Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-10-15
Amendments Find
Prospect Dimming
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election November than had been
anticipated, especially since the mot
to Of The voters in past elections in
which constitutional amendments
have been submitted, has been "When
in doubt, vote Mo-"
The North Carolina Association of
County Commissioners is definitely
opposed to all five amendments in
general and especially to the one
which would allow homestead ex-
emption of 81 900, while the North
Carolina League of Municipalities al
so, is definitely opposed to this amend
ment and only lukewarm towards the
others. indications now are that most
of the members of the North Caro-
DINA Education Association, regard
ed by many AS the most powerful po-
litical organization in the State, will
go down the line" against both the
homestead amendment and the debt
limitation amendment because of the
signed article in the October number
of North Carolina Education" month
ly publication of the North Carolina
Education Association, by julie B.
Warren, its secretary, in which he
brands both of these amendments as
dangerous and declares that in his
opinion these amendments should not
pass.
Another thing which is regarded as
endangering all the amendments and
one in particular, is the fact that out
of the five amendments, the State
Bar Association singled out only one
the one which proposes to increase
the membership of the State Supreme
Court from five to seven justices. The
fact that the lawyers of the State are
whooping it up only for the amend
ment which would provide two more
Jobs for two more lawyers at $4,000
g year is not causing the rank and
file of the voters to view this amend
ment with much favor, according to
reports being heard in political circles
here. Some of those who have been
out over the State talking with the
voters and who know the antipathy
which exists towards them in many
sections, maintain that the lawyers
would have been much wiser to plug
for all the amendments instead of
merely this one. A good many think
the mere fact that the bar associa-
ton has singled it out of the five as
the only one in which they are in
terested, means that it will be de-
feated, if none of the others are, de-
spite the fact that those who really
know about the situation agree there
is real and urgent need for two more
Supreme Court justices.
Nor is the outlook bright for the
amendment providing for the $1,000
homestead amendment, despite the
TACT that it is regarded as having
wider appeal to home and property
owners than any other. While the AS
ISOLATION of County Commissioners is
rot conducting a blatant campaign
against this amendment, it is con-
Quoting a very persistent and insis-
tent war upon it, with the assistance
of the N. G. League of Municipalities.
They have been quietly passing out
the word for weeks that if this amend
ment carries it will increase taxes
from Is to so per cent above what
they now are because of the heavy
reduction in valuations which would
result. They maintain that the ST.
900 exemption would not help either
the small or large property owners,
since the increase in the tax rates
which would result would amount to
as much, if not more, than the de-
crease in the valuation. They further
maintain that it might make it i'm
possible for the counties, cities and
towns to raise enough revenue to
maintain their necessary activities,
under the limit imposed for taxes by
the Constitution, also that it might
seriously hamper the public schools,
by limiting the taxes that could be
imposed for school purposes.