Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-08-20
GOVERNOR BECKETT
SPEAKS TO SOL0NS
APPEARED IN PERSON BEFORE
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO
DELIVER HIS MESSAGE
RETALIATION ACT IN DETAIL
The Governor was in Good Form and
Held Undivided Attention OF Mem.
bers and The Crowded Galleries
Raleigh.

Governor Beckett appeared in per-
son before the legislature to deliver
his messtge. He was in good form
and held the undivided attention Of
both the members of the general as
assembly and the crowded galleries,
A part of that part of the message re-
lating to the reyaluation act follows:
Gentlemen OF the General Assem-
bly,:
For many years the tax books Of
North Carolina presented comedies Of
error and tragedies of injustice
These unlovely exhibitions were not
due to any vicious principle in our
organic law, nor to any moral per-
version of our people. The constitu-
ton has always required property to
be listed for taxation at its true value
The average citizen has always desir-
ed to speak the truth and to do equity
The errors and inequalities that have
made our tax books look like the min
utes of an Ananias club were born OF
machinery acts utterly unsuited to
modern conditions and hopelessly in
adequate to execute the virtuous wish
es of the people as declared in the
plain language OF the constitution.
This general assembly at the reg
ular session Of 1919. consecreated It,
self to the task of devising machin'
cry act that would find all the prop
erty in the state and determine its
true value. | am grateful to report
that this high purpose has been ac-
complished with remarkable complete
ness and perfection. For the first
time in our history tax values are
true values. For the first time the
citizen and the stranger within the
gates may 60 to the tax books and
find fairly accurate inventory OF
the property of the state, and fairly
accurate appraisement OF Its value
In the new machinery act the people
were for the first time seriously ask
ed to tell the truth, and they have re-
sponded to this appeal in noble fash
ion. From every quarter OF the state
word has come that the people are
happy to get away from the old sys-
TEN OF concealments and evasions, and
to let the exact truth about their
property stand forth.
Taking the state as a whole. 70 per
cont OF the assessments were maze
at substantially the values sworn to
by the owners Of the property 20 per
cent we're substantially increased and
per cent were decreased
The law gives to every property
owner the right to appeal from the
judgement OF the county board to the
state tax commission. The local au-
thorities Appropriated true values so
closely that not one person in thous-
and appealed from their judgement
This is a record without parallel In
the history of judicial tribunals The
real grievance voiced by a few peo-
pie is not against the failure OF the
act. but is against its success,
The high objective of the act Is to
eoualize the burdens OF taxation ana
to wipe out determinations. And just
in proportion as true values have ap-
peared on the tax books errors and
inequalities have vanished. True val
ues are always equal values, but
neither wisdom nor virtue. nor prin-
cipalties nor powers, nor length nor
breadth, nor height nor depth, nor
things present nor things to come nor
any other creature can equalize ket-
tie Of lies.
In the beginning, when the earth was
without form and void, and darkness
was upon the face OF the deep God
said, Let there be light" The true
valuation act is conscientious effort
to execute that high command. Let
there be light! Let the white light OF
truth beat and blaze on the tax books
of North Carolina, and in its shining
presence no injustice will live.