The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-20
C.. D. Arthur and A. {. Glenn
on Tax Question.
THE FIGURES IN EVIDENCE
The Personal Properly Tex List Abstract is
Drawn on by Mr.. Arthur 10 Shcw
"unfairness of Ny Chief
Accusers."

unIuSt crlIlClsn neapeQ upon me ny
few persons who have been put in a po-
sition where they must pay their ratabe
share of taxes, and who have heretofore
escaped that burden, it is perhaps well
known that 1 was one of the assessors in
Raleigh township. Where l am known, 1T
is needless for me to say anything about
self, since the complaint in the SUIT to
enjoin the county commissioners and 9TH
ers from levying the taxes has been pub
ished, / feel it due me to say some
thing in regard to those who claim to
have been injured by me and the other
assessors.
l tried to do my duty under the oath
required of me without regard to friends
or foes and l believed then and do now
believe that the assessment in this town
ship, in the language of DR.. R. H. Lewis
in this mornings paper, was nearer right
than any assessment heretofore. Many
valuable and costly pieces OF property
were before the assessment, upon the tax
list, at greatly reduced value and the
assessors thought it their duty to value
that property in the same proportion that
other property was valued in the town
ship, and in very few instances peole,
who have before this escaed fair taxa
ton, became outraged because their prop
erty was valued according to law.
Many hard things have been said by
these few people and many efforts have
been made by them to cast slurs and
odium upon the assessors in the face OF
the fact that the action OF the asses
sors is indorsed as far / can learn,
almost unanimously by the prop6"ty own
ers. There have been a number OF sales
OF property since the assessment and IN
every instance, except one, this brought
much more than the assessment.
Just one. instance: The Fowle homestead
property was valued for taxation at ST..
200 and a few days ago at public sale
was bid in by the owners for $500. be-
cause they held it at 100000 This was
one of the pieces of property alleged
to have been assessed too high. The allie
CATION that 1 attempted to bulldoze the
Board of Assessors and have them put
an unfair tax upon any piece OF property
il absolutely false. When this allegation
was made l pronounced it false. The al
legation that l favored politicians IN
valuing their property, Is also absolutely
false.
Those who have been most active in
trying to injure me, pay but a small part
OF the tax of this township in propro
ton to their reputed wealth and l do not
believe that any assessment upon their
property was unjust or unfair. That the
public may see the unfairness of my chief
accusors, l herewith give the abstracts
made and sworn to by each before the
list takers of Raleigh township. l had
thought that these gentlemen were men
OF some means and was somewhat as
founded to find their property of such
limited value. / had thought that the
libraries of some of the lawyers would
be valued at perhaps $4,000 or SO 900, or
at least one-half of what l understand
they were insured for Now let us see
what some of these gentlemen contribute
toward the support of the government.
The abstracts referred to will show the
property given in for taxation by each
of these gentlemen as follows:
M. T. Norris listed one town lot in
Hayti alley, valued for taxation at $780,
He gives In no other real or personal
property whatsoever, no income no money
on hand, no solvent credits, and absolutely
nothing else.
Perrin Busbee listed for taxation one
lot. which he valued at $40 and when
the assessors could not find any where in
the township or in the books N the office
OF the Register of Deeds and so merely
took his word for it; three dogs valued at
5000; household and kitchen furniture
and wearing apparel which includes pri-
vate libraries, law and miscellaneous,
valued at $40; fire arms valued at SIS;
two bicycles valued at $50: watches and
jewelry valued at $50; no income. no
solvent credits. and no other property
whatsoever.
W. ]. Peele listed for taxation: house
hold and kitchen furniture, libraries,
wearing apparel, etc., 200; money on
hand $50; no income. no credits and
nothing but the $3.50.
r. H. Battle listed personal property
as follows: One cow $780, household and
kitchen furniture, wearing apparel and
libraries $1,1OO; provisions $40: fire arms
$40; money on hand ST. musical instru-
ment $50; plated and silver ware SIS;
watches and jewelry 500; everything else
SIS.
c. NJ Busbee: Furniture. wearing ap-
parel and libraries $475: provisions $40;
fire arms $25; credit 5000, less than moth
ing; musical instruments 100; plated and
silver ware $50; watches and jewelry
$3.50.
Below / give list of the political
friends 1 was accused of favoring. Notice
the favors and see how they compare
with other property, and especially Mr..
Maynard's. which was put at $4,000 from
$1,000 and a number of buyers now stand
ready to take his place at more than the
assessment. l am doing this simply to
defend the position l have taken and to
show the public that the attorr eys in this
case pay less than 1 "a per cent of the
million, dollars they say they represent in
this action. These are a part of the
facts IN the case.
The politicians" whom 1 am said to
have favored have had their property in
creased as follows:
Russ, $1,000 to $4,000: Jones, 81, 800 to
$500; Williamson, $500 to $5,OO0 81, 500
to $1,750; Boylan. $4,000 to $40, 400: Pc
gram. 5000 to $1,000: Broughton. SIS 900
to $4,000; Thompson. s4,250 to $500:
Powell, $1,000 to $4,000; Lacy. 5000 to
s4,25O; $1,000 to $2.25O 5000 to $500; Nc
Neal. $500 to $3.50: e. C. Smith, 81 500
to $4,000; $4,000 to $4,000; 81 800 to 81 500: