Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-15
not be compelled to pay more on the dol
lor than the railroad. the bank, the insur-


more ON the dollar than the corporation
10 because the ring-mastars Of the Re-
publican party have enacted these Laws.
The great Republican party, and when l
say the sreat Republican party" speak
what verify believe. because the Repub-
lioAn party has been great party. The
Republican party has not only been a
Rrsst --- In the State. but It has been
atN k4uu0O party in the nation. And
party has been entrusted with the
power OF government not only in the
state but In the nation, SO long that
their political bosses, the ring-masters,
the machine, II you please. of that party,
have betrayed the peoples interests. And
upon this very question Of taxation what
have they done to us? Why Is 1t that
your taxes are increasing year after year?
Let me tell you why 1t is. Because, COM
mencing with the year 1&6, to be pre-
else, Just 26 years ago now. not the Re-
publican party. not the Democratic party.
not any party. but the political BOSSES.
passed a law through our Legislature by
which all the railroad property in our
State, amounting to millions, and millions
and millions of dollars. was taken out of
the grand list of each and every town
through which that railroad passed. And
from then on. they have continued along
the same lines of legislation until now
not only all the railroad property In our
State. but all the property belonging to
our great insurance companies has been
taken out of the grand lists Of all our
towns. likewise the property Of all our
guaranty companies.-thatin means another
kind Of an insurance company-the prop
erty OF all our great express companies.
the property Of all our great telegraph
companies. Of all our great telephone
companies. the steamboat companies. the
car and transportation companies. mort
gage, loan and investment companies. and
lastly tho property of banks. And what
have they done? The Legislature has
passed a law--no. am mistaken, the
Legislature never passed this law. the
political. crooked bosses. and those sent
there by these corporations passed this
law by which all these concerns pay a
tax directly to the State, and the State
uses that to pay their State expenses.
Now. I verify believe that every per-
son within the hearing of my voice
win agree with me when say that
these great companies ought to pay just
merchant. as the doctor. as the lawyer
as everyone. But the truth is they pay
a much less rate on the dollar. and SO
all this great mass Of property Is
taken away from our grand lists. No
town in the State is allowed to collect
any tax on this great mass Of proper
~.
Now how are railroads taxed?
They pay two and one-half per cent.
on their gross earnings. And what
would we have and how much tax
could we claim il we passed a law
that the farmer should be taxed on
his gross earnings? Who could find
out anything about it. or know any
thing about what his gross earnings
were except that farmer? Well. that
is the way they tax railroads.
Now Mr.. Cushman las figured that
all out. but after l tell you what his
figures are, want to make a few
figures with you. Now. we take. first
let us all have in mind that you peo-
pie here in Burlington pay $3.50 on
a thousand dollars. sl.75 on the dollar
Now am not going to read all these
because 1t would take too long but
am going to read you a few Of them
Atlantic & st. Lawrence Railroad
company, appraised at sl,222.4OO. Their
tax for l9o9-ths is the last report have
OF them. they paid no tax in lsll-was
ss.527.15. The rate on the dollar was $.6s7,
s. .697 on the dollar.
Compare that rate on the dollar with
your present tax OF 81. 70 and you find that
YOU are paying two and one-half times as
much tax on the dollar as this Atlantic &
ST. Lawrence Railroad company.
Now. have told you any untruth, when
I said to you that this law was not enact
ed by the Republican party. by the Demo-
cratic party. or by any party. but on the
contrary. this law was enacted by the
crooked political bosses in the Legisla-
ture, by crooked political bosses
who We're controlled and probably
hired by the railroads. l submit to you
that no honest. conscientious legislator
ever passed such law as that. because
that rate of taxation, that law. that bur-
den imposed upon the people. would make
a lightning rod agent look ashamed
Mr.. Howe then went into details and
produced figures which convinced him
that the railroads In the State do not pay
his experiences while member OF the
Legislature four years ago in trying to
secure legislation which he believed to be
in the interest Of the people and which
was killed by the republican machine
through the Senate. He continued:
You have all heard that the Senate at
Washington, the Senate OF the nation,
was controlled by wealth. l say to you.
that the Senate In the State OF Vermont
is absolutely controlled by the machine.
say to you that the Senate In Vermont
Is as much controlled by the machine. and
has been for many years, as the Senate
In the nation. Now. was that fair? Was
that right? just think Of the reason
assigned for passing that bill? Why, they
don't care so much about the people. SO
much about the good OF the people. so
much about the good OF the community
as don't know what. II isn't right.
These laws were passed. no. by the
Legislature, but by the bosses. not by
day, but by night and not on pure spring
water
Now. have we seen anything In the pa
pers about this rate of taxing all these
great enterprises? Have we heard any of
the republican orators discussing the
rate OF taxation paid by these great in
terests? Have we heard any OF our gov
ernors In the past when they sent their
message to the General Assembly, call the
attention OF our lawmakers to the rate Of
taxes paid by the individual? Have we?
II Is true that all the newspapers in the
State OF Vermont. with possibly two ex-