The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-03-07
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.
FORTY FOURTH DAY-Feb. %.

Council offered an amendment to
alter the word "'may" in section "a, to
SHALL" 80 as to require the county
commissioners to grant license. He
said may" was an ambiguous word,
and gave the county commissioners too
great power; that the possibility OF
getting license ought not to be held out
and then such arbitrary power OF re
tusal given the county commissioners.
Carroll took strong ground against
Councils amendment, saying the word
may" had been the safety of the PEG
pie of Alamance that the county com
missioners are a court and that Coun,
ellis amendment, making the word do
a certain thing even in the face OF evi
dence. Council said he was entirely
willing to strike out all the prert quis
ties to obtaining license. He said the
commissioners would have the power
to investigate the propriety OF grant
ing license, with the word "shall "
Stevens said in some counties the com
missioners planted themselves on the
"may," and refused to grant any
license, saying that no applicants were
Of good moral character. Patterson,
of Robson, said hat was exactly what
the commissioners Of his county did
say and that the Supreme Court de,
cided in the commissioners favor"
Holman said he hoped Councils
amendment would be voted down.
Carr, of Duplin, said it's commission
ers had refused to grant lice use; that
it had no dispensary and mighty few
blind tigers.
Councils amendment was then put
to a vote and lost, only half a dozen
votes being cast for it. The result was
greeted by loud applause on the. floor
and gallery, having started in the lat
ter, among the ladies'"
There was debate IN section IS, tax
ing lawyers and physicians and den
| lists S.. But it was finally adopted.
Section So, imposing a graduated
{ franchise tax on railroad capital stock,
was adopted.
The tax on undertakers was reduced
from $25 to $40 on CAROLS motion.
Section so, imposing the new grad
uated tax on gross earnings OF rail
roads was adopted without any altera.
2 ton.
? The tax on telegraph telephone and
e express companies is fixed at 3 pei
cant. on gross receipts in the State
Counties, sections and towns are moi
, allowed to levy any additional tax
license or fee except ad valorem tax.
Auctioneers pay SIS tax in towns o
y over IL, GOO; bicycle agents, 80; rem
ls collectors, SIS; butchers, 81 so; Woo
i. and coal dealers, 500 cotton compresse
which press not less that 100, 600 bales
"A 800; cotton factories in cities OF owe
1870, $15; marriage licenses are s
each.
= There was strong opposition by MI
Carroll to section II, which provide
:. for the Indictment and prosecution Q
- delinquent Taxpayers. Mr.. Carol
~ said that this gave power to impriso
y for debt. The committee, at Mr.. Ho
:, mans suggestion agreed to pass owe
section II for the present. Mr.. Caro-
wanted to strike out the section, say
D. ing he had made his campaign on i
y that it was a fusion provision an
In odious. Mr.. Allen, of Wayne, ofere
u an amendment to strike out schedu
w "a" taxes, this covering poll or pro
1g erty taxes. This was satisfactory
Mr.. Carroll. Another amendmel
adopted provides that the sheriff CO
Oh report delinquents to Superior as We
as Criminal courts.
10 Mr.. Julian, as the reading OF the b
was finished, made a motion to reco
o. slider the vote by which a graduate
OF tax on railroads gross earnings W
Tic agreed to. He offered an amendme
Ia to strike out all the sections which il
III posed the tax. He said it was a dout
g. tax. Mr.. Petree took that view. n
~, Willard, defending the tax, said it W
he not a double tax; that it was constit
tional. Mr.. Petree asked MI. Villa
what the tax would raise, and N
ihe Willard replied between 100000 a.
ay SIS, OOO. Mr.. Julian asked if the t
be would not yield over 800, 600. n
in Willard said the gross earnings lie
in year we're $11. GOO, 600. He said tn
the franchises were valuable. \
,ial Allen said it is held that a franchise
it's property and is taxable, just as
of road bed. He said it was proper I
lily the railroad commission to value t
re franchises as part of the property. !
all, favored the amendment. Mr.. JUL