Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-10-22
WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
+. B. Hendren, of Wilkesboro, in the
North Wilkesboro Hustler.

North WiIkesboro Hustler.
Taxation is a necessary burden that
every citizen must submit to, there iE
no lawful way around it. A man is
a simpleton to deny either the right
or the duty Of a government to levy
and collect a tax sufficient to u it
self.
To devise a system of taxation SO il
will bear equally and justly upon ali
classes of citizens is aways a difficult
/ task. In every country there are
selfish skin-fints whose chief concern
in life is to dodge the payment of their
just proportion of the taxes. These
men may surely be counted upon to
oppose the proposed amendment to-
the Constitution relating to taxation
They are afraid to risk any chang,
lest a more equitable and ,effcien.
system come, about that will make II
more difficult for them to escape
Are you willing to pay your own
just proportionate part of the tax
reasonably necessary to run the State
and county governments, provided tbs;
| other fellow will do the same thing?
Again are you willing that your state
and county collect enough taxes to
administer their affairs and take care
of their charities in a decent way? If
you are, then you r the a whr
will want more light than you NAV
now have on the tax amendment, des-
ignated as proposed amendment VII.
So far as the Constitution is con.
Cerned, u present system is hp-shot
and worn out. 1t takes a lot of doc
~
when it does work, it bears down
heavily on some folks and skips light
Iy over others. Some are paying very
high taxes, but still both the State and
county are seriously running behind
in revenue. Where is the trouble?
Some 4two-by-four politicians in both
PARTIES will tell you it is in e%xtrava-
gance and mismanagement, but you
can generally put that down as I'M
true. The trouble is this: Under the
| present system a lot of men and or
Iorations can and do dodge their
taxes. If every man and every COR
poration in Wilkes county would pay
taxes just in the same proportion as
the average widow in the county pays
her taxes, then we should have plenty
Of money in the treasury, and this
splendid old county would no longer
have to bear the odium of being class
ed as a pauper county.
We should have to go very far and
sea rch very closely to find a worse or
more inefficient system of taxation
than we now have and yet we stick to
it because we have been used to it
ever since we were children.
Thara - nafAin- lon-on0YIc ~ tho
proposed change. There are no black
cats under the table. 1t limits the
rate in the same way the present Con-
~stitution limits it. The rate is no
higher and the change is really calcu-
lated to make it lower. 1t does not,
and cannot, impair special taxes al
ready authorized to pay special in
debtednesS. If it attempted such a
thing it would be in violation of the
Constitution of the United States and
would be declared void by the courts.
II will not allow the Legislature to go
one step further than it could go I'M
der the present Constition in provid-
ing any special " extraordinary in
debtedness of the State.
The poll tax shall go TO the sup
port of schools and the poor Just as
at present. What then is the differ
ence? 1t provides that the Legisla-
tire may pass laws classifying pro-
Eerty for purposes of taxation. Fer
example, the legislature may, if it sees
proper, say the State shall be con-
fined to corporations for its revenue
and leave land and personal property |
to be taxed for county purposes. The
effect of this will be to bring out the
hiding property that ought to be taxed
like other. property. Counties, cities,
towns. townships and other political
districts may issue bonds TO especial
purposes and provide special taxes to
pay them by a majority of the quail
fed voters therein. just as at present.
1t is a nonpartisan measure and if
the people of the State fail to ratify
it, along with the other proposed
amendments, it will be simply because
they do not understand it. It's chief
will be in the fact that i
will force corporations and individual
4