The coastland times., 1958-06-13
STANDING AT
THE CROSSROADS


people bring here to spend in the
pursuit of fish and other sports,
and the enjoyment of our fresh
air, fine scenery and superb sea-
shore.
Many of these people are we'll
off in the general term, and they
have money to. spend because they
were smart enough to earn it. Be-
cause they knew how to get it in
the highly competitive world in
which some of us don't have to
struggle, we must assume they are
smart enough to keep others from
taking it away from them if they
don't want it taken.
They have the human instincts
of friendliness and perception, and
oft-times they contribute literally
to such worthy causes as appeal to
their fancy, but they are dangerous
and hard to handle when they be-
lieve they are being taken for a
ride.
Strongly imbedded in the
maXims that have contrived to
build Americas greatness is this
one: millions for defense, but not
one cent for tribute"
The inscription now engraved on
granite in a Charleston cemetery
is attributed to Charles Coatsworth
Pinckney, our minister to the
French Republic in 1897. Good
authority has it that he really
said: mot a damned penny for
tribute"
We might well bear this in mind
in all our dealings with those peo-
pie on whom our livelihood de-
pends. Now let US analyze the
situation.
Our property long laying waste
has been developed and bought by
strangers at prices which caused
them to be laughed at when it
began 80 years ago.
This property has been built up
until it reasonably constitutes half
the wealth of the coastland. These
people have made valuable and
beneficial contributions to all
of US, something with which we
could do nothing ourselves.
A few modest fortunes among
our natives OF other residents have
been founded in a short time by
those who through good fortune OIL
foresight happened to get for a
song, piece of wasteland and sold
it at fabulous prices.
1t was our good fortune indeed
that providence favored us with
great history, scenery and climate
and an oceanside unmatched any
where in America.
Like all of natures bounties,
such as good fortune, good health,
and true friends, it deserves every
protection and consideration.
Translated into conservation it
will continue to be source of
wealth, yielding our livelihood for
generation after generation of oul
people.
In dealing with the newcomers
who have done so much for us, it
might be we'll for US to consider
how much we will do for them in
return.
AS non-residents now pay over
half the taxes received by Dare
County, it doesn't appear COM
nonsense to try to force mthem to
pay nine-tenths of our income, as
some officials would willingly do
If we be fair and just we must
remember that these people spend
only a small part of the year in
our county. Seashore property is
subject to greater wear and tear
and inroads from the weather. Left
alone and unprotected with bare
token policing by officials, it is
costly to maintain.
Owners of this property are first
to pay their taxes; mostly all pay
on receipt of the first statement
Operating on this early income, the
county therefore is able to be more
'enient on the average citizen of
the county; even some public off
cials don't pay their taxes before
advertising date.
Now all the people of our
coastland share in benefits from
this money paid on property de-
veloped by newcomers who stay
here only a small part of the year.
They do not share in the bene-
fits of our schools, and bring no
increase to enrolment to make
extra cost.
They add no burdens on our
welfare department whose bounty
for many years at cost greater
than the sum we have paid for
education, goes for the benefit of
native residents only.
They bring no increased costs to
our courthouse or persons to be
fed in our Jail, and those who are
brought into court for highway in
fractions, pay off in cash to the
tune of Is to 20 thousand dollars a
year for the benefit of our school
funds.