The daily times., 1921-10-11

equal population So we
have an extremely difficult task, for
surely we have AN economically equal y
or very nearly so.
However, because it is extremely |
difficult should not deter US from
to solve the problem, but
on the contrary, should be an incen- |
tive to study it more deeply and
earnestly. This not only applies to
the road building problem, but to
every other problem in the state. The
taxing problem at present is The
Problem in North Carolina, and be-
fore we can move forward as we
should, it must be solved and not
Permit a depression: North Caro-
lima is today, as do all living phenom-
ena,-suffering from a neglect of
the past, neglect that we should not
censure because it was occasioned by
conditions over which our forefa-
theirs had very little control and un-
der which we were more or less help
less. In the public school system
in the public building problem
in every department in which
the state acts as a state in dealing
with those things which must be dealt
with by the state, as the expression
of all our people, our problems are
greater because in the past our build
ing has been temporary. The time
for using structures built for tempOr-
ary purposes is past and we are now
of building permanently, and we must
of necessity abandon almost all of the
previously built houses, bridges,
schools and public buildings. There
is not a public building in the state,
which was built more than ten years
ago, that is not too small for the use
for which it was intended There is
not an institution in the state which
is not too small for the uses to which
it is being put. From the capitol
down to the court house in the small
est county in the state almost without
Exception, every public building is in
adequate. From the university down,
almost every educational institution
is suffering from the want of build
llngs and equipment and we are en-
deavoring to carry on system of edu-
lcatiOn without housing facilities to
take care of the students and pupils
If this generation should set itself to
work and provide the proper means
and methods, in 25 years this state
will change so that those of us living
now will hardly recognize it then
The state is in the same condition as
a tree planted by the river side, bu,
around which has been placed an fror
band. 1t is seeking to grow, but the
band must give way. If the band doe.
not give way, the tree will wither ant
die. Growth and the band cannot ex
list together.
Il do not presume that anyone wht
has given the subject any considera
ton. believes for a moment that w,
can finance highway problem, unde
the existing laws of the state Th,
financial problem of building a system
Eof highways in North Carolina whicl
will be worthy of the name is tn,
most stupendous financial undertak
ing that the state of North Carolin:
has ever embarked upon. 1t will re
quire the expenditure of so large
sum of money, that it can be describ
ed by only one word. That is, "Enor
NOUS 1t will and does stagger ou
mentality, if not our Imagination, t,
think of it in terms of dollars. T,
get our people to willingly pay thi
great sum by taxation means educa
tion, education and more education
1t means, to use a word made odiou
in recent times, propaganda Thos
OF us who propose it and undertaken
to put it through must be ever read,
uo explain and show to the averag
man and woman that it is a payin,
, proposition.
AT present, we are attempting t,
build highways with money derive,
from license tax upon motor cars
, do not presume that anyone SUD
poses that the 1900 owners of mo
tor car sin North Carolina can carr,
, this burden. If the motor vehicle own
ers increase as rapidly as they hav,
within the last two or three years tn,
: burden will still be heavier than the,
! can possibly carry.
: Does anyone for a moment sup
8 pose that the thirty to forty thousan,
e income tax payers of the state cal
: bear this burden? Is it right, is i