The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-12-31
THE NORTH CAROLINA
PROTECTIVE LEAGUE
Editor The Times-News:

Editor The Times-News:
I have been interested in the
advertisements Of the North Car
DINA Protective League and the
news items which this league has
been enabled to present to the
people through the press. l notice
that Mr.. Pou, one of the leading
lawyers of the state, has been en-
ployed by this league.
/ am wondering if this league
gives expression to a demand Of
the people of the state, or wheth-
er it is giving expression to the
gas and oil companies, the cement
manufacturers, road machinery
interests, automobile manufacture
ers, road contractors, etc?
This organization, so it is stat
ed, was brought into being for the
purpose of preventing the legis-
lature of North Carolina from u.s.
ing any of the gas tax or auto tag
tax for any other purpose than
to build roads, pay off road bonds,
and maintain the road system
of. the state. 1 can readily see that
such a policy, strictly adhered to
and under present revenue policy
would rebound tremendously to
the benefit of special interests,
but can not see where the people
of the state would benefit so ire
mendously from such a policy.
Everyone at all familiar with
the ways Of governments knows
that governments tap that source
of revenue heaviest that yields
the most with the least pain. 1t
has always been so and always
will ne so. There has developed 50
much pain in extracting taxes
from real estate here in North
Carolina that the state has been
for some time seeking other
sources and has been compelled
to shoulder all the expense of the
roads and schools, which expense
was formerly carried by the coun-
ties from the real estate levy.
1t is practically a certainty that
the state will still pursue this pol.
icy. 1t is spending about forty
million dollars a year and gettin2
half the sum from gas taxes and
auto tag taxes. From sales taxes
franchise taxes, privilege taxes
income taxes, ETC., it gets the 9th,
err half. The North Carolina Pro.
tective league says that nevei
should we use one cent of the &c
million We are getting from the
gas and tag tax for any other pur.
pose than roads. They say this
fund must be "ear-marked" fol
lever. They even go so far as tc
say they are going to offer al
amendment to the constitution sc
as to fix the fund in an immutabl:
status. In my opinion, this would
be a very unwise move, and
idoubt very much if the Legislature
Iwould cut off it's own powers to
such an extent by offering to the
people any such amendment, anC
l doubt further that the people
would deprive the legislature OF
1.-THE power of apportioning the
Erevenue of the state IS it sees fit
| 70 do so would be depriving the
people themselves of the very
power which they have fought fol
for countless ages, namely, the
power of choosing their own law.
makers and clothing them with
the necessary governmental pow.
ers with which to cope with the
necessities of the state when they
t assemble.
If we can permanently Gear.
mark" revenue for roads, why moi
! for schools? Why not set aside the
revenue derived from the sale:
tax as permanent source Of
reveaue with which to run the
schools? OF course we would have
ito increase the sales tax two Of
tthree times over to raise sucl
money as is needed for this pur
ipose unless we could get the mon
ey from some other source. Blu
8 when you begin "ear-marking'