Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-01-16

this balance be made available to reim-
burse the commission, thus keeping the
entire cost of the new building. the
necessary changes in the interior OF the
State House, and the central heating
plant within the appropriations. or the
work you can Judge without further
comment on my part. The commission
consisting of William w. Stickney,
| Charles w. Gates. Charles p. Smith,
Harvey w. Varnum, and the governor,
have given their services and charged no
| expenses to the state. Dwight ]. Dwiner,
sergeant at arms, had charge of the work
under the direction of the commission
and since he became sergeant at arms
has received no compensation for his SER
vices in supervising construction and
repairs. BY vote of the commission most
Of the work was delegated to a sub
committee, Mr.. Varnum and the COVER
nor.
For your information summaries of the
expenditures under these appropriations
accompany this message.
SCHOOLS
BY act of the last Legislature the two
agricultural schools were put In charge
of the State board of education. This
change has proved beneficial and, while
the attendance has been small because or
war conditions. the schools are equipped
to go to work. Although the building
program of the State was modified by war
conditions, n new dormitory was built at
Randolph Center because three consecu
tive legislatures recommended It and
appropriated for it. If this had not been
done the school could not be maintained
properly and efficiently In 1903 we had
two thousand four hundred and fifty
four legal schools with an enrolment Of
sixty-six thousand four hundred and
ninety-f1ve pupils. In 1918 there were
two thousand four hundred and four
schools with an enrolment of sixty-two
thousand and forty-eight pupils, a loss
of fifty legal schools and four thousand
four hundred and forty-nine pupils.
The commissioner of education Is of the
opinion that this decrease is caused by
older pupils entering service or engaging
in war Industries. AS so much has been
said of late about the return to the little
red schoolhouse, ! give you these figures.
They show an average Of twenty-five
pupils to each legal school. Personally
| believe in educating the children, es-
pecially the younger ones. as near home
as possible, but only when a school OF
respectable size can be maintained. Ger
tainly each school ought to have the
, benefits of association and competition
Of at least twenty-five pupils.
, HIGHWAYS
} During the past two seasons, work up
E on our permanent highways has OF
necessity been very much curtailed. The
l rapid advance in the price of labor, its
I scarcity and the increase in the cost OF
E such materials as go into highway work
all contributed to bring this about. II
r addition to this the national government
through its proper boards, insisted upor
I only such work being begun as would
I be of advantage in the conduct of thu
war. Now that the war is over. highwa,
. work must again be strongly pushed
y either our present system or under sucl
a plan as may in the end seem best t.
you. You must, however, bear in MIN
that while some restrictions have beef
s removed, it is not probable that In TIL
o immediate future the cost Of road ma
y terial will be lessened to any appreciabl
5 degree. With half a million men kept Il
r the service. with no immediate immigra
q ton and with an estimated loss Il
e immigration for the last five years o
from four to five million. we ave n
reason to expect. even when condition
e become settled. a surplus Of labor o
much reduction in daily wages. TIL
national government is as yet APPARENT
undecided as to what its highway polio
n is to be. The construction of trunk lin
roads with federal aid will probably b
the outcome. 1t would seem that W
h should hasten slowly along this patti
We should first be sure Of getting on
own plan and that Of the national gov
eminent in accord. In 1903 there was eN
pended for permanent improvement {
lie highways S147, Sol 80. In 1917 this ha
n reached, including maintenance. $S71
" 81. &c. OF the first amount $50. S06.50 wa
from the State treasury and of the la
ter s525. 355.60 Since 1902 we have ea
pended upon our permanent highway
including maintenance, engineering SCI
vice, drawbridges and the Sand Ba
is bridge. 81 1885, 42, q or substantially $475
900 each year. How much more the Stat
can afford to do, If anything. is an ope
10 question about which men will diffe
Including funds from automobile r.
gistrations we are now close to the mi
lion dollar mark. Can we go beyon
p this? Each of you can judge of IL
I'd results Of this work. Can you get MOI
lg for your money? If so. how? Ougl
n you to go into debt to advance this work
I'D The appropriation of money from II
n automobile registration fees for Il
improvement Of the so-called backroaG
has proved a great benefit and should I
continued. The amount set apart fl
this work should be increased. By goo
schools and good roads we encourat
-, those now on our hills to remain and ne
a. citizens to come. This can be done wit
aS out unduiy increasing the burden
,u taxation.
tie RECEIPTS, DISBURSEMENTS AM
m TAXATION
W In 1903 the receipts Of the State fro
ne all sources were 81 ,276, Z3S.0l and the di
ty b~ursements 81. PIP. ISL 10. In 1918 the form
he had Increased to A.0O6. 670.6l and the la
an ter to So, 1888. 076. ". During the san
re period the average tax rate of the tow
on had Increased from SLIGO in 1903 to $2.36
1918. The grand list of the State from
little less than two millions increased
a little more than two and one-hs
-. millions. The deposits in savings bank
trust companies and savings banks a.
=. trust companies subject to taxation /
creased from forty-three millions to o
hundred and six millions. There h
~ been a slight falling of in these deposi
since 1916. caused probably by war wit
drawals. In 1917 they had reached ov
90 one hundred and eleven millions. T
~ deposits In national banks subject
n taxation are now about twelve million
While our wealth and general prospect
- as shown by the Increase of the graz
list and the taxable deposits in banks h
: greatly increased, the burden of taxati