208 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



burdens. The General Assembly of Connecticut, Session 

 of 1889, passed an act designed to reach this personal prop- 

 erty held in the form of bonds and notes, and secure a 

 small tax therefrom. Any person is allowed to take or send 

 any bond to the State treasurer, and pay a tax of one per 

 cent for five years, or for a longer or shorter period at the 

 same rate. These bonds are registered by the treasurer, and 

 notice attached of the time for which the tax is paid, with 

 amount of the same ; and all bonds so endorsed are free 

 from all taxation for the time specified. 



How has the law worked? The towns where a greater 

 amount was collected for the town treasuries on these bonds 

 than is now collected by the State on the same class of 

 property, are very few indeed. These exceptional cases 

 were mostly where bonds were held in trust, and could not 

 be concealed. The tax collected on these bonds by the 

 State has so replenished the treasury that no State tax was 

 required last year, with the prospect that the same happy 

 immunity will continue in the future. 'Now, most of these 

 bonds are held in the richest towns in the State, very few in 

 the poorest. Hence, here personal property is made to pay 

 a share of tax, to the relief of those less able to pay, and 

 whose property cannot be concealed. 



In accordance with the provisions of this law, there were 

 registered bonds from Aug. 1, 1889, to July, 1890, 

 $33,654,335, paying a tax of $129,452.06. From July 1, 

 1890, to Oct. 15, 1890, $21, 673, 725. 76; tax paid, $7 1,360. 12. 

 Now, by means of this tax, and others of a general nature, 

 the towns have been relieved of the State tax ; and thus, 

 besides securing some tax from hitherto concealed property, 

 there has resulted some equalization of the State burthens ; 

 and the efforts of rich men to live together in certain town- 

 ships and thus secure low rates of taxation, have to this ex- 

 tent failed of their object. 



There is one other feature of taxation which now appears 

 unequal and unjust. The farmer, with a net income of one 

 or two thousand dollars, pays taxes on a capital of ten or 

 twenty thousand dollars ; while the salaried clerk or agent 

 receives the same amount, and pays little or nothing. He 

 enjoys the same protection of government, free schools, and 



