The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-03
For the FARMER AND MECHANIC.
Our Public Roads.

In our last article, VIC stated, that we
would discuss a road tax LEVIED on
labor but as many hold that the con
sntusional limitation of Cog cents on tss
hundred dollars, is a barrier against
levying a road tax on property ; and also
that levy for read purposes in person
al labor is not a tax, but Simply
police regulation-we deem 1t best 70
discuss these propositions trst we
are surprised that any should raise the
Limitation of 663 cents on property, tor
IF we have read the constitution correct
ly, it also hn,its the tar on the poH to
t,co dollars. Then why is 1t that the
Limitation on property Is binding and
the limitation on the poll void? If one
| is binding, the other is bending, if one
/ is void, the other is void also.
Those who hold this doctrine must
read the constitution, through gold
spectaces. We cannot admit the sec
ond objection, that it is a police regu-
ation. Taxes are contributions from
the inhabitants for the support o.
the government A contribution
in labor Tor the maintenance OF the
roads of the State, Is as much tax "a
a contribution in money Public roads
are as necessary to the life the Sta e
as the Executive. judicial and Legl-ia'
tive departments combined. T" ny
throw the burden Of TIE maintenance
of the former upon the laboring agricul
tuxists and then compel then to pav their
PROPORTION of the support of the latter!
Would not the theory that it is police
regulation Justify the levying ola tax Oh
labor upon our laboring agriculturailsts,
to guard the convicts to build the pen-
itentiary and iais? are they not regula
.ions? To build all the railroads and
canal. in which the State is lntereS Seai
are they not public highways? Why
discriminate? The greatest danger t
republican governments, is the re
lievipg Of classes of burdens that they
should lear and placing said burden
upon classes who should not bear them.
It was this that prodnced the Com
mune in France. If we SOW the seed
what shall the harvest be? A road ta'
levied purely on personal labor IS un
sound in it's principle, unjust in its oper
ion, wasteful in its practice and un-
satisfactory in its results. 1t Is un
sound. because it is against the spirit 0
: our constitution and the theory OF ou
: government 1t destroys in our constr
,ution the equation between the pol
/ and property, and being the old slav
e law. it places the same burden upo
!. the negro. new citizen, as 1t place
upon him as the property OF HI
/ master before the war.
5. 1t is unjust because it does rot bea
;, equally upon all even upon those VIII
have to bear it. Let us illustrate thi
last clause. My foreman Ia white mar
:. has a wife and four small children, III
wife is a delicate woman, and one 9
;. his children is nearly blind, his entlr
!. estate will not exceed one hundred dol
y lars in value. Is it light to compel hli
to contribute the same amount to II
in maintenance of the roads that is requl
5 ed of me' He thinks MT.
Looking through my window, | Sc
5. the house of ncighbor h. Nelghbt
! r. has four sons liable to the road ta'
ly Neighbor r. has farm of II acres, al
~ his personal property is limited; Is
~ lust to make NeighboT K 5. family co
ed tribute in road tax yfou" times as mLC
or as mine, when my estate is four tim
n larger than his? He thinks not.
\ few years ago | spent night vii
lal friend, one Of the wealthlest men
it Western Carolina. Returning BE
rs r. day, | came upon the Road Overse
to and the hand" resting under the sha'
h. of the trees. Knowing most OF them
stopped and entered into conyersati
with them, | found the family of L
~ wealthy friend represented by "a We
p old negro and very old axe, yet sh
very old negro and that very z
axe" Represented more property tn
the overseer and all the other ban
con- bined. Will not these example s.
sos fee to illustrate this point; can any .
rec give three examples to illustrate tt
~ it is just on its operation? If he C;