Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-12-06

| eACHuuSe tne DiIlS IlecetfdUIeriOI NdI iOudl
currency, there is no good reason why the
value Of the former should not be at par with
the latter The Comptroller General esti-
mates the appropriations for the present year
at three hundred and two thousand seven hun.
dred and ten dollars, which sum will be in.
creased, if the recommendation hereinafter
made, to provide for the payment of the
public debt, should be adopted by you. The
payment of taxes is, at all times, oneroussto
the public, but is peculiarly oppressive to
! the people at the present time. The ordi
nary expenses of government, however, must
be met, and the faith and credit of the State
u,.;utaIncd uns6r1ishoa, and taxutiou ii"-sho
only resource left Us. The burthen should
be rendered as light as possible, by the most
rigid economy in making appropriations,
and by requiring strict accountability from
all public funotionaries. Material changes
10 the subject matters Of taxation and mod.
iications in the rates are requisite to render
taxation less oppressive Assessors should
be required to make new assessments of the
value of lands, and town and city lots. The
Capitation Tax is ouerous, and is not pro-
portiooed to the general scale of taxation /;
it should be reduced at least one half, and
the employer should be held liable for every
poll iD his service on the 1st of March next
A general system of licenses to lawyers,
doctors, dentists, nillers, cotton pickeries
for toll, merchants, shop. keepers, tradesmen
auctioneers, livery stable keepers, hotels and
eating houses, nonresident merchants and
drummers, and others should be introduced.
Taxes should be imposed on money at inter
est, bonds and solvent credits, also upon all
articles of luxury, embracing jewelry, gold
and silver plate, and watches, carriages,
buggies, all horses not used for agricultural
purposes, pianos, playing cards, etc, upon
the capital stock of all incorporated conpa
nies, including railroads not exempted by
law from taxation, legacies, distributive
shares in intestate estates, pistols, bowie
knives, patent medicines, and the gross pro.
fits of brokers, factors and banking corpo-
rations. The taxes heretofore imposed on
express, telegraph, gas light and insurance
companies may be very materially increased
as these companies are realizing large profits
on their several investments.
All public officers who, by law, have a
seal, should be required to afix a stamp, in
value from fifty cents to two dollars, regu.
lated by their value or Importance, on all
papers where the seal is used, the party
procuring the paper being required to reim
burse the officer for the same -.--
And lastly, a tax should be levied on all
salaries and incomes exceeding FIVE hundred
dollars.
A Tax Bill embracing these new features
would raise sum abundantly sufficient to
meet all the current wants of the State,
and provide for the gradual redemption Of
the public debt. The payment of taxes
thus levied would fall principally upon the
wealthy and those whose employment yield
them ready cash, and would occasion com.
paratively little Inconvenience to the tax
payer.
Heretofore, the interest on the public
deot has been paid by the Bank of the
State of South Carolina, but its loss Of as
sets, growing out of the war, together with
its large outstanding circulation, precludes
the possibility of relying further upon it,
and the debt, principal and interest, must
be met by taxation. .... ........ ...-
The Treasurer, with the assistance Of an
additional clerk. can pay ont. in future, eth
claims from his own counter; and | re-
commend that an appropriation be made to
meet the salary of such clerk, and that the
Bank be discontinued as the fiscal agent Of
the State.
The loss of assets, and the imposition, by
the general banking law of Congress, of so
heavy tax on the circulation of all other
than National Banks, make it manifest that
the Bank of the State of South Carolina
can never resume business; and | recon-
mend that its charter be revoked or declared
forfeited, and its banks, papers and assets
put 10 the hands of Commissioners for as
early liquidation as may be practicable.
TAx.coLLEoToRs.
The Tax Collectors have heretofore been
elected for the Election Districts in which
they reside Since the abrogatiou of the
Parish system, the former Legislation has
not been changed, and Collectors are still
elected by the voters within the former
Parish lines. Beaufort, constituting, now,
but single Election District, still has four
Tax Collectors; and Berkeley Election Dis
trict has eight Tax. Collectors The reason
for a Tax-Colector in each Parish ceasipg
to exist, the law should be so modified as
to elect one for each Election District. The
additional numbers require an increase of
the books to be furnished by the Treasurer,
and larger number of returns The CON-
missions are insufficient to induce business
men to accept of these small places; in one
of the Parishes, the Collector commissions
are less than fifteen dollars and in another,
(St. Johns Colletou,) no collections have
been made, because no one, within my
knowledge, would accept the Office. l re
commend that the law be so modified as to
provide for the election of one Tax. .Collec.
tor for each Election District.
THE PUBLIC DEBT.