The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-07-20
THE NEED OF THE AGE
Is Papers and Preachers Who
Will Tell the Whole
Truth
There Never Was a Time In the state
When the Average Tax Payer Was
In More Danger - The Unjust
GENERALIZATION In Cstawoa County.

In More Danger - The Unjust
Equalization In Catawba County.
Editor Caucasian: Having moth
ing special to do Just nov. your hum
bic servant will pencil you few arti-
Giles from this neck OF the woods. VIII
do 30 With the hope Of helping you
in your noble and timely work.
AS We read them, The Caucasian 10
one OF the few papers in the State
that has the courage Of It's conYic-
tions: that Is not afraid 10 speak out
in open meeting. and TO uphold the
right and condemn the wrong.
The great need OF the age. and this
State. Is free press and pulpit-pa-
pers and preachers who can tell the
truth on all subjects. social, political
and religious. without fear or favor.
II Is the only way to arouse individ-
ual right thinking. For unless peo-
pie, for themselves. think rightly. 1t
will be guess work, II they do works
of righteousness.
There never has been a time in this
State when the average Taxpayer vas
in more danger. The taxing power,
ghen it becomes entrenehed against
the will of the people. is the most
dangerous power that confronts
State. county or town. AS We see it,
North Carolina has begun to rapidly
pass over the danger line. The rea-
son Is, the lawmakers feel that they
can do as they please and the people
can't help themselves.
The reason we hear so much about
national politics, reciprocity and such
things, is. in part. to divert our minds
and blind US from what is being done
at home. The Democrats have taxed
corporations all they can pay. or will
bear. Now they have decided to place
the burden of taxation on farmers
and poor people. They have begun
to increase the valuation of property
The Lord only 1ows when and
where they will stop. il the people re-
main quiet and do not rebel.
We have said they will put the
burden of taxes on the poor. They
will, because they have. Compare
the assessment of big. fine farms with
that of small. poor farms, and see
which will bring, On the market, or
at force sale, nearer what they are
assessed at. Compare town property
the same way. Once, we examined
two houses and lots. One could not
be bought for $4,000, the other was
sold partly on time for $1,000. The
small one was assessed at $500, two
fifths it's value. The large one was
assessed at $4,000, just one-fifth its
value. The poor man paid double the
rate of taxes the rich man did. Last
year we compared two pieces of town
property. One cannot be bought for
$4,000 But let's say it is worth
$4,000 1t was assessed at 81 1000,
one-third it's value. The poor man
sold his house and lot for $575. 1t
was assessed at $500, nearly two
thirds it's value. Who paid the most
taxes in this? They said they would
equalize it this time. They have not
done so. Compare the rich with the
poor and see. They said they would
lower the tax rate, but you wait and
see. Who ever heard of the present
leaders of the Democratic party low
ering anything or in any way helping
the taxpayers?
In this county they have increased
the assessment $1,000,000. By the
time the county assessor goes over il
again, and then the State assessors
get whack at it, the increase will
be over a million, an increase OF
taxes amounting to about $500
more than last year. UP to this time
they have gotten Catawba's property
to $6,2S3,696. The property in Hick
DRY has been increased at least 500,
600. There are eight townships. Hick
DRY Township is assessed 81, 147, 531
nearly one-third as much as tn,
whole county. OF the 4,035 polls il
the county, Hickory Township has l,
35S. Now, Catawba has been as con
sentative in this matter as any coun
ty, yet the burden of taxes will be to-
heavy, with business scared into hid
ing from ''free-trade" Congress.
Notwithstanding high taxes ar
coming, our county is going to vot
sooner or later on 100000 bon'
issue for roads. The county has owe
900 miles of public roads. The coun
ty is not able to macadamize it
roads. And we cannot build them al
sand-clay roads at $50 a mile. O
course, we are going to get the Cen
trail State Highway. The people i
the county are divided on the roa
question. They will not vote tn
bond issue this, or next year, becaus
of the present dry summer. TIL
wheat crop is not good, and ther
can't be an average corn crop. An
fruit and vegetables are as scarc'
almost, as hen-teeth. Some days 20
cannot find any beans, potatoes an
cabbage on the market. No peache
A.