The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-03-14
THE GRADUATED TAX ON RAIL
ROADS DEFEATED.

NSG4CS LEI S@3 49,
Z he Bilkins was not far wrong when
he said that none of the Legislatures
hurt corporations much" The Legis
lature of 1899 was no exception to this
rule. FJr our part, we do not want
the corporations hurt" We do want
them to bear their just share OF the
burdens Of taxation, and we believe
that the proposed graduated tax on
gross earnings of railroads would have
imposed no unjust burdens on the rail
roads Of the State. 1t was not argued,
so far as we know, that the proposed
tax was unjust, all admitted that the
railroads did not pay enough tex. The
general argument was that the party"
could not afford to antagOnjze the rail
roads; that expressed or Implied
pledges had been made to the railroads;
that the party" could afford to make
the people pay more than their share
Of taxation, but that it would be burt
if an attempt was made to compel the
railroads to pear their share. And 50
the corporations managed this Lagisla
ture about as skillfully as they man
aged any previous one. The railroad
legislators continued to defer action OF
the r bill until the so day limit
was passed and many members left for
their homes. The Senate then took up
the matter and by a vote Of 26 to IL re
iected section 80 which imposed the tax
on gros earnings of railroads. As a
substitute, they instructed the Corpor-
alton Commissioning revise the as
sessments for taxation Of the entire
railroad property of the State. And in
doing so they should take into con
sideration the value of the franchise,
the gross earnings and the net income
Of each road.
Section 60. That said assessors shall
increase the assessments, where such
increase is justified, as will make each
part and parcel of railroad property
bear its fair proportion of the burden
of taxation"
z zen the News and Observer could
noe stand this weak and fimsy substi
lute. Speaking Of the action of the
Senate, IL said:
1T adopted a substitute-as pale and
fl tbby a thing as ever made the oily
citizen chuckle over his morning egg
and coffee. 1t was 80 bleached in fact
that even the genius of the Senator
from Mecklenburg could not flash it
with a semblance of vitality.
1t instructs the Railroad Commits
sioners to do what they are not only
empowered to do already, but are
sworn to do as we'll. and tells them to
get about it in a way that even Ohio
Wilson would have been wise enough
to see was the only way to get about it
at ALL"
L9t US see then, who favored this
''substitute"-so called, for in reality
it is nothing.
The vote to adopt it instead of the
section imposing the tax was as fol.
lowe:
Ayes-Senators Campbell, Cheek,
Cooke, Cowper, Crisp, Davis, Franks,
Fdller, Gem, Hicks. Jackson, James,
j rome, Jones, Of lhnston; J lstice,
Lowe, Mason, O5Oorne, Skinner, Smith,
Speight, Thomas, Travis, Ward, Whit
aker, Wilson %.
N ;es-Senators Blown. Butler, Col
lie. Fields, G 1odwIn, Huston, Hill,
Lindsay, Mclntire, r 1bInson, Satter-
field, Williams-l2
The substitute then went to the
House and it also adopted it late Tues
day afternoon. The first vote was So
for and 80 against. Thompson, of Ons.
low, then made the point that there
was no quorum present. A roll cali,
however, showed that there was, and
the House then adopted the Senate
substitute by a vote of AZ to 81.
And go ended the movement for q
graduated tax on gross earnings of rail
roads. Other States levy such a tax