The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1893-01-31
nays y, and was ordered to be engrossed.
house bill 1873, to prohibit the sale Of

AoOiey CuuFCu, In CnerOKee county,
was put on its readings, and elected
some discussion.
MIR. Adams moved to refer the bill to
the general omnibus bill, in which ell
proposed legislation on the subject of
local prohibition is included.
Mr.. Axley said be did not wish the
Dill to take that course The locality
sought to be protected is in Cherokee
county, Near the Georgia and Tennessee
lines, and is exposed to peculiar damages
and distractions. If the bill, as it is
presented to the house. without change,
Is incorporated into the omnibus bin he
has no objections; otherwise, he insisted
upon separate action
The objections of Mr.. Adams were
withdrawn. Then Mr.. Williams. of
Craven, moved to strike out the words
give away" that prohibition, as we'll
as to sell being included in the bill.
Mr. Holt objected to that amend nent
1t was the gist of Mr.. Axley's move aent,
and wants included in the bill. The
great stimulus to crime and disorder is
embraced in those words. Let US defer
to Mr.. Alleys wishes.
Mr.. Norwood moved to strike out
manufacture"
MIR. Watson, of FORSYTH. moved to
amend by inserting after the words
give away" the words son Sunday or
days of public worship"
Mr.. Norwoods motion was lost. That
OF Mr. Watson. of Forsyth, amendatory
to the motion of Mr.. Williams, ofCrayen.
was adopted.
Mr.. Adams, on explanation of the
substitute of two or three miles with
drew objections, and the bill passed its
readings and was ordered to De eneressed
House bill Gil, to exempt the bonds of
the Fifth Street Methodist church in
| wilmington froIa taxation. Bonds is
| sued to the amount of $25, 900 with cou
| pons attached, representing interest Of
per cent. per annum, to exempt from
taxation) came up for consideration.
Mr.. Long, of Alamance, in opening the
discussion. said the committee had rot
been unanimous. He gave some OF his
reasons for his opposition. The church
was In debt. 1t had printed bonds and
nad put them on the market to go into
the hands of purchasers, the real object
OF their issue. To follow up these bonds
In the hands of holders and then exempt
them because of the special nature of
their origin was unconstitutional The
church and its property, in certain eondl-
tons, Is exempt under the law. If the
bonds go out, as such things usually do,
they cease to be church property and
are not exempt. The special bill
to exempt them proves they are not such
! profits. If otherwise, they are worth
nothing more than the paper they are
printed on. If the bonds are held for
religious purposes, they are already un-
der the general law, If they 60 beyond
and outsl e holders hola them as bonds,
the church has no claim,
Mr.. W>tson, of Forsyth, said there
was no ol-ss legislation in the bill Why
should not the bill pass2 The Judiciary
COMMITTEE, by a msjority of 1, agreed
that 1t wa constitutional. The constitu-
ton ex3m PTS certain property. There is
the right TO tax church property. but it
Is not taxed as against public sentiment.
There IL no tax on the Wilmington
church property What is the nature of
the class of bonds under discussion?
Certainly, they are not bonds issued on
speculation, but to redeem certain debts
of the church. He was naturally in
favor OF the bill. The bonus were in sums
of $25 each as an inducement to the
members of the church to pay debt
most unfortunately incurred. And there
was precedent for the action of the
Legislature now asked In 1883 the
bonds of the Greensboro Female College,
that Institution then being in great dis
tress, were exempted from taxation
That benefit to the college, this benefit
to the church both come within the
spirit of the constitution.
Mr.. Grouse said he didn't know about
the constitution anyway What he
knew was that anybody could put away
money that could not be taxed hereafter.
Mr.. Adams could not, under the cir
cumstances, reach Mr., Watsons conclu
sions. He referred to the action
OF the Judiciary committee. The question
is. whether the bonds are taxableY
He did not know if the bonds
are issued, whether the constitution can
exempt them. If not issued, they are in
the hands of the trustees ard are not
property. If issued, they are then the
property of the holders of them. The
bonds of the Greensboro college may at
any time be put on the tax list. The
question Is not SettleO.
Mr.. Taylor. of Hertford, said the Ju
dietary committee had PRAYED among
themselves on this bill, prayed that con
science might be stifed that they might
vote against the constitution. The church
Indebtedness includes mortgage If
S25, 600. 1t has listed that mortgage ss
a solvent credit The object is to put
that out of sight and relieve payment on
the mortgage. The constitution saws all
property must be listed. These bonds
become no longer church property, but
that of the owner Of the bonds.
Mr.. Adams said when the bill was
handed to him he doubted it's cons1itu
tionality. 1t was introduced by request.
Before the committee full consideration
had been, given to it. They knew the
suffering of the church and the wreck of
its finances. During the Is session of
the committee, when it came to a vote,
there was majority of one We .ried
hard to reach the conclusion that we had
the constitutional right to pass the bill,
but did not come to such conclusion.
When the bonds are in the hands of tie
trustees they are not property at all;
when they are out of their hands they are
property, but no longer that of the
church.
Mr.. Kitchen was SO much in favor of |
the bill that he was willing to take some
liberties with his constitutional scruples.
Other gentlemen spoke pro and con,
among them Mr., Holt and Mr. Gilmer
for the bill, and Mr.. Merritt against it.
Mr.. Fuller. of Randolph, also spoke for
the bill, and as he spoke in the house for
the first time, and impressed his hearers
with his fine appearance and dignifed
bearing, we quote his brief remarks in
full. He said: "If you tax the bonds
you tax the money that built the church.
If you tax the money that built the
church, then you tax the church. 1t will
be equivalent to taxing the church. If
1ua err IN This nnatAor ,.,4 lie o=z L., g..