Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-04-11

TAX DAY.-There was very considerable excite.
ment in town yesterday on the subject Of Taxes as
each man engaged in business walked up to the Cap
tains Office to settle his fare for the coming year.
The scrptural axiom that it is more blessed to give
than receive like all other rules has its exception
1t does not apply to money especially paid in the
shape of taxes; and will venture to say that no
bill providing for increased taxation ever yet was or
will be popular. Legislators know this, and hence
Legislatures so frequently shirk the responsibility
by making a resort to temporary expedients thus
staving off the evil, only to make it still more evil
when it does come The last Legislature of this
State is entitled to credit for having had the man.
illness to meet the issue straight forward as it ought
to be met-to have looked the difficulty fairly in the
face and provided for it To have come openly and
at the first to what other States have only resorted
to, after having wallowed about in the slough of
expedency and Of make-shifts until recovery wa9
almost impossible. All honor to the Legislature for
this. ..
The Revenue Bill Is loosely drawn, or at least it
appears SO. Some of its provisions are confused,
and others are unequal. Admit all this Does any
one remember ever to have heard or read Of bill
Of similar class, under similar circumstances aga
inst which similar class of objections not rails
ed and. it may have been, with truth? The bill is
not perfect The inequality of taxation is the uni
versal complaint thoughqysf the world. Even in
States where the onerous burden of indebtness has
caused all the realms and regions of taxation to be
fully explored, and where inexperience, at least
cannot be plead IN cxtenuatlOn OF error, tnere IS
near about the same complaint Taxes are like sick
ness-they make one feel bad, matter where locat-
ed how laid Not but that great injustice may
be done by unequal taxation, which injustice,
as discovered should be rectifed.
Pending the election for Governor, the whole cry
here was for internal improvements. Mr.. Bragg
actually fell behind somewhat ecause it was thoug
that he was not good enough internal improve
mcnt man." The same was the case during the Ses
sion of the Legislature. Mr.. Biggs was denounced
all sorts of a miserable sinner because, although
willing to go for the central Railroad to the Noun
tains he not yet prepared to carry it them
an indifnIte distance towards sun down. at an ex-
pense beyond the power Of calculation. Now, every
body knows that the necessity for increased taxation
in this State has grown out of State investment in
public works The mere expenses of the State gov
ernment the smallest item. Those who insist
upon public expenditures ought in consistency to in
sist upon their natural and inevitable consequence,
taxes which must come sooner later and for meet
ing the requirements of the at in the man.
in which it must be met the Legislature deserves
! praise for its manliness.
These remarks are what may be called "plan.
spoken" but we think they true and their truth
will be shortly felt and acknowledged We cant
expect to eat our peach and have 1.-THE State tc
! spend money, and the citizens, VINO compose the
State to escape the payment. Coming to the matter
thus promptly will check the mania for reckless ex
penditure in advance of the available of the
! State.
| Commission merchants and other whose business
is to be largely increased by the opening up Of
nues of trade must feel that they the very peo
pie to cheerfully their portion of the burden:
| arising from the expenditures made in opening W
| these avenues VII Journal