The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-03-03
Won't Dot An |"
Or Cross a t"
The Joint Finance Committee Voted Down
Amendment TO Section Fifty.
WIZARDS WISE WORDS
He Says the Opposition Shows That it
Should Stand.
H9N0ERsON'S AMENDMENT VOTED DOWN
All Sections Heretofore Prescribing Methods Of
T8x'ng Railroads Have Given SimoL-
ion a Chance for an H.
junction.

Junction.
The Joint Finance Committee of the
Senate ard House met yesterday after
noon in the State Treasurers office to
complete the work on the machinery act.
The most important matter for consid-
Grafton was the fate of section so, the
section prescribing the methods which
the Corporation Commission shall employ
in assessing railroad property for taxa
ton. There was quite a debate about
the matter. Senator Henderson, OF
Rowan, offered the following amendment
to subsection b, of section SO:
"And the Corporation Commission in de-
termining the valuation mentioned in
subsection b, shall have the discretion,
after considering the whole matter of
such valuation, to determine what is the
true valuation in money of such p
IT,"
After long argument Senator lender
sons amendment was voted down by a
vote of II to 5. Those voting for the
amendment We're: Senators Glenn, of
Guilford. Allison of Cabarrus, Durham of
1NOIC1, anu ~ oo1 VI " ollI
Representative Nissen of Forsyth,
Those voting against it We're Senator'S
White, Mitchell, Walker, and Aaron and
representatives Graham, Doughton, Dav-
fdson. Blount, Kicks, Smith, Simpson ana
Daniels of Vance. No roll was called.
Senator London presided over the SEES
sion of the Joint Committee. Maj. job
D. Shaw, attorney of the S. a. L., opened
the discussion. He contended that
section 80 was wrong in that it prescrib-
ed a different method in ascertaining the
valuation of railroads for taxation than
was prescribed for ascertaining the value
Of private corporations for taxation. He
said all the railroads wanted was to be
put upon an equality with other corpora
tons. That under section so the rail-
roads would have to pay tax upon their
bonded Indebtedness, while private cor
poratfons, under section 60, would not be
required to pay tax upon their roGds.
He thought his was a discrimination and
ought not to prevail, and argued that
section so was too ironclad and too man
dltory, and hat it was an unjust method
contrary to the Constitutional provision
as to equality of taxes.
Senator Henderson argued that section
50 was mandatory, and that the act as
sessing railroads for taxation ought not
TO be mandatory but merely directory,
that there ought to be no ironclad rule.
IF section so stands" he argued, "the
Corporation Commission would say that
they had followed out the mandate Of the
General Assembly in assessing railroads
for taxation, whereas they ought to have
a discretion He then offered the
amendment quoted above to be added to
the end of subsection b, of section so.
Judge Graham moved as a substitute
for Mr.. Henderson's amendment that
section so remain, be adopted without a
change.
There were some questions and sWe
between Mr.. Cyrus B.. Watson, repre-
senting the Norfolk and Western Rail-
road, and Judge Graham.
Mr.. Watson: why did the Legisla-
ture of 1901 change the method of as
scssing railroads for taxation?'
Mr.. Graham: TO get a sure plan OF
assessing the railroads at their true value
and in of an alleged agree
ment the case of the railroads against
the Railroad Commission, which was
compromised"
Mr.. Watson: "Where did they get this
section?"
Mir. Graham: "I do not know. ] think
it was taken from the acts Of several
northern States"
Mr.. Watson: as there any real OBJ
lection why the Corporation Commission
should not be allowed to use their as
cretion?"
At this juncture Chairman London
noticed that Mr.. Willard. of New Han
over, who. as a member of the FINANCE
Committee of 1901, had had much 70 &c
with framing the revenue and machinery
act, stated that he was sure the commit
tee. would be glad to hear Mr.. WIZARD
and Judge Graham requested that as II
Vas more familiar with the act IMAM ht
was, to answer Mr.. Watson's question:
Mr.. Willard then spoke briefly anf
strongly against changing section oV- II
answering Mr.. Watson's question ne SAY
that the act was adopted for the purpoSt
Of getting at the actual value OF raliroa'
property and to get that property Oh III
lax books. He said the section was ans
russed very fully two years at meet
Ings of the committee, and that rallroa'
attorneys and railroad officers were pres
emit when it was discussed. After III
discussion it had been printed ana lai'
on the desk of everv member OF the Le6
i~slature.
II JUDGE FROM THE OPPOSlIlor
TO SECTION 80 THAT 1T WILL a.
COMPLISH ITS PURPOSE IT IL i
ALLOWED TO STAND"
lie argued that the same method .
ascortaining the value of railroads 10
taxation could not be adopted as IN III
case Of property of private corporation
or individuals. For a long time we nay
been looking for a mandatory methoo I
put the property Of railroads on the I'd
Inst at it's proper value. The very oppec
81 section so is to make such Assessment