The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-06-20
PASOUOTANK TO SETTLE
ITS STOCK LAW QUESTION
Some Farmers Displeased Because Man in Town
Who Pays Two Thirds of County Taxes,
Has A County Vote

Tuesday, August 5, 1919, Pas.
quotank county will vote on the
question Of Stock Law. That
promises to be the iveliest cleo
ton held in this county in a de-
cade or more.
Prior to the general election last fall
an effort was made to make Stock
Law an issue in that election. Advo-
Gates. of Stock Law tried their darn
dest to commit the legislative candi-
date to the issue. w. o. Saunders re-
fused to commit himself and put it
squarely up to the county to fight it
out. If the people want Stock Law
they can have it on their own say so.
If they don't want it, then they can
kill it at the ballot box.
Representative Saunders thought he
had done everything a reasonable man
could be expected to do, when he left
the question of stock law to popular
vote. But right there he made a mis-
take. He failed to take into account
the unreasonableness of human nature
and now finds himself criticised by
lot of people thruout the county. Many
farmers opposed to Stock Law are
criticising Saunders because the peo-
pie in Elizabeth City will vote in the
stock law election. Farmers are say
ing that the man in town hasn't any
thing to do with a question of primary
concern to the man in the county.
People who make that sort of critic
ism forget the fact that w. o. Saunders
is not responsible for the city man hav-
ing a voice in county politics. And II
w. o. Saunders had taken Elizabeth
City out of county politics Pasquotank
farmers probably would have run him
out of the county when they found
out what had happened to them.
The truth of the matter is, Elizabeth
City pays IS per cent of the county
taxes. The grand total of all county
taxes last year amounted to $82,69l.52,
of which sum the tax payers of Eliza
beth City paid $52,079.00, or approx
! mately two thirds. In other words, for
every dollar the farmer in Pasquotank
puts up to maintain his schools, his
I roads, his courts, Jail, almshouse, farm
demonstration work, etc., ETC., the man
in town puts up three dollars.
Suppose Elizabeth City were separat-
/ ed from the county and the city had
+ ne vote a IN county affairs. The city
would then pay no county tax. If the
farming population of this county that
now puts up only about $4,000 in tax
es had to put up the entire $Sz,69l.5I
then the farming population of this
county would be up against it. Next
wear the total of all county taxes will
exceed S125,OOO Elizabeth City could
selfshly afford to be deprived of her
vote in the county, if she could shuck
off county taxes along with the vote.
But Elizabeth City isn't that selfish.
Elizabeth City is immensely INTERESTED
: in the welfare of the whole county ana
: gladly assumes her responsibility.
half million dollars of improved roads
will be laid down by the doors of the
1 farmers in this county during the next
few months. Elizabeth City puts Hp
5 three dollars for every dollar the direct
l beneficiary puts up. Elizabeth City IN
| huence and Elizabeth City money VII
Il build roads in Pasquotank county
Does any farmer say that Elizabeth
citv tax payers should have no voice
i in the building of roads in the county
And having supported good roads
the man in town probably will sup
mort Stock Law. The man in toWl
thinks more of those good roads thar
he does of Bill Joneses scrub cattle ant
razor back hogs. The man in toWi
doesn't want Bill Jones hogs to clutte
IN those good roads, root them up an'
interfere with their drainage by wal
lowing in the bitches. incidentally, tn
man in town expects to use those roao
= occasionally and he doesn't want =
= nav for every boneheaded hog that geu
in the Y ay of his automobile. NO on
is going to tolerate hogs and cattie %
concrete road and intelligent publ
oninion is not going to let roaming hos
and cattle interfere with the dralnas
of roads costing hundreds of thousand
of dollars
!, This newspaper will open It's colulnli
" fo,, tho next few weeks to thoughtIu
~ neonle who have something "or'
- while to say. either for or agaAns
stock Law. Writers are only request
:, ed to be brief, to write on one sioe
=, the paper only and to write lesloi' )
- Names must be signed to all comrnuhi
ct cations.