The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-09-17

more than SlXty-HVe years ago. Az
that time North Carolina was a
purely agricultural state and had
little need of any sort of govern
ment except county government.
Schools, such as we had, were sup
ported by the counties or town
ships. The only roads that we
needed were county roads to en-
able the people to get to the coun,,
tv seat. Like most agricultural
PEOPLES we were welded to the
iaissez faire philosophy of govern,
ment, and did not expect the state
government to exercise any extern
sive powers. At that time, the eX-
penditures of the government at
Raleigh were less by far than the
expenditures today of one of the
larger counties.
The sixty-five years that have
passed have reVolutionized the life
of the state. We are still great
agricultural people, but we have
become a great manufacturing
and commercial people as well:
The problems which industry and
commerce invariably bring have
come to us; and neither our coun-
ty governments nor our state gov
eminent. which did very well in
the simple days of the Reconstruc-
ton era, is of a type which is ca
pable of dealing with these prob
lens. Our life has ceased to be
local and has become statewide
and even national in scope; and
we have necessarily thrown upon
the state government an increas-
ing load of business with which it
has not been fitted to deal eff
GENTLY. Since the automobile has
come, a county system of roads
no longer suffice. We must have
a state system of highways. Coun-
ty schools cannot meet the en-
larged vision of a square deal for
every child of the state. The state
government has been forced to
take over the business of educa-
ton. The old laissez faire philos-
ophy, which made the function of
government that of mere police
man, is outmoded. We are de-
handing that the state conserve
our natural resources and regu-
late industry and commerce so as
to secure the healthy growth and
development of the life of our
people. ,l... ....
The reasons that the state gov
eminent under the present Con-
stitution is not fitted to deal with
present day problems are: ~.
The Legislature of the state UNI
der the present Constitution is
subjected to arbitrary limitations
with respect to the fundamental
matter of taxation which makes it
impossible to develop a modern
and just taxing system; (2) The
lack of responsibility and power
on the part of the Governor with
respect to legislation has produced.
lack of that unity and co-ordina-
ton between the Legislative and
Executive branches of the govern
ment without which efficient gov
eminent is impossible; 60 The
simplicity of our judicial system
has been destroyed by multiplied
ton of courts and legislative tam
pering with our code of civil pro-
cedure; and (4) The old system
OF local government has broken
down when confronted with the
problems and temptations which
have come with this Industrial age
into which we have moved.
1t is difficult to follow theoreti-
cal reasoning; but, if any man
doubts that there is something
wrong with the government of
North Carolina, let him look in his
newspaper at the property adver-
tised for sale for non-payment of
taxes. Let him consider that no
man can bessfound who will at
tempt to Justify the Anticipated
taxing system under which we are
still living. JAnd let him consider,
also, that there are f44 towns and
cities in North Carolina which
have defaulted on their bonds as
against only SAG in all the other
At states of the Union; and that
81 out of our 100 counties are in
default as against only 282 in all
the other Al states.
In this article Il have dealt with
the need of revision in our funda-
mental law. In future articles I |
shall deal with the method adopt-
ed to secure revision, and the ma |
ture of the changes made by the |
Revised Constitution.
Z, sSlBIS, J0uN T 1-tii +