The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-13
CALAMITY HOWLERS.
Continued from First Page.)

allow you to place upon any one species
of property a greater burden of taxa
ton than is borne by the rest.
AS to the question of a reduction OF
rates Mr.. Elliott said he did not consider
it necessary to discuss that The Legis-
lature had had the matter before it, 1t
had been fully discussed in committee
and decided that they were as low as
they ought to be.
Il find that there were in 1893
2S,OO0,000 acres of land in North Caro-
lima outside of the cities and towns, with
a yielding capacity of $65,O0O,OOO, as
sessed at $110,000,000. And yet the
railroad are paying % per cent as much
tax as are all these lands. The lands
in the towns and cities are assessed at
$4,000 and yet the railroads pay 60 per
cent as much tax as all these lands in
the cities and towns. Is this not a just
proportion of taxes for these roads to
pay? These people who file these papers
here overlook the fact that the people,
say between Wilmington and Goldsboro,
are able, by means of the railroads, to
utilize land that has heretofore been ut
terly worthless, raising 5000 and
$500 worth of strawberries an
an acre and putting them with
in twenty-four hours on the north
ern markets. The investments made
by the railroads in North Carolina vastly
outweigh any dividends that may be
carried out of the State.
"God knows l want to see my State
prosper. Instead of complaining of the
accumulation of wealth in Wall street,
let us try to get it out of Wall street
and bring it to North Carolina. Let us
get rid Of this prejudice against foreign
capital.
1.-The Atlantic Coast Line does not
complain at it's present assessment for
taxation. We think it fair and we are
willing to pay it-believing we ought to
bear our part of the burden. But l am
here to protest against any increase. AS
to the rates in other States l want to
say l have no apology to make for that
Board of Public Works in Virginia. l
simply think they are crazy. They have
done just what you are to-day asked to
do here. They take nothing in con-
sideration except the earning capacity
of a road. This is not right. All the
conditions-the earnings, the value of
the franchise, the rolling stock and every
thing that goes to make up
the value of the railroads property
must be taken into consideration.
In Virginia the sidetracks and equip
ment are included in the railroad assess
ment, Of course increasing thereby the
rate per mile of the main line. In this
Stale side-tracks and equipment are as
sessed separately"
Mr.. Elliott was followed by Mr.. Henry
A. Page, who was the facetious speaker
of the day. He was disappointed that
the three gentlemen invited to lay their
views before the Commission had not ap-
peared in person instead of sending let
ters. He wished to ask them some
questions-at least two of them. AS to
the third-the Governor-he had express
ed a contempt for the courts of the
land and this, he thought, put him be-
yond the pale Of counsel and he had
nothing to ask such a man.
Mr.. Page then drew some humorous
comparisons, made some remarks touch
ing Commissioner Ohio Wilson's mental
furnishing, the amount of taxes paid by
the News and Observer, and saddled on
it the responsibility for good portion
of the evils to which the country is
heir He hit almost everything but the
subject under consideration, and some
of his ''hits' were truly witty and kept
everybody in a roar Of laughter
Speaking seriously he said the railroads
asked nothing more than other property
subject to taxation. If the railroads
were taxed ten times their value he
wanted all other property so taxed.
They simply wanted all fair and alike.
At this point the Commission took a
recess until o'clock, after which Col.
w. +. Henderson, general counsel, spoke
for the Southern Railway.
AS far as Col. Henderson knew the
Southern Railway was endeavoring to do
it's duty by the people. Millions had
been invested in it's reorganization and
those putting it there well knew that the
only way they could get it back was to
create now business. Up to the present,
he said, they had not gotten back a
dollar; they were struggling to exist.
II am glad that to-day there are only
three persons in the State who come
here as compliments. 1t is little re-
markable though, the positions they oc-
cupy-the Governor, Supreme Court
Justice and an editor. They have no
doubt thought about the subject until
they have become thoroughly imbued
with it. They have thought about it
until they honestly believe the people
have a grievance against the roads"
He had always believed there was
great prejudice against railroads in North
Carolina. He begged the Commission
simply to do what it considered right,
and then let the people gather on the
one side or the other, as they may see
fit. 'You must allow such rates as will
permit reasonable income, otherwise
you confiscate the property-the courts
have so held. What do these men know
about railroads? Nothing, save that
they are the self-appointed tribunes Of
the dear people. They know nothing Of
the railroads, but the Commission does
know something Of them and they are
expected to act upon that knowledge.
1.-THE State of North Carolina needs
only enough money to run it's govern
ment. That amount must be so adjusted
as to evenly fit every part. Now what
part of this tax would be fair for the
H.