils of our present system
Of taxation" The creation Of that com
mission was owing to the feeling on tn,
part Of the Legislature, representing TIT
public. that some way ought to be de
vsed to got rid OF double taxation" NJ
one dreaming of the great 'inequity" tina
Mr.. Howe now for the first time calls 4
| our attention. That commission was ap
pointed by Governor Proctor. and consist
| ed Of three republicans and three demo
| Gratis, the chairman was Orion NJ. Barbe
OF Remington and the three d emocra Is wer
Ernest Hitchcock Of Pittsford. John II
Senter OF Montpelier, and A. Allyn Ohm
stead Of South Newbury. Those six mel
thoroughly investigated the subject com
mttted to their charge. made an exhaus
tive report, In which they called attention
to the several means taken to raise none!
In this State. including a reference to tn
plan that Mr. Howe now tells us Is sucl
a monstrous inequty; and finally con
GUIDED with. I'VE believe this general sys
tenn is as we'll adapted to our needs as an.
found elsewhere" Those gentlemen wrot
tC leading citizens all over the State 70
suggestions. and neither any of the com
mission themselves, nor any one whom
they consulted could see this awful In
equity. amounting to a crime that MI