The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-03-09
HOUSE FLOPS
ON POLL TAX
Voted To-day to Retain 81
Grand List for Purposes
Of Taxation
AFTER DECIDING
ON 81 YESTERDAY
Matter Provoked One Of
Sharpest Debates Of
the Session

Reversing its decision of yesterday
on H. %, the poll tax bill, the House
this morning reconsidered its action
whereby the bill was ordered to third
reading with the Bradley grand list
amendment attached, by vote of III to
| 1903; reconsidered its action on the
Bradley amendment itself, by vote Of
| III to los; refused to readopt the one
dollar amendment by a yea and nay
vote of l22 to l12, and ordered the bill
| to third reading in its original form,
making the poll tax based on a 50
grand list for both men and women, the
tax which prevails at present. In the
| midst of this turnover, the House
turned down compromise amendment
offered by Mr. Bailey Of Colchester,
which would have made the poll tax
grand list Sl50
This bill again raised considerable
debate this morning, though not so
much as yesterday. Mr.. Warner of st.
| Albans Town started the ball rolling
by moving for reconsideration before
| the House had taken up any other
business. After the House had voted
to reconsider both the action on third
reading and on the Bradley amendment,
Mr. Bailey offered his amendment and
debate started.
Mr. Cushman of Rochester attacked
the amendment and the one-dollar
proposition. He said that il was not
matter OF chivalry to the ladies which
was, fat stake; it was a question of
raising the rate of taxes ON tangibles
if the poll tax was lowered.
III we adopt the amendment of the
gentleman from Colchester" said Mr.,
TCushman, eve have Simply reduced the
entrance fee to a dollar and a half;
that's all.
Mr.. Bailey, in reply, said that nearly
all agreed that we should not change
the fundamentals of taxation, but the
question was what is fair. 1t may be
hardship for the laboring man to pay
double tax for himself and his wife,
when he has no property. On the other
hand, there is the question of revenue
which must be secured in some way.
He thought compromise amendment
would satisfy everybody.
Mr.. Morrison of Dummerston said
that his constituents had voted at
March meeting for the one e.dollar basis.
He thought the twodollar basis would
be hardship upon widows in poor cir
cumstances.
Mr.. Wishart Of Barre City opposed
the compromise and said it was the
entrance of the women into the suffrage
which had precipitated this question
and he did not see why we should legis
late for the women alone. The poll tax
payer had not borne his just share OF
taxation in the past, declared Mr.,
Wishart. He can vote to bond the town
or city and put a burden upon it for
wears. He thought that the widows
would be taken care of by the towns, if
thew were not able TO pay the poll tax.
Mr.. O'Brien of South Burlington ia
vored the one-dollar basis.
Mr.. Bradley of Swanton, who intro
duced the one-dollar feature, defended
il and declared that the people back
home wanted IT,
What would Barre City be were il
not for the poll tax payers'' asked Mr..
Bradley. in reply TO Mr.. Wishart,
"Thev are the ones who have made II
possible to keep the granite sheds open
and enabled others to pay a property
tax
Mr. Peet of st. George said that he
voted for the one-dollar amendment
Yesterday. but he now realized that
this would cut down the revenue and he
now favored the two-dollar basis
The Bailey amendment of $50 was
voted down, only three or four voting
in its favor.
On the question of the Bradley one !
dollar amendment being readopted Mr. I
Button of Middlebury spoke in favor,
differing with Mr.. Wishart ss to the
purpose of the poll tax. He declared
that he understood the poll tax was
never intended as a revenue measure, /
but was TO prevent the poor from feel I,
ing their poverty when they came into .
town meeting TO vote Mr.. Button said 4
that the average poll tax in Vermont at .
present is about $3.50. so that, with .
the two-dollar basis, it would mean .
that married man and his wife would .
have 10 pay about Sl3 as poll tax. I
He pointed out that many states had
no poll tax. and he thought that Yer 4
mont ought not 20 have a poll tax 4
which would be burden.
Mr.. Barber Of Wilmington favored
the two-dollar basis and said he
thought there were more who were
fully able to pay il than there were
who were not able TO pay. Mr. Bentley
Of Sandeate moved that debate cease.
which was voted, and Mr.. Bradley /
called for the yeas and nays. After the
ne-dollar amendment had been reject
I'd. the bill went 70 a third reading by
a rising vote.
State Teachers College Bill Favored,
is TO II.
The state teachers college bill. ). 81.
will he reported in the House to-moT