The news & observer., 1897-07-29
Now in Session at Morehead-- Treasurer Worth
and Auditor Aver Remodeling the
Revenue Act.

lost its ma:nmast pole. Early in the con
test First Mate Walser reefed its mainsai
until it would hardly float at all. Their
the other day when a perfect gale was
blowing he unreefed the sail, and did il
so suddenly that the storm nearly capsiz
ed it. In it's hull are a dozen holes made
by the artillery of public sentiment. II
was in bad plight, and was being towed
into port by a State Treasury tug, in
charge of Chief Clerk Denmark.
Rev. Hallelujah Air. the chaplain Of the
schooner. was standing on the front deck
singing:
"Hark from the Jail doleful noise,
A delinquent's tale of woe,
Come dance up all We other boys.
Or to that Jail you'll 60"
State Treasurer Worth, the captain OF
the craft. was standing near repeating
such texts as "Come unto me all We that
are tax ridden. and will give you fits"
BLESSED is he who magnifeth himself
for verify in so doing shall he be magni-
fed"
BLESSED is the delinquent taxpayer
who shall be cast into prison for our
sakes."
''By the sweat of thy fears shalt thou
pay taxes
Otho Wilson, the steward, had re-
turned from foraging cruise to Round
Knob with plentiful supply of Southern
dinner house meals "Come eat and be
merry" he said, and they did all eat and
there were but few fragments left. Sec
ond Mate Hiram Grant had deserted the
r. bn in yip,n IN
distance of the shore. Wheeler Martin
had been given the place of second mate,
but was absent from his post of duty the
first time the roll was called after the
landing of the craft. Claude Bernard
viewed the wreck from an imaginary gov
ernment light house in the distance.
Lloyd, of Edgecombe, former assistant
purser, had thrown up his job for place
on the Senatorial government steamer.
Neither Butler nor Thompson nor Pritch-
ard nor Russell nor any other of the real
builders of the imperfect craft were pres
ent.
Chaplain Aver, Captain Worth, Stew
ard Wilson, Tug Master Denmark and
Purser Abbott were ready to go immedi-
ately to work remodelling and repairing.
Chaplain Aver wanted it fashioned after
the Yankee tax barge, Massachusetts" F"
Captain Worth didn't care a fig how it
was done, so that it would go out and
bring in the revenue. Steward Wilson
and Purser Abbott wanted to re-equalize
the whole thing. The ballast, they
thought, was not distributed right, and
they proposed to move it from one place
to another until the old craft would float.
Meanwhile, the crew, the sheriffs and
other county officers, sat about Waltlng
for orders. Captain WORTH in the first
talk to his men after the craft was loaded.
said in effect, that this was the first time
that State tax barge, with all 1T crew,
had ever been in a dry dock. The hrst
convention Of county officers that was
ever held. He thought that the conven-
ton would be such success-probably
he meant in the remodelling and repairing
of the State tax barge-that all the other
States would be tumbling over each 9TH
er to get their revenue schooner IN the
dry dock.
Chaplain wanted some committees, one
to take into consideration programme
for remodelling the craft, and others on
other minor matters.
Worth Aver, Denmark and others
were caucusing while the disabled
schooner was being hauled into the dock,
and when the general meeting was held
they no doubt had plans perfected.
It's a funny sort of meeting this
convention of county officers. The rep
resentation is small one only about for
ty being present not one In ten OF these
knew what they came here for or any
thing about what the objects of the con-
yention were There are few Demo
cratic officials, and a few Republicans
but the majority are Populists.
lit is Treasurer Worth's convention
with Auditor Aver as cO-manager and
Clerk Denmark as am assistant mana
ger. There is manifest measiness in the
countenances of the Treasurer and the
Auditor over the question Of receipt and
expenditures. Taxes is the burden Oh
their daily song. How to get them il
without doubt what they are here for
How to increase them is another objec,
and it is thought this latter question
is what has brought down the State
board of equalization. 1t is whisper
ed about that this board which is com
prised of the members of the Railroad
Commission are seriously considering the
questioned Equalization" and in that wa.
increase the tax valuation Of stock bono
and other corporate tax values and there
by increase the volume of taxes. 1t was
stated by a gentleman in position t.
know that bank and other stock valua
tions would be increased to about thei
actual market value, these values to b'
come at, by actual sales or market quo
tations the bank stock value to be made
upon basis OF hank reports, for instance
il bank reports 100000 capital stool