The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-01-24

and call your attention to these mat
tiers within the borders Of our state
which seem to need our especial
charge.
The State is to be congratulated upon
the high character of it's newly elected
assembly. 1t affords me great pleas
ure to congratulate you, Senators and
Representatives, upon the great vic
tory obtained under your local leader
ship, that preserved inviolate the pres
ent beneficent State and county gov
eminent.
1t is the custom of an incoming ad-
ministratlOn to outline somewhat the
policy, to speak Of the general condi-
zion of the people and to suggest legis-
latiOn looking to an Improvement or
betterment. 1 am sorry to say the
people of North Carolina are not pros
porous. We ar an agricultural peO-
pie. Seventy five per cent. of our
population are farmers, or are indi
rectIy connected with farming. The
conditions which have confronted us
for the last four years, have been pc
cullarly oppressive to the farmers,
and as North Carolina is almost eXclu
slvely an agricultural State, we have
felt the hardships as keenly, perhaps,
GO OAA@y III OCCNlOl vi UllS I'll C4ls
While the total taxable property of the
State has materially Increased III value,
1t Is becoming more uneQuaIly dis
trlbuted and an Investigation will ex-
hlbIG that the acc ImulatlOn has been
IN the towns and cities, while deprecia
ton deOt and the pail Of the mortgage is
h 4nging Over the agricultural districts.
/ am PANIED to say there are sections
Of the State where lands were con-
Sldered an invest ment at $50 per acre
a few years ago, now beng sold at IS
to s. to satisfy mOrtgaged debts and
are not sought after by the creditor
class at that. The growing unrest Of
the people, the fierce campaign of last
fall, and the political differences, even
now existing, are nos convincing of
these facts. Our duty is to heel these
differences by all honorable means and
unite Our people upon all these points
so necessary TO the material and pO-
llGlcal welfare of our State. For more
than a quarter of a century the people
have watched and waIted-they have
seen the fruits Of their labor harvested,
put upon the market and eagerly
bought. So great has been the demand
thai to day little or no surplus remains
IN sight of the chief agricultural prod
ucts of this land. And yet, year by
year the profits of the farm have been
diminishing, until at last there Is no
compensation left the honest tilIeT OF
the soil. They feel, they know, that
something is wrong. They cry out
against unjust ana unequal taxation
and protest, and justly So, against any
Discrimination. You, gentlemen of the
General Assembly, have III your power
TO work great gOOd-tO lnStil new nope,
new lite, INTO the tOIiIng masses. While
your deliberations touching federal
taxation cannot Of course avail much,
yet 1t Is your duty to see hat as little
tax as possible Is imposed upon a peO-
pie who are already grooming under
more than they can bear. As the
larger portion of the bread winners OF
North Carolina I farmers, we must
regard the subject Of agriculture as
one of vital Importance TO the whole
State, and | therefore ask your earnest
efforts and assistance tor the AgriCul-
Uural Department., the Experiment
Station, the Agricultural and Me
chanical College and to give such sub
stantIal aid to Agricultural and Indus
trial Associations as your wisdom and
experience may dictate.
SURVEY
The last General Assembly wishing
to add to the material wealth of the
State, in every possible way, saw fit IN
their wisdom, to re establish their
geological survey. This department
has been practically abandoned for
years, but let us hope that IN the future
1T may receive that care and attention
from the State that the interest Of the
people seem to require.
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
A Railroad Commission was estab
lished 1y the last General Assembly.
The high character of the three gentle
men composing this commission was,
from the first, a guarantee of It's sue
cess. There are some people whose
prejudice will not permit them to do
jusJICe to q cOrpOratiOn-especlally a
railroad. That may largely be at
tributed to ignorance. There are others
who would accord corporations rights
never claimed by individuals, such as
exemption from taxation. This Is
greed and selfishness. But we are 10
be congratulated that these two classes
are in a small minority in North Caro-,
lima to day. The commission in It's
wisdom and justice has increased the
assessment Of railroad property nearly
IS. OOO, 600, making the total assessment
now OF about $50, 600, 600, showing a
total increase of taxes for all purposes
of $78, 900. Before the establishment
Of the commission Pullman cars and
steamboats, were not taxed; nov they
are assessed at 800, 600. While it ex-
hibits an increase in revenue, there is
a corresponding decrease in passenger
rates amounting to 5000, 600 per annum
and telegraph rates have been reduced
at least so per cent. The commission
reports many complaints, nearly all of
which have been amicably adjusted.
Looking into the Wilmington and Wei
don's claims to exemption from taxa
ton under charter, after a thorough
investigation, arrived at the conclusion
that the exemption clause did not eX-