Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-07-19


phrase why do they point the practical remedy
at the next Legislature when doubt this odious and
really unproductive will be repealed far any
Justly Objectionable features concerned TLis would
be more like real interest in the workiDgmen than
that newborn zeal which prompts them to point to
constitutional amendment and ad ualorem away off in
the dim distance for we know enough of the State to
feel no hesitation in asserting that old will be dead
and men young will be gray before two-thirds OF
both houses of the Legislature of North Carolina be
brought up to vote for calling Convention proposed
by the Opposition party
1t is argued, and justly that it is very wrong that
only 80 cents should be paid negro, while white
mechanic, earning five hundred dollars, is required by
law to pay FIVE dollars Now, notion about this
matter is simple enough Without spinning long yarns
about ad Uaoren niggers," State Conventions, and
SO FORTH we would say at once we have said more
than once before-strike off this tor ON the whe mans
labor. The whole amount collected from the tax on
professional incomes fees salaries emolumens wages
etc. throughout the whole State is only some thirteen
thousand dollars all told. To strike off all taxes from
wages and salaries under say, fifteen hundred dollars
per annum, would hardly be felt or the figures
of the Comproers report. To strike off all, OF every
grade would still be small matter but out of this mat
ter good deal of capital has been made, and the negro
the negro has been pitched into as though be was an
awful nuisance We understand that perhaps the strong
est advocate 10 the Finance Committee of the last Le
gislature of this tax upon wages, was Hon. John M
Morehead bright and shining light of the Opposition,
distinguished leader among the hosts of ad valorem
Mr. Pool himself in the last Senate of North Caro-
lima We are unable find where he raised his voice
against this awful oppression We give the name of
| Gov. Morehead plainly a member of the Finance
Committee OF the last Legislature who strongly favored,
and indeed pressed for the tax upon wages so much re-
rred to and denounced by the advocates of ad raren
in order that if we wrong in statement, may
be more correctly informed
Then the landed interest is appealed to-the owners
of real estate called upon 60 for John Pool and
ad uaLorem. They are told that if John Pool and ad
Ualorem succeed they will be relieved and the taxes
placed upon the Shareholder Now in the first instance
the lands which pay the largest taxesthe great bulk
of this tax-are cultivated in whole or in part by slave
labor, and derive large proportion of their productive
value from the employment of that labor We take it
that the farmer will find small relief from taking small
tax off his land to impose larger upon the labor
he employs to make that land available Nor will
the possessions of the smallest and poorest farmer
who neither hires negro labor profit much by ad
Uaorem taxation upon every species of property. The
tax upon his land was next to nothing under ad ua
loren everything in for its share and he will find
that his friends the I'D vao, ee have been relieving
him-over the eft-they have been reducing his tax
| upWards.
When it proposed by the platform of the opposi-
ton State Convention to tax every species of property
etc, Mr.. Turner, of Orange did propose to exempt
tin cups and other small matters but his proposition
was secuted. Now, however, understand that it is
almost a fighting matter to talk about tin cups in
presence of ardent Pool orator. When Governor
Ellis argued from MIR. POOLS platform, Mr.. Pool could
find no better reply than the employment Of insulting
language towards his competitor
But then people doing business in towns told that
their store tax will be lessened taken off, and people
owning COWS, horses, hogs, farming Implements etc.
assured that such property will be exempt Now the
Opposition platform provides for exemption 1t pro-
vides only fer power to discriminate in favor of the
tive products of the State and the industrial pursuits of
her citizens. Discrimination as not exemption Norr,
commission taxes not levied upon North Carolina
products upon those of adjoining States sent to
ports for sale shipment. There is commission tax
upon native turpentine, wheat corn cotton rice
the cotton OF other produce which may be brought here
ON the Manchester Rail Road from South Carolina
For these exemptions we abored both editorialy and
personally having obtained copy of the tax bill and
called attention these matters they then stood in
the bill reported and read, and measuraby at least
out of the attention thus called, originated the move
ments which eventuated in the exemption which now
appears on the Statutebook
But does any merchant store-keeper who knows
anything of the Tariff proclvites of Messrs Badger
Graham and Others the leaders and real trainers of the
al uilorem resolution, doubt for moment that the dis
elimination provided for will include and Was designed
and intended to include, protection discrimination
ganst goods brought into the State for sale? Doe.
any suppose that these gentlemen do not favor dis
elimination in every way that would impose taxes up
the sale OF the goods purchased by the storekeepe
or merchant, and offered for sale? In State or nation
this is their hobby. Rest assured that they will be thu
last people to 60 for any real reduction of these taxes
it is not and never has been the policy of this class
politicians to free commerce from its letters. Theirs
has always been the obstructive poicy-the policy
tariffs and high taxes upon trade'o,U they seek also t.
impose additional burdens upon production. The vari
Gus appliances for raising the food and staples of tn
Statethe live stock and machinery of the farmer hav
been exempt and the other animal power or productiv
force IN the shape ofnegro labor has, far enjoyed
constitutional protection against undue taxation Al
these things the Opposition party with Mr. Pool at thei
head, would change. The Democratic I'D valorem upo
foreign imports dscrminaes widely between necessare
and luxuries-the Opposition I'D Uaorem in this Stat
= would tax all alike. The Democratic ad uulorem ca
emps whole classes of articles of prime necessity-th
e Opposition nd Uatorem in this State gives pow
> er only to discriminate, and yet its advocate
are the especial friend of the poor mantle grea
protector of the farming interest! When the rev