The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-05-22

which to discuss topics of interest and profit
to them.-ED.
AN ERROR.
Contributed by K.)
The reason ascribed by the oppO-
nents of a Railroad Commission,
when, that important subject was
before the last Legislature, was that
commission would be unable to ac.
complish any good for the people.
The work done by the Aycock iuves-
tigating committee in forcing two
railroad corporations to pay taxes, is
the strongest possible evidence that
Railroad Commission could do
good and one is sadly needed in this
State.-Wilson Advance.
Mr.. EDITOR The above clip
ping appeared in the last issue of
your paper. Ordinarily the
opponents of a Railroad c. ,m
mission do not notice the many
unaccountable things that are
said upon the subject, but when
a paper like yours, which has
ever been fair and impartial in
its statements. copies an article
like the above from the Wilson
Advance perhaps it is fair and
due to justice and truth to call
your attention to the misstate-
ments, or rather the error into
which the -Advan"e has fallen.
No commission that has been
appointed by any State in the
Union has the power to tax rail
roads. The Commission Bill
offered in the last Legislature
Of North Carolina has not the
word "tax" in it from the first
line to the last line in the hill
If the people of North Carolina
had a Railroad Commission it
woLld have no power to tax the
railroads. No commission that
could be appointed could possi
bly, have such power. Why
Because the Legislature alone
can tax, and this must be done
at each session by a Ravenue
Bill. duly passed by each House,
and must De read on three diff
ferent days and must then be
passed by vote of yeas and
nays. In no other way can a
tax be provided for in this State
Let me call your attention tc
a few sections of the Constitn
tion of North Carolina and you
will see how jealous the Con
stitution guards the taxing pow
er. See Article 1, Section % o1
the Constitution. it reads:
"The people Of the State ough
not to be taxed or made subject tt
the payment Of any impost or Gut,
without the consent of themselve
or representatives in General AS
sembly freely given"
Now see Article III, Section IA
"NO Law shall be passed to rails,
money on the credit of the State o
to pledge the faith OF the State, di
rectly or indirectly, tor the paymen
Of any debt, or to impose any ia,
upon the people of the State, or t.
allow the counties, cities or towns t,
do SO, unless the bill for the purpos
shall have been read three severa
times in each house of the Genera
Assembly and passed three savera
readings, which readings shall hav
been on three different days an,
agreed to by each house respectivel,
and unless the yeas and nays on tn
second and third reading Of the bill
shall have been entered on the jour
nal"
Now the same rule that ap
plies to "the people of tn
State" applies to the corpora
tions of the States, as has beer
said. "a corporation is bod,
without a soul"
Now see Article V. Section 3
claws shall be passed taxing b
uniform rule all moneys, credit:
investments in bonds, stocks, join
stock companies, or otherwise; ant
also all real and personal propert
according to its true value in mor
ey. The General Assembly ma
also tax trades, professions, franch
ses and inComes-provided that n
income shall be taxed when the prt
perty from which the income is d,
rived is taxed.n
1t will be observed in the abov
r section that the words are "joir
l stock companies, or otherwise
> The words cor otherwise" NEAR
r all "joint stock" such as corp,
rations.
To every thinking man it mu
be apparent from what has bee
. said that no power except tt
. Legislature can impose a ia
> and this power the Legislatn
q cannot delegate to any 9th
= pers ons, aud to give this pow
to Railroad Commission Won
be to delegate to The Commi
. sion the power to tax. So car
8 full is the Constitution upon tI
d lCont;nued on Second Page.