St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-11-13
WOULDABOLISH OPTION
Gov. Fletcher Asks That Railroads
Be Taxed on Appraised Value
Other Business.

The first message by Gov. Fletcher
to the legislature was sent in last
week. 1t suggests the present system
of taxing railroad property be radi-
cally changed. He is not in favor Of
levyiug a tax on the gross receipts,
as at the present time.
Governor Fletcher's message was
as follows:.
Estate of Vermont.
Executive Department.
ITO the Honorable Senate and House
of Representatives
ltsGentlemen:
/ ''In view of conditions which now
exist in the general railroad world, /
desire to suggest for your serious
consideration radical change in the
states present method of taxing the
railroad corporations.
Under the existing law, the rail-
roads are taxed, first upon an ap-
Ipraisement made by the tax COM
missioner at rate of one and one
quarter per cent. of the appraised
value, or, in lieu thereof, the option
is given them to pay two and one
half per cent. on their gross receipts.
cat present nearly all of the rail-
roads of the state exercise the option
of paying a tax based on gross re-
ceipts. Therefore, for the state to
know that the spirit of the law is
strictly adhered to, it will become
necessary to employ competent ac-
countant with large force to re-
view practically every rate made by
the railroads in this state. This
would seem to be very expensive and
in many respects not to be desired.
after a thorough investigation of
this subject, / am convinced, as a ]
matter of state policy, that it would |
be better. to repeal the gross receipts |
clause of the present law, and 1 earn
estly recommend that the same be
done.
81 have the honor to be your obedi-
ent servant,
"AIlen M. Fletcher,
Governor.
November Z, 1872"
Another Primary Law
The general assembly will have at |
least three bills on primary election |
to consider. Clarke G. Fits of Brat
tleboro has prepared one along sim
niar lines to those which have come
to light. His is different from that of
Secretary of State Bailey in that it
will be a preferential primary instead
of a direct like Mr.. Bailey's. The
plan of Mr. Fits is that instead of
having the whole matter closed at the
primary the voters will cast their
vote for stating their preference and
then the delegates to the convention
will nominate the officers using that
preference as a basis of their decision
Az RofIousc hill rrnuidaG that |
when the primary is closed the re-
suit of the voting will show the can
didates elected for the several
in the different parties.
Mr.. Fits also goes farther III his
bill than does Mr.. Bailey, that is, his
measure provides that the prefer
entail primary shall be used for all
officers down to and including county
officers while Mr.. Bailey's bill only
relates to state officers. The bill of
Mr.. Bailey provides for a referendum
before the act shall become a law. Mr.
Fits bill provides that the final vote
is by the general assembly.
In drawing his bill Mr.. Fits has
in mind the value of retaining the
system. He believes and
advocates that this part Of the poll
tical education is valuable one to
say the least ana SnOuld De retained.
He also claims that by using his bill
the present town system will be re-
tanned, which he claims should be
for the benefit of the best interests
Of the state.
Gift by Senator Roy
Senator Roy of Caledonia present
I'd the speaker of the house and the
ieutenant-governor each with a gav-
IL manufactured of birds-eye maple