Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1919-12-18
The unioa and RevaIuation

at greensboro, lOllOWeU III. al
exander to a finish vote in his de-
termination to commit that or
ganiaation in opposition to the re-
valuation act, as passed by the
last Legislature. But the action
of the organization as represent.
ed at Greensboro need not be ac'
ceptrd as q commital of the far
mcrs of North Carolina as a class
against the measure, for past de.
velopments have clearly estab-'
lished the fact that this organiza
ton does not stand for State. wide
farmer sentiment. There are
many influential farmers who are
yet Of the State Union. but by no
means with it in its political pro-
nouncaments. These farmers
are outspoken in favor of a sys-
tenn of taxation that will bring
assessments to q common level
and establish a condition of hon.
esty in application and justice in
administration for all. In short.
there are thousands of farmers
in North Carolina who are candid
enough to admit that their lands
have not borne the proportion of
taxes that should have been lev
! led against them and who are in
viting an honest deal from, and
for the State. These farmers,
represented at the Greensboro
meeting, would have saved the
organization the stigma of going
on record against a measure
whoscoperation could have brougt
them only a square deal as fac,
tors in an equitable adjustment
of the States taX-paying prob
lem.
What DR.. Alexander's crowd
has done is just this: 1t aspro
claimed to the State that if il
1 could have it's own way, 1t woult
shirk would renounce-its hon
est tax obligations and let others
shoulder the burden.
Of all classes it would seen
that the farmers should be frs
in the field in championship O
the revaluation act, or their com
plants in the past of neighborly
preferences have proved unfoun
, ded. Inequalities in assessment
have their home on the farm. TIL,
Observer can remember as lon.
ago as Is or more years. whel
Capt. S. B. Alexander, at tn
= time a moving force in the Farm
! ers' Alliance, was mallingconten
2 ton for a reform in the system
I Of levying taxes on farm land
md he produced figures in abur
: d,nce to prove instances OF hig
E, and low valuations in the sam
1 localities. Conditions that exis
ed then exist today and by n
0 means in modified form. In eN
t cry county in the State some la
$ mer can come forward and shO'
l. where he is taxed in excess
;. some neighbor whose lands ha,
e the same market value, are 6
n we'll developed and fully as pr'
T. ductive as his own, An exam
y cstion of the taxboOks might di
Is : HHa IN abundant list of discre'
II ancles yet maintained. 1t ms
e be found that John Smith, wi
'r makes a bare living out OF h
IS farm, is assessed at the rate
10 500 an acre. while Neighbor Sa
l. Jones, WHO secures an Income
the automobile classification ge
off with an assessment arOur
- $40 or $1o. And it may be d
W veloped thaf thousands Of "a
~ sentee' la idowners escape wi
:, a tax that is scarcely nomin
= The revaluation act would. lev
" all these inequalities and impo
y; .; the duty upon each landowner
~ pay according to his deserts.
-, The State Farmers Union h
l's passed judgment upon the law
~ advance Of it's trial. AS the cot
'S try will see it's action, it was