The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-30

escaped all CaXaGlon ana WHICH, yeU O0H
most easily pay it.
1T is said that the ply tangi
BILE property Of railroads is only as
sessed half as high for taxation as the
property of farmers, merchants and
all others, that is Judging the value
of property by it's net income, farmers
aud others have their property assessed
for tax at from two thirds to full value
while the leading railroads have their
property assessed at one.thind it's val
ue upon the same basis. I believe this
to be true, but if their tangible physi-
cal property were assessed at full value
it would not affect this tax which so
many States lay upon their gross earn
ings, as the latter tax is really a tax
upon their franchises which the State
granted them for nothing and for
which they can we'll eff Jrd to pay an
annual return of 3 per cent upon the
gross earnings. OF course these cor
porations will object to any taxation
upon them. They are not interested in
the education of our people, their
owners live far away from US and have
no other interest here than in the net
revenues they can extract from US.
But the question is q rarely presented !;
shall the people of North Carolina
leave their children uneducated or
shall they lay a reasonable and just
and equitable tax upon the wealth
which is 81 freely made out of US,
wealth which has hitherto escaped all
taxation yet which is best able to bear
it, for the purpose Of supporting a mod
ern system of education for the last
ing benefit and welfare of the State3
Mr.. Mebane broke the ice in max
ing this recommendation to the legis
lature. 1t considered the matter, but
the voice of the people had not been
heard and the voice Of the corporation
was of course ready to respond in op.
position. When the next Legislature
meets the people may have discussed
the matter and made their decision.
The fate of u public school 81 S :em
and of higher education is for the peo.
pie to decide. Shall we have an effec-
tive system Oh shall it linger in a coma.
tose condition.
This is one Of the most important
matters that will come before the PEG
of North Carolina in the next cam
paign-we say will come before the
people" but as a matter of fact, I'M
less the great common people take hold
Of the plan and push it TO the front, it
is not at all likely that it will receive
any consideration at the hands of the
politicians. Discuss the matter and
make your candidate for the legisIa
ture define his positi On as to the ques
tion-so long as the people wait for
practical politicians to shape the is
sues and frame the platforms no great
reforms can be expected. The people
must force live issues to the front.
At Wake Forest College commence,
ment also held last week, the literary
address was delivered by Prof. VIM.
P. Trent, of Suwannee University.
Prof. Trent's subject was "Cosmopol
itanism and Parties" and he very ably
and strongly rebuked the present ten
dency to ldolize parties-to put party
above principle and above men.
The speaker thought that we do not
U.s. our political machinery properly,
not because we are less capable than
our forefather or because the ma
chinery Of government is bad, but be
cause we have failed to adapt that
machinery to the changed world in
which we live. He thought that the
gearing of the machinery was out of
order, and he deprecated the present
two party system. He endeavored to
show that this system had worked we'll
in England and America while strictly
political questions we're paramount,
but that lG could not logically work
we'll when social and economic prob
lens were paramount as at present.
He indicated his belief that the two
party system would whether we like
it or lot inevitably give way to a group
system similar to the one we see in
France and Germany.
1t is very encouraging to note that
Prof. Trent's fearless declarations of
the need for political independence, so
distssteful to hide bound %partisans,
we're greeted with rounds of applause
by the young men who are soon to
take an active part in Jul political
affairs.
Another very thoughtful address
wRs that delivered by Congressman W.