Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-02-02
TAXATION REFORMS.
Present Laws, Says Hon. J. A. De1oer,
Make Liars


When requested by the Montpelier
Journal to give his views of taxation
evils and needed reforms in Vermont
taxation laws after he had addressed
the Mems League of the Church of the
Messiah, Hon. Joseph A. DeBoer COM
piled and made this statement:
THE law of taxation as we have II in
the United States was formulated after
the British war. You recall the geo.
graphical condition of our states, the
most populous being on the Atlantic.
Little was doing in Vermont. There was
not much money in circulation. There
was realty, of course, in sight but bonds
and mortgages didn't exist to any ex-
cent.
"A man might, If he possessed more
money than he needed, lend out to his
neighbors on chattel mortgage. Vermont
hasn't gotten away from the property
tax since 1t was fixed except to this ex-
tent: AS insurance business and banks
and railroads came into the state, there
gradually developed a division between
certain classes of property, the state
taking the corporations and leaving to
the towns and cities the realty and per-
sonal property. In one case seven mills
were taxed on deposits, in case of the
railroads, then in power, they had an
option. The insurance companies were
taxed ON almost everything in sight, ex-
cept what was equitably in other states
| The towns continue to have nothing but
realty or personal property.
If / have a bond, unless specifically
| excluded, it must be put in the list. II
| have mortgage, my duty is to put II
in the list One of the first things need
ed in reforming the law that makes mer
| liars and Vermonters perjurers Is a
| change in the tax on personal property
we can get along fairly well on realty
but in the matter of bonds, mortgages
and bills of account, notes due, etc.
there's where the state comes in ant
| makes injustice. 1t may be constitu-
| tional but 1t is not in the highest sense
| lawful
| Citing incidents by which a man Nigh,
leave to his wife certain bonds which
would be mentioned doubtless in
the will, the speaker said, 1.-The wild
ows and orphans can be caught II the
listers and courts do their duty, but II
| l buy bond the state may not learn OF
it. We may keep our securities IL
strong boxes and there's any amount o.
that sort of thing on the part of ndi.
| viduals. People send money to the Yves
that isn't in the lists. Even though tn,
banks are avaricious, it Is better to pu
the money in the banks and let tn,
banks invest We get seven mills ther
| the individual gets 6 or per cent ant
| This has gone on to such an alarming
extent, is so palpable, so axiomatica
that the people should not debate 1t bu
should rise up in their majesty and crust
1t.
where's the honest man in this? H,
can't get money from his friends. Tn,
| state or even the town come in and tax,
too much. 1t pays the moneyed maj
better to get his interest on money IL
bank than to lend to friend and pa,
81. 20 tax. There should be such change
in the taxation law that a man can b,
| honest.
I'm the June, 1910, report of the stat
treasurer, $4,000 900 was stated to be Will
savings banks and $50, 900 invested gu
| OF the state The economist says If tn
law of supply and demand determine
the price why not get a lower rate TO
people in Vermont.
THE object of the fiat rate on intan
gibles introduced in 1905 contemplated
the bringing in of capital to the stat
for purposes of investment by our PEG
pie to develop water powers, etc.
Again the list should be more closet,
supervised. There is no reason you an,
] should put in our lists and the mex
man neglect to do 1t and let the lister
md what they can and double on 1t. TIL
law ought to make a man put everythin,
into his list and swear on oath and L
| punish him once or twice of he swor
falsely deliberately. Money would sprin,
into sight in the state If we had tn
courage to apply these principles, tn
| tax rate would be lowered in Vermont