The farmer and mechanic., 1914-06-23

that form Of wealth which should he
taxed al the high"S, rate OF all name
~. lots and lands held for speculation.
either wholly idle or but partially de-
veloped-are usually assessed al
very much lower rate than the eottaEe
or the hundred acre farm 81 the in
dustriouS plain citizen. An x-Senator
told me recently Of n corporation
worth $500. 600 assessed for SEQ 0eo.
Another prominent citizen tells me a
mining company worth sse0n0Q0 ls
assessed for S65.o0o. Did not the Sra
board Air Line Railway kick ou
sl.5o0 valuation on -FOUR acres in
'harlotte-and then get $4,000 for
one-fourth OF an acre. \ hir noun
tain land company reported 10 be
worth s3.0b0.00o. X assessed. ! am
told, at just per cent of its real
value.
We must collect a larger part -
the States income from inheritance
taxes wisconsin in 1911 collected
$1,000. 900. while North Carolina col
lected $4,000 and we must compel
equity In assessments by publishing
| them. No wonder Chairman II r.
| Williams. Of the 1913 Finance com
| mittee. said Of the present revenue act
that Il contains injustices and in
equalities-against the poor and IA
voring the rich and big corporations
that cry 10 high heaven"
Adopt The Constitutional Amend
! mcnts
| The taxation amendment is the
! most important Of the ten Constitu-
! tonal Amendments on which our peo-
| pie are to vote next fall but the
writer believes that our people would
do we'll to vote for the whole list from
| start to finish as follows:
/. To revise and reform the system
OF revenue and taxation
,. To restrict local private and spe-
taf tati NV
bly,.
3. To prevent special charters 10
| corporations by the General Assem-
bly,.
4. To prevent special charters To
towns, cities and Incorporated villages
by the General Assembly.
5. To prevent delays in trials hv
providing emergency Judges
D. 10 increase compensation ~
members of the General Assembly, and
to decrease their mileage
Z. To require six months public
, school term.
; 8. To substitute the phrase War
Between the States for the word
Rebellion" Gin two instancesp.
8. To fix the day Of inauguration
of the governor.
10. To remove obsolete sections
, from the Constitution.
I l believe every Cne of these propO-
r sitlons is wise. but Nos. /, 2. and
| are the only ones OF great Importance
: Number ] as we have just indicated
i will leave the Legislature free TO re-
f form some serious abuses IN our pres
a ent system of taxation. Nos. ,. and
n 4 will give the people in counties. cities
Q and towns the right to settle local
r matters on which the Legislature now
fools away half its ti.ne. No makes
+ the Constitution require a six month
r instead of four months school term.
he Aa-s4
!. making the pay OF legislators $500.
r. for this will mean that instead Of hay
It ing so large q proportion of legisla
tors with special interests we can
,e nave larger proportion OF farmers
=, and others who cannot accept the
n place at the sacrifice which the present
&c per diem neceSSitates.
Le Eight Other Important Matters
20 number Of other issues before
our people are too well known TO need
2 extensive argument in their behalf
r l. A modern child labor Law such
10 as every governor since Aycock has
le urged upon the Legislature in the
- name of childhood and for the sake
~ OF the States future. Governor Craig
N courageous support of this measure
should insure victory in the next Leg
~ islature.
IS 2. Enforcing the Farmers Cnior
~ demand for better protection 70 Whit
n ever the greater part Of the land acre
w age in any given district that may -
Il laid off is owned by one race, a ma
III jority Of the voters in such a dstric
le may say, if they wish. that in futur
- no land shall be sold to a person Of
different Incorporated such actlol
4 is approved or allowed (as being jus
G tified by considerations Of the peace
: protection and social life Of the com
n munity) by a reviewing Judge OF boar
Of county comm issi oners"
tn ;. Encoura cement Of better road
a by establishing an expert HlghWa
al Commission to insure wise eXpendltur
a Of road taxes, and by using convicts
ht under suitable restrictions for build
Id ing roads instead Of giving away th"i
of labor in exchange for worthless raj
tn way stock.
e 4. Adoption of modern penal sye
on tenn, including indeterrninate sen
a tences parole system. and giving
tn part OF convict's earnings TO his fam
les lily
1s ). Continued educational progress
all including the six months school tern
nd agriculture in the schools. and IN