The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-23

| ULlC0 In OO4LNa VONAHS N0S ~O~
| ern with one. third of the railroad tax
! able property Of the State as the repre-
sentative system from which to draw
our deductions. Several members OF
the Finance Committee of the General
Assembly of 1899, thought as we do,
that for the enormous privileges
granted to and enjoyed by the railroad
companies they should, like telegraph.
telephone, express and insurance com
panies, be taxed on their gross earn
ings. These latter companies are taxed
two per cent. of their gross earnir Ga,
which has to be ~ascertained and paid
into the State Treasury quarterly. Il
was argued that none of these com
panies enjoyed greater privileges, nor
stronger ~monopolies of privileges than
did the railroads, and that really the
rail- Dads had less cause for complaint
at a tax of this kind than did either of
the classes of corporations above
named. A sub committee was ap
pointed to draft a section for the rex
nue. act, covering railroad companies.
Several tables we're prepared showing
Cd what a straight 2 per cent. tax would
raise taking the gross earnings OF the
roads in the State for 1897 as a basis.
o. By dividing the roads as to their
earning capacity per mile, taxing the
smaller lowest and grading up
as earning capacity increased, etc. 1t
was shown plainly and conclusively to
the committee that the needed revenu
might be raised in this way and no
body hurt thereby, and at the same
time the issue of bonds averted. Il
really seemed almost conclusive that
$3.50 600 or 5000 600 per year would
soon be pouring into the State Treas
ury from this source. But a'as a day
was fixed and a time set to hear what
the representative yes of Morgan, the
railroad presidents and vice presidents
and their learned imported attorneys
had to say. They must let the thing
be known outside and see to what tune
Morgan's organs would play it. The
organs soon set it to music and the
presidents, vice presidents and attor
neys from afar and from near, and
many OF the IS learned lawyers of the
General Assembly danced to the music
The said that the railroad companies
of North Carolina and their influence
elected this General Assembly," and
this thing must stop at once" I'VE
don't want TO hear any more Of it." It
stopped-ot course it oil. Was it ever
other wise7 "Whomaoever ye serve lis
servant you are" The servants Of the
railroad and corporation interests
served their masters interests Hav
ing decided that the railroad compa.
MES en0uld pay taxes as other folks
aud corporations did. or a bond issue
would be necessary, they decided to
shoulder the people with a bonded
debt rather than that the railroads
should bear their proportionate part OF
the burden of the government. The
people pay the taxes that pay the IN.
on the bonds, and after paying
ten years interest on the bonds, then
comes the principal. while the untaxed
railroad corporations are hauling our
farm prOducss to market, and taxing
to pay dividends on their watered
STOCK and interest," on their bonds at pa,
which have sold on the market at IL
to b per cent. Of par. Taxing us double
and treble what is just end right for
transporting products over the
roads we have been taxed to build. 1t
is true yet, lone soweth and another
reapeth." We have sown our taxes
into railroads, and others are reaping
all our profits, Or the profits that ought
to be ours, and whenever the State
seems. to need a few hundred dollars
hoods must be is sued. This is a shame
people. We are told that none
are so blind as these who will not see,
Corporate power ia growing too
bold, too defiant, too dictarorial, too
oppressive. Yes" I think l hear you
say, THAI is toe true, and it ought to
ne stopped" Stopped! When will it
be stopped7 We agree that it ought
TO be, we know there is but one way
to do it, and yet we shut our eyes
and rise and shout like man demons,
ard eDend our time. money
our very life to defeat every reason