The news & observer., 1905-12-31
WAKES FINANCIAL SHOWING.

Every taxpayer in Wake county
will take interest in the full statement
of the county affairs published else
where in today's paper. 1t is a state
ment also that will interest others
who are studying the disbursements
town and county governments has
grown steadily in most parts of the
country, and the cost is often out
of all proportion to the benefits re-
ceived. Economy is word that is re-
garded as silly in the National Con-
gress where extravaganza reigns. 1t
has too little place in our State,
county and city governments. The
best government is not always the
most economical, but economy in the
expenditure of public funds is a vir-
tue that needs to be cultivated.
The statement made by the Wake
county board of commissioners is
full, clean and Ineligible, and is pre-
faced by a statement that will throw
light upon the various expenditures.
In 1904 the chief interest in local
politics was centered around the ques-
ton of the expense of county govern
those who wished a change brought
out a ticket for county commission
ers who pledged themselves if elected
to make important reforms and to
r1r oti oh a
greatly reduce county expenses. That
ticket was nominated and elected.
They finished their first years official
work on November goth, and the
statement published is their answer to
their solemn pledge to reduce ex-
penses. The statement they make
shows that the. expenses of running
the county for the year 1905 aggre
gated 63,S33.G1. In 1904 the cost
was $SS,104.75. This is reduction
of $24,271.14 in the county expenses
in one year-a showing that is as re-
markable as it is gratifying. The
claim is made that in thus curtailing
expenses they have taken care of
good fare to those in the county home,
and built and repaired as many miles
of road as in 1904. The report of
superintendent of roads says that
twenty miles of new road have been
made twenty miles of old road have
been repaired, and one hundred miles
of old roads have been scraped. After
this good showing the board has cash
on hand of $12,6S9.76 with audited
claims outstanding of $4,334.35.
The public will be deeply interested
ALSO in three statements that the
board makes as to the future.
L. Barring unforeseen conditions,
the general county taxes for 1906 can
be reduced.
2. With the receipts from the dis
pensary, three tenths of which goes
to the roads, the General Assembly
will be safe in repeating the compul-
sorry feature of the Road Law and
work the roads entirely by taxation.
g. With the movable quarters for
convicts, a considerable increase in
permanent improvement can be made
during the present year
4. An infirmary and church-long
needed-at the County Home are
to be built, the Court House is to
be made more convenient and com
Portable, and a modern system of
bookkeeping has been inaugurated.
There will be general commenda-
ton and approval of this report of a
year of earnest and successful work
by the commissioners and those en-
ployed by them to attend to the bust
ness of the county. They show re-
suits that redeem the pledges they
made to the people, and the promise
barring washouts and unforeseen
conditions-of reduction of taxes and
abolition of the compulsory working
of the public roads will also please
the people, The road law of 1908 was
not popular. The road law of 1905
as to it's compulsory working fea-
ture, is not popular. The virtual
pledge to make possible the abolition
of compulsory working and do all the
work by taxation will be received with
pleasure. The future policy every
where must be that the public roads
must be worked by taxation. No
mixed system will meet with approval.
As matter of fact, the work done
by those summoned to work the roads
is often of little value, and TO put
an end to it and substitute work by
taxation and the employment Of men
who give all their time to it seems
to be the system to which we are
rapidly tending.
TRYING ITO RUN THE HOG