Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-07-25
HERALD'S REVIEW Of NORTH CAROLINA
Record Of Important Events At The Capitol And
Throughout The State, Reported For Herald Readers
1overuor " Average Cuzsn.

governor u Aversge CiIzsh.
In an open letter to "Mr. Average
Citizen" Governor T, W. Beckett
makes an appeal to every taxpayer II
the state called upon to answer a ques
tionnaire under the states new yalua
ton law to sound out his conscience
in mailing return OF his property
The text OF the Governors letter
reads:
MY dear Mr.. Average Citizen.
An intimate acquaintance with
you, extending over number of
years. leads me to write you this in.
tensely PERSONAL letter | know that
YOU love the truth, that you despse
( injustice, that you are robust cham.
pion Of the square deal The posses.
sion by you Of the cardinal virtues
makes North Carolina truly great
state
For the first time in the history OF
the state you. Mr. Average Citizen,
have II in your power to write the full
truth and perfect equality in the tax
hooks OF the state. You have never
been called upon to do this before:
indeed You have never been permitted
TO do this before But now the Gen
cral Assembly has enacted a law that
places the matter entirely in your
hands. The new tax law Is written on
correct principles. The machinery
for its enforcement Is adequate and
appropriate.
Now, Mr. Average Citizen. you will
receive QUESTIONABLE and will be
called upon to swear before God and
to all your fsllow-citizens what Is the
fair market value OF your property.
The answer to these questions will
point with reasonable accuracy to the
fair market value YOU must write
down in your QUESTIONABLE, else you
will cease to be Mr.. Average Citizen
and become Mr. Undesirable Citizen.
When you, Mr.. Average Citizen, tell
the truth about your property, It will
do no good for your ne!ghbor, Mr., I'm
desirable Citizen. to tel, lie about his
property, because when the books
show truly wha: the property OF Mr.
Average citizen IA worth. this evidence
Will clearly and conclusively show
what the property of Mr.. Undesirable
Citizen is worth.
When all the property in the state
shall be placed on the books at It's
fair market value, many benefits will
accrue to you, Mr. Average Citizen.
/. You will have the great sat!siac.
ton Of knowing that the record writ
ten by all the people Of the state is
true record and not libel on the
common wealth. This knowledge will
strengthen the moral fiber
Of our people.
2. You VIII know that every dis
'r!mination in taxation is wiped out
md that every citizen is carrying his
lair part OF the burden.
g. AS the values 20 UP the rate OF
taxatl0I will go down. and hereafter
North Carolina Will he known far and
wide as a wealthy state with a low
rate Of taxation instead OF a poor state
with high rate of taxation.
T. The General Assembly has made
4 pledge not to collect, under the pro
posed true valuation Of property, reve.
lucs greater than ten per cent in ex.
,ess Of the revenues collected under
he present false values. This means
hat the total revenues collected by |
he state shall not be greater than
EN- per cent in excess Of the total
avenues collected under the present |
aw. This most emphatcally does not
mean that no particular citizen will
nave to pay taxes in excess OF ten
ser cent OF the amount he has here
otore paid A particular citizen may
)ay less taxes than he has ever paid
)efore He may pay double what he
las heretofore paid This depends on
whether or not he has heretofore paid
lis fair share of the taxes according
, his true worth. II he has paid more
han his fair share the increase as to
i'm will be less than ten per cent; II
le has paid less than his fair share
he increase as to him viii be more
han ten per cent.
You. Mr.. Average Citizen. will dt
NEE perceive the essential justice in
hus equalizing the public burden.
all on you to lend your vigorous sup
,ort, first. by example. and then by
,recept, to this attempt by the Gen
raj Assembly to build up a taxation
ystem in North Carolina grounded on
,erfect truth and perfect justice. BY
% doing you will help to practically
demonstrate that it is profitable in
money and in morals to a people as
veil as to an individual to tell the
ruth and shame the devil.
Sincerely yours,
T. w. BECKETT"
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