Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-04-19
GRAND TRUNK RAILROAD STATION

stfoy OF 10 retard the growth oil property |
and the power to discriminate unjustly
between different classes of property
and groups of men and between indi-
viduals and corporations. When such
unfair discrimination exists and when
laws are not made to compel men and
property, according to opportunity and
kind and IN just proportion, to con-
tribute to the maintenance of govern
ment and its legitimate public works,
there may be said to be a condition
which tends to the nou-conservative and
abnormal acquisition and use of property
and to concealment of the states
sources of income, which in the case of
many town has led to its slow decay
While the state taxes and the town
taxes, both property and men, and the
income and property of corporations, it
has done but little by an adequate
change in the tax laws to increase, fos-
ter and improve the subjects of taxation
or to create legitimate and wholly
proper additional subjects of taxation.
1t assumes that these matters will take
care of themselves, when in fact its true
function is to improve its own power
and strength by enlarging and increas-
ing the wealth, the opportunity, the pro-
ducton and the thrift of It's people, since
that course conserves and builds up its
WAYS and means, while the reverse of
that course leads to loss and even in
some sections to death and decay.
TAXATION PROBLEMS.
Tax problems in Vermont, upon
whose solution depend the conservation
of its natural resources, their proper de-
velopment and their applied use for the
benefit of the people of this state, in
volve among other things the following
factors
0) The current use of many mil.
lions of dollars of false offsets for debts
owing, which do not conserve the income
OF the state equality of contribution to
state support as between individual citi
zens or general honesty and truthful
ness.
(2) The repetition of recurring per-
jury on the part of those who conceal
personality or intangibles, so called,
upon the argument, self-addressed, that
others do 80 too and that in any event
the property tax on personality as it now
stands is confiscatory.
(3) The actual confscation of close
to half or more than half the incom mes
of honest citizens and of trust funds
upon which trusts, widows aud children
rely tor safe support, where concealment
cannot be made.
az An interference with normal Sc.
curement and increase of capital for the
development of our natural resources
because of the obsolete and unenforce-
able tax on personality.
(5) Gross discrimi nation in favor Of
those who are permitted to report nc
list under the imperfect penalty of
merely doubling what the listers find,
as heretofore, but now, under the statue
of 1910, leaving the lists of such to the
discretion of the listers, without, how
ever, insuring any genuine reform.
Coy The doubling and even N ulti-
plying of taxation through taxation 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 rea
estate, cannot so plead, di scrimi
nation which ought to.be explained Oh
wiped out entirely.
| O 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
$50 school tax and the SOB highway tax.
(S) Failure to apply upon fair and
graded scale direct Inheritance tax, a
bill for which unanimously passed the
House in 1908 but was ANONYMOUSLY
killed in the Senate without special con-
sideration.
! Coy A revision OF Offsets, exemp tions
and options so as to insure equal lily un
! der the law ID the burdens of govern