The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-03-19
Digset of Address Deiivb,d by fnl-
Ter {. smith of ST. Albans at
Country Life Conference at
Manchester.

Few OF us realize the official ma
ehinery which, under our present
laws, is required to transact the bus
mess Of the average Vermont town
II is strange thing that with the
growth aud development Of our state
during the past hundred years the
only changes that have been made ID
an effort to improve this machin-
cry ih In adding to its parts ana
making the machine more complicat-
ed and harder and more expensive To
run. Let us first take a census OF
our town officers;
First we have a moderator of the
town meiating, that's one; a clerk
that's two; a treasurer, that's three
three or more selectmen, say three
that's six; highway commissioner
that's seven; three auditors, that
ten. three school commissioners
that's thirteen; an overseer of the
poor. that e~fourteen; constable
or two, say two, that S sixteen;
collector of taxes. that's seventeen;
three or more listers, say four, that =
twenty-one; trustee of public
money, that's twenty-five; one OF
more grand jurors, say three
that's twenty-five; an agent TO pro
secute and defend suits, that s TWEEN
tx six, a tree warden. that's twenty
seven; three fence viewers, that s
thirty; a pound keeper for each
pound. say three, that's thirty-three;
an inspector of wood. that's thirt-
four, an inspector Of lumber, that's
hirty-fiye. five TO fifteen justices OF
tho peace, say ten. that's forty
five; then there are always scatter
"a through each town a few petit
jurors, deputy sheriffs and such
things that brings up the average
number Of town officers to at least
tftyl
Now the average grand list of
Vermont towns may be stated at
$500 with an average tax Of sl70,
an average revenue from
which to pay all the expenses OF
the town Of $4,000 TO 'isburS
this sum OF money IN all its various
ways, fifty officials are annually
or an average of $500 for
each official to disburse On the
same basis. as near as can be esti-
the United States Steel Cor
poration wonld requina more direc-
tols and officials than could find
Standing room in Bennington Coun
tyty or course this illustration is
an eSaggeration in sense; but
the fact remains that dozens OF town |.
are annually elected who
are more useless to the town
han yermiform appendix to a saw
lust doll,
Scores OF years ago when the Law
made provision for this multitude
u town officials, the business OF
zach town was small, inexpensive
lad easy to handle; community OF !
interest and splendid public spirit
-
vas back ot the plan. Our schools
we're simple IN management; our
.oads were the old fashioned com
non dirt trails: our bridges were (
4 stringers and plank; our town
Iouse and school buildings were
and uaimportant; the {
I'D wood stove h@atsd them and Z
here wasn't anY flag 70 run up; 4
onss and Smith and Brown who .
nd good team ploughed out the
cad Ia the winter There was little :
cal business to transact and every {
rgnlnent man had plenty Of time !
0 help run the town" To-day all {
iseae conditions are changed. No i
nan capable OF the place wants 10 Z
pend HE time on town business IN
rss he is well paid for II or unless
e seeS way 10 ge some good
safs out OF k A mere politician {