The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-02
CRAVELY CLAIMS
TAX CAN BE CUT
Mayor Cooper Continues His
Attack On Machine Con-
troll Of State
(By The Associated Press

North Cardinals three per cen
yales tax could be reduced to two pei
cent by application Of the "practica
business principles Of economy ant
efficiency" democratic gubernatoria
candidate Lee Gravely said last night
In. a statewide radio broadcast.
t'Those principles require that PEG
pie be employed on a basis OF merit
and that they be kept in their posi-
tons only so long as they ell
GENTLY do the work required OF
them" he said.
Reduction of the sales tax by one
third through applications OF ousl-
ness methods, he asserted, could be
accomplished without in any way
curtailing .he wor hWhi'e activities
of the st ats and without the slght-
est possibility of any property tax,
and by proper changes in the method
of collection relieve the merchants
of the additional burdens imposed
upon them by this unjust form of
taxation"
"All of my distinguished oppo-
nents for the nomination for COVER
nor. | think" he said, Join me in
favoring increased teachers salaries
insofar as the revenues of the state
will permit. a retirement fund for
teachers and other employees, better
roads, an expanded health service
so absolutely necessary to the happi-
nc Of the people, and enlarged
work in the field of public welfare,
but the degree to which we can ex-
pand these services depends finally
oh the income of the people of
North Carolina
Since 60 per cent of North caro-
linians are in agricultural pursuits,
he went on. farm income must be
raised and the state should elect for
governor one familiar with farm
problems. He said he was a "practi-
cal tobacco man. and added, Il
know the tobacco business and the
problems of the tobacco farmer, and
I. submit to you that in this pres
ent serious and uncertain condition.,
it is the proper time to elect as gov
ernor a man who, by experience and
training, is qualified to take the
lead in solving the problems we now
face"
in Fayetteville, Mayor Thomas E..
Cooper of Wilmington continued his
attack on machine control of the
state with the assertion that North
Carolina will never achieve the
progress which is rightfully hers
during: theAnext-four years if a
machine-made man is entrusted with
the administration Of the states af-
fairs
Other candidates in this ace are
expected to spend nearly a million
dollars in an attempt to defeat me-"
he said. None of those men has a
million dollars of his own to put
on the line, and consequently must
be spending the money of big inter-
ests. If elected those men will be
indebted to the big interests that are
backing them, and to those men
who are working for them as cam
paign managers. I am Waging a
modest campaign at a cost of only a
fraction of what the other candi-
dates are spending and I am be-
holden to no man"
Cooper attended the meeting of
Law Enforcement Officers Of the
Carolinas in Fayetteville.
A third candidate, Lieut.. Gov. W.
7. Horton, spoke twice in Whiteville.
He told an audience in the court.
house that ut is essential that eV-
erything feasible be done to assure
adequate prices for your strawber-
ries." He suggested special atten-