The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-03-04
SOURCES Of REVENUE.
HOLDERS OF sahx s,oes tslstsrly
tsAnihe rAxArioa scNIs on
HAND ALSO EscApts.


Dsrtsg usting Ttns.
Times are hard. Real property Is
shown &c DO depfeciAtius IA yaiar:
and yet II seems there is 10 WAY 20
decrease taIes. In fac, this cant
be done nnless the public irs;iia'ious
shall be crippled. These conditions
have pn, some people TO ,hiukirg
There are lots Of things which oe-
eur TO any body who will think lit-
tie bit While times are hard, they
are not hard enough to make any
body believe that the xverAg, value
OF taxable land &c this State is worth
only IS 81 per acre, yet that is the
average price on which taxes arr
paid. IL is pretty hard 10 believe
that hogs ars worth only 81 81 per
head, tut that's what the tax book
show. Most any kind of COW is
worth s. 90. bat taking all the cows
in the State good and bad. and their
tax valuation l. $3.50. There seem.
to be no way 10 r. INT dy these things.
The Legislature seems 10 have no
time for such matters. IL is too all
fired busy in trying to see what fel-
lows sh~ll get Office and what kind
of an otiics they shall have.
But IL may be that the majority
of owners of land, cattle and hogs
would not be able TO pay taxes op
any higher valuations. They prob
ably could not. They can hardly
pay taxes now. But something had
to be done to make up for the loss
in revenue that must result from the
recent depreciation in values. In
trying to do this the State Auditor
has sought to discover some sources
of revenue from which taxes could
be collected without imposing any
burden or hardship, and has made
the following suggestions;
RALEIGH. Jan. -, ~.
To >hcr,fs:
The attention of sheriffs and tax
collectors is especially directed to
phase Of business which, ii ap-
pears, has been common in the State,
but from which the State is not re-
ceiving the tax imposed by law.
Section Il. Schedule B, of Reve-
nue. Act, provides that "any gift en-,
terprise. or any ferson or establish
ment Offering any article for sale
and proposing to present purchasers
with any gift or prize as an induce,
ment to purchase" is subject to a
tax of twenty dollars.
This Department notes that varl-
Gus establishments are publicly an
nouncing gifts and prizes to be given
to PURCHASERS Offering sucL article.
as clocks, dolls, bicycles. d..
through plan Of issuing tickets to
purchasers, and by other methods.
Every person or establishment
making such offer is subj act to 8
tax of twenty dollars, ard it is the
imperative duty of sheriffs aud ia,
collectors to collect and report suot
tax to this Department.
Other phases Of which. in the
opinion of this Department, are sub
jsct to this tax, are the o Fl RS CT Ger
tain prizes for the collection of SC
many soap wrappers, cigarette pic
lures, &,.
1t is known that cigar wheels and
similar devices are being extensively
operated in the State. All such en-
terprises are subj ct TO the regula
tions of section 10, Sche dule B, ant
sheriffs aud collectors are derellc
in duty if they fail t. take such cog
nizance of them as is required b,
law.
In addition to the above, tn,
State Auditor has sought to ipvesti
gate other sources of revenue from
which the proper amount of revcnu,
is not derived, and has called the at
tention OF the finance committee t
some facts and offered some sugges
tions among which are the follow
ing:
SUGGESTIONS OFFERED TO TIL
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
"Au examination Of the report G
the State Treasurer will show tha
the banking Institutions of the Sta.
report hank stock to the amount 0
S., ,436, ,97O.04 The Treasurer re
ceives from these institutions for th
State the tax on this amount at tn
rate imposed by law.
IA comparison Of the reports 0
the Treasurer and Auditor shows
vast discrepancy in the amount 0
bank stock as reported by the bank
to the Treasurer, and as listed 70
taxation In the counties by stock
holders and reported to the Audito,
For while the banks report stock I
the amount of So 436 go Oh t. 10
Treasurer, the amount reported t
the counties aud suhjsct to couut
tax is only $2,00S 9l2.00. 1t thu
appears that there is a difference @
So. 2 Is, ,03S 05 between the amount O
bank stock on which State tax
paid, and the amount on whic
county tax is paid. Al the presen
rate Of taxation the counties los
annually by this discrepancy i
listi g, the amount of SIS, ,S9S.
"Another item which seems t
require more attention than he
heretofore been given is that of 81,
posits and money on hand. Th
aggregate amount of deposits r.
ported by the banks in the State
$40 064,4 ,476 90, for the year 1S9t
The total amount of money O
hand and on deposit, as reporie
from the counties to the Auditor f
1896 is 81 135 900. II appear
therefore, that there is d;fferenc
of $5 929 .i76 between the amount
deposits reported by the banks, al
the amount of deposits listed in II
counties for taxation. At the pre-
ent rate Of taxation it appears fro
this discrepancy that the State los
annually from this source of rev
} nue. the amount of Sl4 $50, and tn,
the counties lose annually II
amount of $25. .450.
"Another item TO which atten.ic
may be directed as an instance
. laxity on the part of certain sherit
. and tax collectors is this: T.