The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-14
johnson Rings The Bell

ADDRESSING LHe lOItlelu dLlIllidl Soii-
vention of the State Association of
County Commissioners at Ashevllle,
Mr.. Charles N. Johnson, the popular
candidate for governor, discussed two
subjects of vital interest to county gov
erning bodies-home rule and public
school support.
Of the first, he pointed out that
the General Assembly uses up so much
of it's time considering strictly local
Legislation that state and national is
sues are frequently neglected. Much
of the local, or county, legislation which
lin the past has had to be settled by
the General Assembly, in all reason,
should be the responsibility Of the coun-
ty commission. "Since the functions of
a county are for the main part, strictly
local and since primarily they concern
only the inhabitants of the county as
distinguished from the citizenry of the
state as a whole, it is imperative that
broad powers and local discretion be con-
ferred upon them"
How can citizens be expected to act
in%telligently on state, national and in
ternational affairs, he asked, "f we
dare not trust them with those respon-
sibilities Of citizenship which lie at their
very door," He did not mean to infer
that home rule could properly be free
from all state influence. 1T simply
means that state supremacy will be
exercised only with regard to mat
tiers of statewide concern"
Because the legislative hoppers have
been so clogged by local measures. he
noted, the 1947 General Assembly
adopted a resolution directing the gov
ernor to appoint a commission to study
the feasibility Of an amendment to the
state Constitution limiting the enact
ment of public-local and private legis-
lation. Obviously such an amendment,
even though it involves decentraliza-
ton of state government to some ex-
tent, could be productive of more con-
structive legislation, and give to county
governments certain powers they right
ly deserve to exercise.
Mr.. Johnson told the commissioners
the proper source of aid for schools in
lean times is the federal government.
He has always believed, he said, that
1--WE should not ask the federal gov
eminent to do anything for us that we
can do for ourselves" But, IF we are
right - and I say we are - in collect
ing taxes from all people in the state
and appropriating from that fund for
the schools of the state, regardless Of
where the revenue came FROM" why
isn't it right to collect taxes from all
the people in the United States land
regardless of where the money is COL
lected use it to see that children in
states that have less wealth are given
an equal opportunity with those in
the wealthy states?"
This is a good application of the
saying that what's good for the goose
is also good for the gander.
He notes that the proposition is not
without precedent. The federal govern
ment collects gasoline taxes all over
the United States and uses it to con-
struct roads in all of the states, which
means that a large part of it is spent
in those states which do not have suf-
ficient revenue to build the kind of
roads they should have and who pay
less of the taxes"
The question of federal control does
not apply. We have long received fed
eral aid for vocation education, lunch
rooms and health "and there has never
been any question of federal control"
His interest, Mr.. Johnson declared is
that when u revenue begins to turn
the other way this is the only way that
We are going to be able to get enough
{. money to have the kind of school. sys-
tenn that we need and must have"
: Mr.. johnson gave the county com
missioners attending the Asheville con-
~vention and all citizens of North Caro-
. lima much to ponder, and more to ap-
: prove, as they turn their thoughts to
2 the selection Of the next governor OF
North Carolina.