The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-25
Editorial Comments
From Other Angles
FINANCIAL WIZARDRY IN TARHEELIA
jacksonville, Fla.,) Times Union

Jacksonville, Fla,) Times Union
Floridians who have been watching the course
of finances of their State government will find
some interesting data in reports from North
Carolina with which to make comparisons. The
figures reflect credit both upon the Tarheel citiz.
enrv and State officials. They reveal a ready re-
Spouse of the people to their tax-paying respon-
sibilities and a handling Of the funds received
from this source by their Chief Executive that
stands out in the American State governmental
scene.
Within the past few days Governor Clyde
Hoey has been able, as a result of the climbing
tax receipts, to announce the ALLEGATION of $5.-
600, 900 from current highway fund surplus to
use in improving primary and secondary roads.
But at the sam time he stated emphatically that
there will be nc diversion Of highway funds
to the general treasury this year."
In addition to the skyrocketing tax receipts,
Governor Hoey also reveals that returns from
the State income tax will exceed all previous rec
ords, and in the general fund there is expected
to be a surplus in excess of 100000 this year.
Let nobody get the idea, however, that North
Carolina has all of her eggs in one financial
basket, to be spent for one purpose. That State
is spending $50, 900, 900 on its road system this
fiscal year, but at the same time is taking care
of three of the South's great institutions of high
err ~learning-North Carolina State at Raleigh,
the University at Chapel Hill, and the Woman
College at Greensboro.
These are parts of a superb public school sys-
tenn that stands out among the Southern States,
the North Carolinians having been among the
first in Dixie to launch a huge statewide public
school building program. This program has Civ
en- the Tarheels schools worthy of the name in
every section from the Atlantic Ocean to beyond
the scenic highlands in the west.
Another feature of the States financial situa-
ton is embodied in the fact that during the four
years of the administration of Governor Hoey,
North Carolina will have expended between $780,
900, 900 and 500, 600, 900 on the highways without
any diversion of highway funds.
Not SO bad for one unit of Uncle Sans major
economic problem! But there is nothing at all
mysterious about the showing, or rather about
how it has been made possible. North Carolina
has an unusually outstanding record for the type
of leadership the people has placed In charge of
affairs at Raleigh. This record extends far back
through the decades, and its good effects are
manifested in such ways as that herein related.
North Carolina is no richer than other South
ern States. 1t is a State that has many cotton
mills and a large percentage of t~extile-working
population. Another of its major industrial de-
velopments is the tobacco manufacture. Utilities
hold another large place In the industrial set-up
which is varied to quite a considerable extent.
Generally speaking, it is a State whose agri-
culture is reasonably well balanced with indus
try. But the average income and other 1nd1ces
of economic stability will stack up On pretty
much the same level with the rest of the South,
Yet is goes steadily forward on a program of
progress that includes an extension of educa-
tional, social service and other functions each
year.
In doing so, the State sets an example that is
worth looking into by the citizens of other States
who are puzzled by their own problems and how
to solve them.