The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-10-05
DO WE WANT ECONOMY IN
49,. GOVERNMENT?


confronting the North Carolina Legislature
next wear, and unless there is a decided
change in the attitude of the voters the
story of the last several sessions of the
General Assembly will be repeated and
the end of the session will see bigger and
worse taxes levied, the tax burdens OF the
State increased, and final death blow
delivered to economy in the conduct and
financing of the States business -
That is the history of legislation and
taxation in North Carolina in late years,
with the exception of the last part of the
foregoing statement. .
The attitude of the voters is connected
with the attitude and action Of the Legis-
lature for the reason that pressure from
the voters favoring appropriations and ex-
penditures has been the chief cause of the
course of the.law makers. Demands on the
State government have been constantly
and rapidly growing, and these demands
cannot be met without cash and cash can
not be secured by the State except by levy
ing taxes. 49,. & '0''''' !" ',S
AS the average legislator is only too
happy to take the line of least resistance
and pile on taxation as long as he thinks
the voters want it, we conclude that i'll
order to stop the orgy of taxing and spend
ing the voters will have to impress the
legislators with the idea that at least a
majority want economy, and want it suf-
ficiently to undertake to elect a Legisla-
ture that believes in and is committed to
program of economy. ''1-,'' -''.. Oh p
But does majority of the citizenry
want economy in State government? The
answer to that question is difficult. The
probability is that a majority of our peo-
pie favor an economy program, but at the
same time they want all of their. pet ap-
preparations passed by the Legislature.
They want, that done without increasing
taxation-that-is, each individual wants it
done without increasing his taxes. 81,
However, this newspaper thinks there is
the possibility that if: the people generally
arrived at the point where they would give
serious, thorough study to taxation and
taxing problems, the day might come when
a majority would realize the foolishness
and the danger of the course that is now
being taken We believe large maj ority
of the people of North Carolina naverthe
intelligence necessary to an understanding
of the fundamentals of this problem, IF
they would lay aside their prejudices, their
efforts to secure special favors for minority
groups, and their absurd notion that the
State can spend an unlimited amount OF
public money without removing the limits
from tax, levies. - s. A.N2
The Times-News would sum up existing
conditions by saying that State govern.
ment in North Carolina is costing too much
taxes are too numerous and too high. Taxes
beyond the reasonable ability to pay are
being levied and collected, which consti.
tutes a burden that is detrinent to the
progress of industry and business and a
drain nsthe resources of the citizen of
average financial resources as we'll as the
poorer classes of the State t. 20
1t is we'll known, Of course, that the
burden of State taxation is insignificant in
comparison with the burden of federal
taxation imposed on our people, but thai
is one of the chief reasons, why the Stat;
should exhibit sanity and common sense
in its financial management, remaining q.
far as possible from othet course of Wash
ington. The load of federal taxation ain,
posed on certain classes is almost unbear
, s.~sC 81 "a sul r.r1SE lost J. ute; +