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As true today: People hate taxes
Taxes are always a hot topic. On May 4, 1931, a headline in the “News-Topic” was “Williams Admits Cause Now Lost” with a sub-topic “Says Luxury Tax Forces, Claiming Bare Margin In Senate Have Won Victory.” Senator Buford F. Williams, home for the weekend, declared in reference to the luxury sales tax that “they've got us beat.” Senator Williams is listed among the 24 men in the upper house who fought against enactment of the sales tax measure in any form. “The luxury tax, which had its first reading in the Senate last Saturday, is scheduled to be voted upon at 4 o'clock this afternoon. Senator Williams left this morning for Raleigh planning to register his vote against the bill. “The sales tax measure has been fought in close quarter in the Senate since the matter first came up for discussion. By a vote of 26 to 24 the Senate had repulsed every attack sent it by the House, but the margin has changed to the other field. Senators Rankin of Gaston Lawrence of Hertford, and McLean of Polk have rallied to the support of the sales tax forces and the end is inevitable, Senator Williams said. “The sales tax measure is of the luxury type, placing State taxes on theaters, soft drinks, tobaccos, cigarettes, new automobiles, cosmetics notes and mortgages, candies, and other articles. It is expected to raise $7,000,000. “Representative N. Hunt Gwyn did not spend the weekend here as the important legislation dealing with the appropriations was before the House Saturday.” The story had a different ending “according to a short item on May 7, 1931, entitled Local Citizens Return Tuesday from N. C. Capital.” “Dr. E. P. Crawford, a former member of the House of Representatives, Charlie Peeler, and Lawrence Underhill returned Tuesday night from Raleigh where they spent several days in an effort to organize the fight against the passage of the luxury tax. The tax was defeated in the Senate by one vote. “Asked if they had an idea what course the General Assembly would take with regard to its future policy on the sales tax, they declared that they had none. ‘It's merely a question of which way the cricket will jump next,' Mr. Peeler said.” On the same page with the first story it is mentioned that E.C. Pitts who had been injured on Monday when a flash from a burned out electric switch had badly burned his face was, according to Dr. R. W. Petrie, recovering “very nicely” in the Caldwell Hospital. Under the second item it was announced that the Rev. S. W. Bennett, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Granite Falls, would deliver the commencement sermon at Happy Valley High School the following Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Finals had begun the previous Tuesday night with the music recital and drill. The principal making the announcement was A. F. Sharpe. If I remember correctly, Mrs. Sharpe was a piano teacher, so that may be the reason the music recital was announced. Totally unrelated, but perhaps of interest to some. The Caldwell Heritage Museum has just acquired copies of Wilt Browning's book The Rocks. Come see us if you're interested in purchasing them. John O. Hawkins is a native of Caldwell County who resides in Buffalo Cove.
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