The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-05
A REFORM NEEDED.

mission, is eliciting much information
for the benefit of the next General As
sembly. As to the case in court, of
course it will like the brook, ''go on
forever" or as long as it will serve the
interest of the railroads. The people
look to the Legislature to put an end
to Simonton's bowling farce by impos-
ing franchise or gross income tax,
which will put it out of Simonton's
power to override the sovereign right
of the State of North Carolina to as
sess property in it's borders for taxa
ton.
So far the public has learned three
important facts from the evidence and
the pleadings:
THAT the railroads are assessed at
less than one-half of their actual cash
value.
2. That there is no uniform rule pre-
vailing in the State among tax asses
sors, that in some counties the assess
ors do not obey the law or take heed
to their oaths to assess property at
its true cash value, but assess it below
such value. la one county the average
is seventy-fiye per cent, in another
seventy, in another ninety, and in
some townships land is assessed at one
ratio and in another township of the
same county at still another. In some
counties the assessment of some land
for property is so out of proportion TO
it's value as to make it scandalous.
Rev. n. NJ Jurney testified that his
$4,000 farm in Wayne was assessed for
taxation at only $1,400.
The Roanoke News this week, in its
report of the hearing at Weldon, says:
George 2. Burgwyn was fine wit
ness for the defendant company. lie
lives in Northampton and is well ac-
quainted will the value and assess
ments of most of the big firms. He
named several. One plantation sold
for $27 900 was assessed at $4,000.
Another valued at $4,000 was assessed
for taxes at between $4,000 and $1,000.
Another 900 acre farm, valued at
So, 900 or $4,000, was assessed at $4,000
or $4,000. Named another worth $4,000
assessed at about $4,000. Another
which sold at public auction for $4,000
was assessed at between $4,000 and
s., 900. Another worth $4,000 assessed
for $4,000. He named another worth
So, 900 assessed at less than $4,000.
In his experience the assessed values
of land throughout Northampton
county would range at from 25 to 100
per cent less than the real value. EX-
planning his meaning to Mr.. Rountree
he said he meant half of the value by
100 per cent. He. named lands in War
rem and Vance counties controlled
by him and said the valua-
ton was 30 to 35 per cent. under the
real cash value"
3. That while there is much evidence
to the effect that land was underval-
ued, there is also much evidence that
it is undervalued, and only in one
county was there an agreement to as
sess at a certain per cent below the
actual cash value-only in one county
in ninety-seven has such a formal rule,
agreement or understanding been
made. The instances of undervalua-
ton or generalization will amount to
nothing in an impartial court without
proof of some agreement or under
standing. But the State is not in a
court where it will get justice. The
railroads will present enough in
stances of differentiation to excuse
Simonton in deciding against the
State.
The State has the remedy in its own
hands. The Legislature should do two
things:
1. Pass the Willard bill, or a bill
along the same line, imposing an in
come tax on railroads as it does on
telegraph companies and public fer
ries. Simonton's court can't upset
that.
?. Enact stringent tax laws that viii
be enforced whereby it will be impos-
sible for such gross wrongs to be per.
petrated as Mr. Burgwyn and Mr.. Jur.
ney testify are perpetrated in certain
| counties in North Carolina.
Whom John Ouincy Adams v-oe n,