The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-02-25

holders.
| assert and challenge proof to
the contrary that from the day legis.
lation on the R. & G. land it is a
volume of itself began until now, the
taxpayers of North Carolina never
ceased to contribute to the railroads
of North Carolina. Commence, as I
have and go over all the legislation in
reference to railroads in North Caro-
lima to the issuing of bonds, examine
the Auditors, the Treasurer's reports
from 1885 to 1888, a period of over a
half a century and it is taa, tar, tar
for the railroads. The State indebted
ness before and since the war is large
ly railroad and interest thereon.
Put this in your pipe and smoke it.
The total amount of property ceded to
railroads and the aid donated, and the
interest thereon, paid by taxation, is
greater than the assessed valuation of
the railroads in North Carolina.
God being my helper xpect to do
what little l can to ventilate the rail
roads and their claims in North Caro-
lima when the next election comes and
| will give due notice of the fact that
I hold under their own or their agents
signatures evidence that will be highly
entertaining.
Leaving our State for the moment
| want to say that the amount paid
yearly In taxation for the benefit of
railroads companies-paid by private
citizens, and if not paid your sheriffs
sell your property and dispossess you
of your home or your all, amounts to
more than the entire expenses of the
United States Government in any year
prior to 1860.
Don't talk to me about private
means. The privates who tramps in
the rear ranks have had their means
taken from them, for the benefit of
pray tell me who? Are our
railroads controlled by anybody that
has any other interest in North Caro-
lima than to draw dividends :? Do
they share our sorrows, our Affections,
our pc +srty2 Do they not cry g5ve
gaze 4 nd then in Baltimore, New
York, Philadelphia and other points
spend the money drawn from US?
But GA Unit gets down to solid
work when he says: "The idea of
taxing the people to keep up the roads,
just try it once and you never in all
your life heard such a howl as will
rend the vaulted sky" Just as if
the people were not taxed to aid in
their construction to aid in repairs
Read the laws for issuing some of
your State bonds and you will never
expose yourself again. Ahemi Were
not the people taxed to the amount of
the lands taken for railroad purposes?
Are they not taxed every time they
ride on the cars? Are they not taxed
every time they send away bale of
cotton or when they buy pound of
bacon, or for every pound of -four or
bushel of corn that goes over the rail
roads?
1t is because 1 know how heavily
the people are taxed, it is this that
makes me hoaOL; it is the reason they
howl, and we want it understood that
we will keep on bowling until we get
a commission that will stop their ex
cessive and extortionate charges.
At this point the brother, if indeed
he is one, forgets his obligation.
The statement [ made, (see Jan.
2lst, '9O), was: "Let the tax be in
proportion to use and let the tax be
direct" Are not the people taxed in
precisely the same way now2 If you
ship one bale Of cotton your tax is less
than if you ship so, and the tax is
direct each shipper pays it.
Again, said the railro ads, like
ourpublic roads, like our rivers, should
be kept in good condition by the peo-
pie for the people. Evidently plain
farmers|talk is not comp~ehended.
Are not our country roads worked
by taxation ? The State levies tax
of labor or money on its citizens.
Labor used by the State is a tax on
the person. I used it in the same
sentence with rivers. They are kept
clear by tax on the citizen.
I shall not refer to the seemingly |
intentional misrepresentation, for [
am ready to assume that my brother
did not so intend it, but was carried
away by his subject. Taking up another
point: " A Unit " says: Government
control of railroads is all bosh." Is
it I suppose that when the St. Louis |
Convention adopted the plan, that it
was made up of all bOsh.
Do you think Col. Polk, Capt. Alex
ander, President Elias Carr, Major
Graham and a host of others
are all 5oshi They voted for it. If
the plan is all bosh, those from whom
it emenated must be all bosh, too. l
do not believe that the distinguished
brethren named will lose much sleep
on account of the all bosb.
Did you, in your unsophisticsted inno-
i