Reidsville's C. & A. Association Can't Receive City Money Without Vote, Says State Supreme Court, Nov. 14, 1923

C. & A. Association May Be Affected by the Decision

The Reidsville Commercial and Agricultural Association’s days may be numbered, with prospects of an early landing on the rocks. The state supreme court on Wednesday held that High Point’s Chamber of Commerce (patterned after the Reidsville association) can not be subsidized from the city treasury until a vote of the people so demands.

This case in point came down from Judges Shaw and Stack, the Guilford jurist dissolving the restraining order under which Judge Stack had issued and the court Wednesday reversing Judge Shaw. The facts were undisputed. An act of the general assembly had given the city commissioners the right to levy a tax not less than 1-20th nor more than 1-10th of 1 per cent to support the Chamber of Commerce. E.L. Ketchie and others brought this action to restrain J.W. Hedrick and the city commissioners from collecting this tax and applying it.

Chief Justice Clark writing this court’s opinion holds absolutely against the Chamber of Commerce as a “necessary expense.” Under that clause the city had claimed the right of appropriation. The money could come only by taxation. Judge Clark shows the difference between the schools as “necessary expense” and this chamber. He sees the good of Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs, of co-operative marking, but none of them can be called a necessary governmental express. He believes in the farmers’ union but would not give it money without popular vote. If the cities and towns could be taxed to support the Chamber of Commerce they could be taxed to support these other beneficent agencies, Judge Clark thinks.

Just what action the city commissioners and board of directors will take is problematic, but a great majority of Reidsville and Rockingham county citizens sincerely trust that a way may be found to keep up the C. & A. Association.

From the front page of The Reidsville Review, Nov. 14, 1923