The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-06

that in any event the property tax
On personally as it now stands is
/ Confiscatory.
go The actual confiscation Of
close to half or more than half Of
( the incomes of honest citizens and
of trust funds upon which trusts, wild
! ows and children rely for safe sup
port, where concealment cannot be
made.
ca An interference with a normal
securement and increase OF capital
! for the development of our natural
resources because of the obsolete and
unenforceable tax on personality.
90 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 statue of 1910, leaving the lists
/ of such to the discretion of the lis
ters, without, however insuring any
/ genuine reform.
CD The doubling and even multi
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 real estate, can
not so plead. a discrimination which
ought to be explained or wiped out
entirely
ca Inequalities in the valuation
of properties, resulting in gross in
Justice within the towns and only
less so through the state under the
/ laws requiring the s per cent school
tax and the per cent highway tax
90 Failure TO apply upon a fair
and graded scale a direct inheritance
/ tax, a bill for which unanimously
passed the House in 1905 but was
ANONYMOUSLY killed in the Senate
without special consideration.
/ $50 A revision OF Offsets. exemp-
lions and options so as to insure
/ equality under the law in the burdens
of government without interfering
/ with either credits or business oppor-
tunity
QO just and reasonable taxa.
ton of corporations so as to insure
their due and proper contribution to
| the support Of the state without sup
pressing either their growth or their
opportunity for increase in number,
thus fostering industrial expansion
/ and improving the nearby markets
for the products of our farms.
QD The restoration to individu-
ais OF the same chance 10 invest pri-
/ yately, so far as tax laws are involv-
ed, which the banks now control;
and. finally,
O2l An actual reform Of taxation
laws in connection with greater econ
omy 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 distribute
that list, will induce a more careful
creation and use OF all forms OF pro.
perry. will induce capital to stay at
home and invite IL from abroad will
tend to increase private investments
and enterprise and will tend ultimate
ly TO unity public accounting. reduce
rates of taxation, produce a more
economic financing OF public affairs
and in every way increase and foster
all those material objects upon
which the state relies for its real
prosperity and growth
II is recognized of course. that In
any reform tax laws great attention
must be given to many details ant
TO close study OF the data pertain
ing thereto. which phase Of the sub
lect cannot be covered in this articl,
from lack of space To assume, how
ever that there can be great ant
permanent improvement In our agri
cultural and Industrial progress with
out first disposing of this great issu,
OF taxation reform Is q mistake Tha
and the issue OF getting the state gov
eminent more nearly within IN,
thought and actual action and undei
the direction OF the people direct ar,
the two chief factors finally In the
conservation of everything In which
the people have an interest Fol
government relies upon taxation io
support and conservation depends
upon the character and Justice OF IN,
laws passed and enforced The tal
is paid by the people and they. 1
they will have Il so, will control &C
tually not nominally or by proxy, IN,
selection OF their officers, the nature
OF their laws and their application II
practice. For that reason taxation
and conservation are allied In an In
separahlo union and reforms tn boil
subjects OF legislation should be ask
ed for and spring into existence a
the same timely Joseph A. De
Boer at request OF the Vermont com
mission on the Conservation OF Nat
ural Resources