Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-10-20

ring the present year, or early IN Tue next, Ior te
first instalent of the States subscription to the
stock of this road To raise the sum, State bond;
are authorized to be issued and sod It is believ
ed that this loan as we'll as all Others required by
the State, can be procured upon better terms by
authorizing the Public Treasurer to issue Coupon
Bonds. =.
An act was passed at the last session of the
General Assembly, appropriating twelve thousand
dollars, out of the first moneys collected after the
first day of January 1852, from the Cherokee
bonds. and from the sale of Cherokee lands" fol
the survey of Railroad route from Salisbury to
the Tennessee line The Agent states, that only a
small sum applicable to this appropriation has
been collected. 1t was not therefore in the power
of the Board of Internal Improvements, to procure
the execution of the survey. It's to be regretted
that this could not be done before the commence
ment of the present session of the Legislature, as
the contemplated line runs through portion of
the State, where the people are deprived Of the
means OF convenient transportation, and are there
fore deeply interested in the subject. 1t is uncer-
tain, under the present Act when sufficient sum
will be collected to defray the expense OF the sur
vey. Should the Legislature desire it to be made
at an early period, an appropriation for that pur-
pose will be the means by which it can surely be
accomplished.
The Fayetteville and Western Plank Road is in
course of extension. The whole amount of the
States subscription to this work has been paid.
the State Treasury. This not only bids fair to be
a valuable improvement, but the stock it is be-
Elieved will be good investment for the State.
The Report of the President and Directors of the
Company is herewith transmitted.
An Agent was appointed to suPerintend the
construction of the Western Turnpike road. A
considerable portion of the Road has already been
made and other parts of it are under contract. The
Agent, it is believed, has faithfully performed his
duty in experimenting the work. Toll -gatherers
have already been appointed on the portion of the
road completed, but report of the amount of
tolls collected has not yet been received.
| 1t is respectfully submitted whether legislative
action is not necessary the subject of public high
ways This is subject of general Importance to the
State and has been too much neglected. Good roads
will be found to advance the interests of all the in
dustra pursuits of the State The mode of assessing
the labor to build and repair public highways is
unequal and unjust. The work done on the public
roads is a tax paid in labor It often occurs that
person of quite limited estate contributes in the
course of the year a considerable amount of labor
to Roads, while his nearest neighbor who has a
large estate contributes but little or nothing at all
for that purpose.
/ 1t becomes the duty of the present General As
sembly to lay off the State into Electoral Congress
siona and Senatorial Districts and apportion the
members of the House of Commons among the
several counties of the State.
1t is respectfully submitted, whether public con-
venience and the ends of public justice do not
quire the formation of one or two additional Judi
eial Circuits and the election of corresponding
number of Judges.
The fiscal year closes on the 31st day of Octo-
Der. when the Public Treasurer will submit his Re-
port giving detailed account of the operations and
condition Of the Treasury.
The State debt is as follows -
State bonds already issued, 1924 900
Loans authorized by law for vari-
Gus works of Internal improvement
for which it is expected bonds will
be issued during the next two
years, $2'l4o'ooo
Total, $3,364,OOO
The Report of the Comptroller for the fiscal
year. ending the 3lst of October 1851, is herewith
communicated.
1t will be seen that the taxes paid into the Treas
ury during the year 1851, amounted to the sum
of $l57,l37 II. The Revenue Act, passed at the
last session. WILL it is believed increase the revenue
paid into the Treasury this year: about $4,000.
Neither the demands on the Treasury, nor public
convenience would seem to require any increase OF
taxation during the next two years. No more
money should be collected from the people, than
is necessary to defray the expenses of good and
economical government. Taxation is 1ndspensa-
ble but it is one of the first duties of the states
man to endeavor to equalize the burdens we'll as
the benefits of government.
| For many wears the demands upon the Treasury
were so limited, that but little attention paid
to the subject of taxation Of late years. Internal
Improvements and other public objects have in
creased the expenditures, and our financial system
has assumed a more important aspect 1t will be
perceived, that of the $157,137 II tax, paid into
the Treasury in 1851, S37,o59 80 was collected on
land and town property $36,133 OF on polls !;
t$25,OO7 81 on interest tax; and 1882 81 on
store tax amounting in the aggregate to the sum
of $111, O22 81, paid into the Treasury on these
principal items Of taxation and OLA "a, paid
4 in on all others. The land and poll tax amounted
to $73,192 80. The tax for county purposes is
collected entirely on land and pos and the amount
paid into the Public Treasury on these two items
is small, when compared with the tax paid for coun
ty purposes. We have no returns to show the
amount of County tax collected in the State. 1t
is believed, however, that not more than twenty
per cent of the whole amount collected on land
: and polls, goes into the Public Treasury, and I
have based the estimate of the average amount
paid on land accordingly. An examination into
the existing revenue laws will show that the pres
ent system operates very unequaly At present,
$1,000, loaned at interest, pays $50 cents, while
$1,000, boarded, against the public convenience
and public policy, pays nothing at all; $1,000 in
vested in land pays 800 cents, while 1000 invest
ed in trade, pays 100 cents. Other unjust discrim
nations might be shown.
AS general rule, it is believed that the tax up
on the estate of each person should be in proper