The sun., 1901-10-13
TO RAISE RAILROAD TAXES
OBJECTS or 4 sIIT Just BEGUN
~ NORTH CiROTINt
u secks 10 Have THE Taxable Value cf
the Railroads In the state Increased
Prom st7 OOO.0O tn $40. 900 900
The Inspiration for the suit said
to Have Come From the Bench.

to Have Come From the bench.
RAtItdH, y. &. Oct a suit involving
an increase Of tiOs ,OOO.Ono In the taxable
value of railroad property In North Caro-
lima has just been brought In tho Superior
Court Of Wake county The Corporation
Commission. which corresponds Ia tho
Railroad Commissions of other Staies,
il he body which values railroad property
for taxation Ia North Carolina Two wears
ago suitS We're brought against u 10y the
several railroad companies 60 restrain IL
from putting certain valuation on the
property Of the corporations concerned.
The-e suits were compromised last winter
with tho understanding thnt the railroad
property should not - valued except
onc,' In every four wears a. IL done with all
other real property. with-tanding thus
compromi-e and agr,-meni sheriff Jack
son Of Washington county has brought
suit against th" Corporation Commission
To compel IL by mandanuS to raise the
valuation Of the property 81 the several
railroad corporations of tho state from
t42, ,Ooo.Cso Ia tlJOUoOyco.
Sheriff jackson asserts. and he brings
forward the reports Of the various railroad
companies A. filed In the office Of the Cor
poraton Commission 10 sustain his AZ
ssrtion. that the true and honeet cash value
OF the railroad property In this state II
tl5O,Go.Oo. This valuation includes the
sonal property
The section Of the law under which
Sheriff jackson ~'eks 90 require the Cor
poration Commission Ia make this valth-
tion as ~ june ! last without waiting until
1903, provides that annually In the month
81 June each railroad shaI report Ia the
Cooperation Commission the amount of
capital stock Hui hof1E'Ad and the number
Of shares In which such stock " divided.
the amount of capital stock paid up, the
.IUUa. A..Va NNaN "A N
the stock. the length Of limo operated In
each county and the total In the State, and
the total aszes-ed value Of all tangible
property IN the State. The Commission
Is then required to determine Va. value
81 all tangible property and then " IL re-
tIir-d a. ass-Dss the value Of the franchise.
which shall IT, determined by due con-
alteration Of the gross earnings as com
pared with the operating expenses, and
more particularly 10y the consideration OF
the value placed upon the whole property
by the public, as evidenced 10y the market
value of all the capital stock. certificates
Of indebtedness. bonds or other securities,
the value OF which il hased upon the earning
capacity Of the property The aggregate
value of the physical or tangible property
and the franchise, as thus determined.
shall h. the true value OF the property for
tho purpose Of Sd valor'm taxation.
The chief lawyer In bringing the suit
Is II s Ward, who Ia State senator from
framing the Law under which he seeks
,o compel the railroad companies Ia pay
nearly four times the amount they ara
now paving IN taxes. A. the meeting
of the Stat. Bar Association at Morehead
city last July Walter Clarke, Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court, made the
principal address and In II declared that
/ according tn the igurra and facts contained
Ia the reports Of the several railroad com
| panie- % this State then on file IN the Office
| Of the Corporation Commission, the railroad
! property OF the State was valued at
/ Si5O .Ooo,Oo. SENATOR Ward apr"ars TO
/ have taken the marrow OF this address
/ and made II tho foundation 81 his suit
IL Senator Ward can =ucceed IN his suit
1 he will add 10 the ta1es of the state and
| counties t72O 60 each year, exclusive OF
| the amount To be paid 90 the cities and
! towns This increase would enable the
| next Legislature 20 exempt all real e-ta Ia
from taxation for state and county pur-
poses. The Corporation Commission.
| through Attorney General Gilmer, with
the approval Of Gov. Aycock aud his adj
/ ministration. II sirenuously opposing tho
| suit II h admitted that the Corporation
| Commission has the power 81 ASSESS tho
tangible and intangible property of IN"
| railroad companies IN 1908, and U raise
the present assessment Of value IN $780,
| UDGO but II IL Contended that TINS power
| II In allowance until June. 1875.
The term Of Associate Justice Nlark
/ will expire on Jan. |. ip3, and hls successor
/ must II. elected al the NOVEMBER election
| Of newt wear He IL the senior Justice on
! the hrnch and Is the only Democrat. The
terms II Chief Justicr David Punches
! and Associate Justice Cook will eNpir" at
/ the same time Clark iS an aVoWed can
! didate for Chief Justice and j. making
! determined fight To- - rruuninai"d. IA
! Chief Justice James = Shepherd Is also
| a candidate for chief Justice lie vas
! defeated for reelection In 1894, when the
| coalition of Republicans and Popull-ts
| carried the state The Democratic mach
| inc and the railroads 8r- said 20 bc sup
| porting shepherd
/ II is otenly aS-.'ried that Clark gave
| the inspiration for the Ward suit. and that
I when the cas. reaches the ~uprem" Court
I fur final decision In February next. h"
/ will H. found writing AL opinion supporting
| Wards view of the Law some OF hi- friends
| hope that hv having this issue injected
/ into the campaign Of next wear, the real
| estate owners viii be rallird 20 his support
| and that he will ha triunphantlv renom-
! iuatcd II the Law will not permit the
/ CORPORATION Commission 20 make the In
| crna-od valuation before june !, 1919,
! Clarks friends will contend that his fight
/ will force u ~ that time and that after
neat year owners of real estate will not Iva
| Required To- pay taAes on this class 81 their
property for State and county puipr~'-