The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-01-17

GOVERNOR RUSStll'S MESSAGE |
(Continusd from FRS, PAse-)
Its duties, IL restored the former
rate, and, In view Of the TAX iitigA.
ton which shortly thereafter fol-
lowed. deemed 10 proper for the
present TO take no further actin In
this case. IL ID now psndlng unde
termined.
In July, 1899. the Corporation
Commission increased the assess
ment for taxation Of the railroad
properties In North Carolina, sl0,.
0OO, 600, And the property OF the
Western Union Telegraph Compa-
ny from $50, 900 TO 1000. 600.
Eight railroad com pAnies and the
Western Union Telegraph Compa
ny Ut once secured I'M functions from
the United States Circuit Court, re-
straining the collection Of taxes up
on the increase. Again in 1900 the
same assessment WAS made, and the
railroad and telegraph companies
These cases involved not only State
county and municipal taxes,
amounting for the two years to
nearly $4,000, but the right TO
collect such taxes for the future
years. 1t was nee. sssry to employ
special counsel to represent the In
terest OF the State and the counties
and cities concerned. The work in
volved In the preparation and argu
ment of these csses has been very
great. No less than twenty eight
hundred afiidsvits were secured tn
be read On the motion to continue
the injunctions till tho hearing
There have been Q number OF hear
linRs in these cases In Charleston
and in Rich mond, and an immense
amount Of testimony has been t.
ken from every county In the State
which will be exceedingly valua
BILE to the Legislature In dealing
with the problem of taxation in the
future. Testimony In the Western
Union case has been also taken II
New York city. The labors Of TIT
, State q counsel in these cases ha.
been exceedingly onerous. In con
siderstion of which, and OF the Inn
mense interests involved, 1t Is deem
ed that the amount paid to them vi
, to this time has been very reason
able.
The preparation of these case
and the securing OF testimon!
Throughout the State has also beel
attended with considerable expens
outside of the fees Of the counsel
But this has been necessary, ant
= the expenses, though large, hav
been reasonable. The State coun
sci are confident as to the final out
Q come of the cases.
81 A history of this litigation vii
J. be found in the report Of the Nortl
Carolina Corporation Commissiol
for 1899, at pages 81 to 2l8. inclu
sive, and also In the report OF tn
}, same Commission for the year l9Ot
HI In 1899 the General Assembl
passed an act authorizing the Mort
Carolina Corporation Commissio
to assess railroad property whic
i had escaped taxation. Counsel wa
!. employ ed to appear before the Com
c mission and bring to it's attentIo
q large amount Of rolling stoc
leased by the several railroads cor
@ shutting the Seaboard Air Lin
e from the Mercantile Trust and d.
J. posit Company of Baltimore. Sc,
eral hearings were had before tn
board which resulted In the cOlle'
ton of $6,173 as taxes thereon, an
the plac ng Of this property upo
t. the taxation lists for future year
l. The compensation paid couns'
, for this service is deemed reasons
:. BILE.
There is merit in the contentio
l. of the railroads that they shall NJ
be singled out for taxation at the
true value while the bulk ,0f tn
other property of the State, re'
70 and personal, is assessed largely b
low its actual value.
~ The testimony In these case
10 while 1t does not show that tt
D. railroads are assessed beyond the
r value and while it does not prov
any general and common desig
D. among the assessors thyoughol
x the State to assess individual pro-
u erty at less than it's value, do.
seem to indicate that q vast amour
- of taxable property is assesse
!" much below even the selling pric
q NEED OF Monty AND REsOURCEs {
rel REVENUE.
How to establish system whtC
- will put on the tax books all pro
- erty at about its actual value
" system that shall prevent unfa
determination and increase Il
revenues is q problem for the Sol
ous study of lawmakers.
The revenues of the State are NJ
at sufficient to meet the demands
k the time. The receipts from go
e. stantially all sources for 1899 We
a. ISL, 545, TIT SO, and the disbursement
=. were $1,000 O33 80 showing q deflc
~ for 1899 OF $54,3l5 81. The receip
10 for 1900 were $1,6lO.O03.9l. The di
Is bursements for 1900 we're 81 g.
i. 1874. SO, showing q deficit Of $29, 82l
90 % for the year 1900. But the
1t is included in the receipts for l9'
le the proceeds of sale of certain TO,
a. per cent. State bonds, which we
ID held by the Treasurer, who was q
thorized by law to sell them
J.. meet payments Of coupons on Il
~ four per cent. debt. This amour
81 to about $148 900. So that the re-
x ular or ordinary income OF Il
Treasury for 1900 was about 81 Gil
600, less this $40, 900, which max
the deficit for 1900 $29, 900 PHI
~ $40, 900, which is SLIT 600.
II the Charities are to be sustai
Is ed and enlarged to meet Mantle
IN wants and to relieve the suffering
N Of the unfortunates, and abolis