The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-10-05

more IMAM his part toward the evnen0
u,.uIes Tor public purposes, he would
eiaulS make MS contribution.
Purpose of Taxes.
For What purpose is the tax money
expended? No thoughtful and patri.
QUO man would impair the efficiency
Oh our state government by a refusal
TO 90 his part. Would we deny to any
aspiring young man admission to the
University, whose halls are now
oWd with the hope and future
glory of the State? Would anyone
stand up and say that he would take
a penny from the meagre pensions of
confederate soldiers? Would anyone
oeclare that too much tax money is
collected TO educate the children of
North Carolina? Could it be said that
the college Of Agriculture and Ne
cnanlc Arts for the education Of the
and engineers, is an extrav- |
agance; or that the Normal School at
greensboro for the education Of
ONE should be curtailed in it's use
tulness! Would anyone who is COM
planning Of increased taxes, return to
the jails Of the State, the unfortunate
inmates of asylums; or lessen in any
way the advance which the State is
10Y making in all departments of hu-
man endeavor for the encouragement
OF all races, and all sections?
Have Cheapest Government,
If there had been any dishonesty
or extravaganza in the State govern
ment, the situation would be different.
We have the cheapest government,
the simplest, and we pay less taxes
than any other progressive civilized
people on the earth-in the United
States or in Europe. If we maintain
our institutions and the departments
of the government in their present
state of efficiency, we must have
money to do it with, and there is no
way to get the money except by tax
alton. The money of the people Of
this State does not go in any extrava-
CANT way towards the payment Of her
ohcials, but this money goes to her
institutions and to those departments
of the government that are working
for the Improvement of the people in
agriculture and all branches Of indus
TRY. North Carolina for the last
decade has been the most progressive
State in the Union. h must con-
tinue foremost in this procession of
the States. Her demands are increas-
ing with her progress. Opportunities
and responsibilities go together.
i: No Extravagant Values.
1.-The real value Of her property has
increased immensely more than has
the tax value. When the census is
taken. the people themselves value
; their property as accurately as they
can, and certainly do not place upor
> it extravagant values. En- the county
! of Pamlico the census value Of prop
: erty in ten years increased 383 pei
= cent; the tax value increased II pc,
cent; in the county Of Buncombe tn
, census value increased 1874 per cent
: the tax value 73 per cent; in tn
county Of M~ecklenburg the censu
, value increased 1875 per cent; the ta7
Uo1na 70 nor cont. in tho cn11rfy n
Forsyth h census value increased
142 per cent; the tax value lis pc
Z cent. In the county of RUTHERFORD
q the census value increased 1926 pc
= cent; the tax value sc per cent; an
so on. In ten counties the tax valu
increased by a larger per cent THAI
did the census value. In ten countie
A the increase Of these values was abou
equal. In the other eighty countie
. the increase in the census value wa
. away ahead Of the increase in tn
20 tax value.
+ Some Injustices Unavoidable.
n II know that some injustices ar
n unavoidable. These appraisement
n cannot be adjusted with mathematics
q precision, but the Corporation Con-
l. mission has done it's best, and n
n, county has a right to complain unles
n it can show that some inequity ha
u been done. No county has shown i
~ and I do not believe that it is possibl
al to show any substantial ineQuity.
is '"There is no power but the Co
at poration Commission to equalize a.
s. sessments in the State. Two years az
d. an amendment to the constitution w;
40 proposed providing that each o
should have entire control of its a
n sessment and collection Of taxes, ar
as providing other means to meet II
at expenses Of the State government. III
On people voted down this amendmeE
S. and thereby endorsed the sySte
under which we are now living. II
Corporation Commission has eQua
lied ~appraisements by raising Il
en- value of the property Of railroads al
We corporations, of armer and busine
on men. The Commission has consider
n with favoritism no class and no Sc
be ton. They have attempted to ADM
g lister the law by granting equal rgf
- - 49, onAa 70 hAI