Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1925-02-05

Federal and county funds to become
available from time to time the gov
ernor figures sufficient funds to con-
tinue the highway program without
serious interruption.
On the heels of the governors mes
sage came the report of the budget
commission recommending the total
of 100000 for maintenance and ad
ministration of the State departments
and institutions for the next two
years. 1t would allow the state in
stitutions $3,60O,000 for permanent
improvements, instead of around the
24,000,000 asked for by directing
heads. And further reduction may be
considered advisable by the appropri
ations committees Of the General As
sembly, for governor mclean would
have this done if such a course can
be perused without injury to the
public service.
In it's report the Budget Commiss-
ion estimates an accumulated deficit
as of June 80, 1925 of S9,515, ,7S7.63.
Deficit" has been a much used ex-
preston in the state for the last BIZ
ennial period; it is not now a subject
of very polite conversation in some
quarters. But the question cannot be
solved by the diffusion of hot air
commonly termed bull" 1t is a Sc
rious problem in administration cir
cles, and vastly more interest is man.
ifested in finding a way out of the
dilemma than in helping anybody
move from "obscurity'' into the lime
light. The folks are ''fed up" on
talk while state expenditures are be-
coming higher and higher. If indica-
tions are to be relied upon the peo-
pie of the state are in harmony with
the views of Governor Mclean in
touching remedial measures and are
perfectly willing to let "has beens"
go hang.
The Revenue Bill also bobbed up
in the House on Friday. 1t is estimat-
ed that this proposed measure will go
the present law better to the extent
of increased revenue aggregating a
million and a half dollars. The bill
is not complete, for amendments are
most always offered by committees
and there will be no exception to the
practice this time. No increase on fran
chise or incomes is proposed, but the
bill would boost inheritance taxes to
an appreciable extent, with con-
siderable jump on the manufacture
of cigars and cigarettes. Gasoline
service stations, bakeries, hotels com
mission cotton buyers and sellers box
ing and wrestling matches, shoe shin
ing parlors, piano and organ dealers
battery service and tire repair sta
tions, are the subjects of new taxa
ton under the provision of the reve-
nue. law proposed. The slogan here
now appears to be "boys get the
money" The need is unquestioned.
The appropriation bill introduced
by Representative Murphy of Rowan
suggests amounts in harmony with
the recommendations of the Budget
Commission which means a heavy cut
in the requests of various depart
mental and institutional heads.
A big fight is in the prospects of
the proponents and opponents of the
Bowie-Heath 35 million dollar bond
bill. The State Highway Commission
has approved the recommendation
of Governor Mclean touching the
question of highway bonds, but this
section does not deter the authors
of the road bill from pressing the
fight and announcement is made that
the issue will have to be settled in
open forum. The message of the gov
ernor unquestionably strengthened
his position. Whether his opinion will
finally prevail is yet to be determin
ed.
Very few measures of a public
character have reached the fina
stage. The following have been rat
flied during the week: Act to ament
chapter SIS, Section 2, Public Loca
Laws of 1921 relative to the fees al
lowed the sheriff of Nash county fol
serving processes; act creating thu
office of treasurer for the county o.
Yancey, fixing the compensation o.
said Office and relating to the bond
for said office; act to amend chaptel
! 421 public local laws Of sessions 1921