The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-07
MO GOVERNMENT BY INJUNCTION

erty for taxation as it assesses the farms
and implements of FARMERS, the material
and tools OF MECHANICS, the merchandiss
and notes of merchants, the stocks md
| bonds of bankers, the mach.n|s and
| looms of manufacturers and the incomes
of all its citizens getting over S 100:
| THAT is a question that will not down,
no matter how many iniunctions Simon
| ton or amy other railroad ulg" may
make permanent.
Sfmontons decision shows on its face
That it as the beginning of what the
railroad managers hope to maxi 4 long
contest amid to win because of their con
tinral coming wearying the pto9l@. =
Simlonton had desired have the ques-
fion settled. he would have given q deci-
sion alpon all the points inyolved IN the
case. Then a decision by the Supreme
court would have been final Instead OF
doing that. Simonton decides nothing
except that the Commission had not been
granted the power TO make the assess
ment. Next June, when the Legislature,
so specifically and plainly that not even
Simonton can find II quibble to get around
it. grants the power to the Commission,
what viii Srmnnton ana the railroads do
then! Another injunction will issue be-
cause it will be alleged THAT the assess
memt discl-in.nates, Simonton will APP
point a master to take EVIDENCE, he will
be a tool of the railroads ready himself
to make affidavits for them, a year will
be wasted, then Srmonlton will hold that
the evidence Shows discrimination against
the railroads and will make the injunc-
tion permanent. An appeal will follow
and it is hoped to POSTPONE that long
enough to Let Simonton find some other
pretext upon which he can annul the
sovereign right of the State to levy tax
ON property in the State. If that cannot
be done, it is the hope of the political
railroad managers that they can control
a future Legislature Ito the end that they
can escape just taxation. THAT is the
programme already marked out.
The people of North Carolina are a just
and conservative people, they will not
sanction any WAR upon ,raliroads. They
are a people welded to the principles
clf our government and to Justice. They
resent government by injunction as a
new and dangerous invention by wd5cn
the people are deprived of thlfr property
and the State of its sovereign rights by
the one macl-power- that 4 usulpa-
tion of power They believe that the
''mfners and sappers," as jefferson calf
ed those who favored uslrrpation by Fed
eral courts, are busy seeking ito give
to great corporations rights and priyli-
eyes mot enjoyed by the people, enabling
them to escape their just burdens of gov
eminent. They will not tanely submit to
such uslrrpation. They aG'e devoted to
justice. They know that the railroad
property I'm North Carolina is worth
more than hundred million dollars, as
the actual record of the bonds and
stocks and mortgages, as well as cash
sales. show. They know that an assess
ment of forty two million dollars ON this
property is moderate, lower than is as
sessed ON the property of private indiyld-
uals. This being true they will not con-
sent to amy backward step in compall-
ing the railroads to pay the tax for 1899
ait the moderate assessment of the Cor
polatiom Commission
The victory won from Simnmton will
be shoot lived We happen to know that
some of the railroad officials regard the
decision as one that will not serve them
i'm the long ram If the railroads win the
appeal on the question of power, they
will escape the higher assessment only
for the year 1899. AT the june session
of the General Assembly a new assess
ment, or rather AN assessment along
new lines that the United States SUI
preme court has approved, will be made
1llt FNIcsdD1lI VI hLC iSSio4ttuA'N VIA ~
wise a system, just alike to the railroads
and the State, that will defy even Simon
TOMS technica1ities. Ii the railroads and
the politicians who take orders from them
stand ian the way Of a just system that
imposes fair taxation-if they invite an
issue as to the proper taxation, the
advocates of equal taxation to individuals
and corporations will mot eyade it, but
will go before the people and show that
these corporations, enjoying priceless
franchises from the people, are employ
ing government by injunction to es1
cape their fair share of taxation.
In such contest, there is no doubt
of the result The man or party that
stands with Simonton wild receive the
condemnation of every fair-ninded voter
i'm the State.
A writer i'm a magazine published by
New York school book firm called the
president of the Board of Education "a
fine old educational mastodon" AMI the