The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-05
That Terrible Taxation.


The State taxes now collecting, for the
year 1868, amount in the aggregate to about
81, 200, 600, and the State taxes for the year
1869 are due and must be paid on or before
March 1st, next. 1t is not likely that the
expenditures for 1869 will be set down at
less than $3.50, 900; SO that the people of the
State, within period OF less than nlno
months, will be called on to pay into the
! treasury ut, least two million Of dollars.
And this is without taking into account the
taxation OF the cities and counties, which
| will swell the total taxation1o the neighbor.
hood oil three and half million dollars.
Or this enormous sum, the chief part will
go into the pockets Of Radical officials who
hold their positions, not for the public good
| but for their personal aggrandizement; and
it is no wonder that our people should cast
about for some means OF eQunlizhg the tax
ation and of making every class bear its
share Of the common burden tt.i 81.
The State Constitution forbids the levying
OF any poll tax except for educational pur-
poses, and if it were not prohibited by the
State Legislature would not he eager to di-
minish their waning popularity with their
only stay and support, by imposing n tax
upon the colored people. From the State
Legislature we need not expect either econ
omy or equity, and the taxpaylng citizens
must look to their own efforts for redress
and relief. 49, -" t.a
Ono suggestion made by country con-
temporary is, that the land tax be. equalized
by making the colored laborer who works OH
shares pay' n proportion Of the lind Tux
equal to his interest in the crop. Under the
existing arrangement, the labOrcr's one
third of the crop is net profit, while from
the two-thirds Of the land owner must be
deducted the expenses OF the fnrm, In order
to show what is made by the years risk and
trouble. The idea is that he who shares in
the profit ought also to share in the expense:
and if the planters i'm the different neiphbor
hoods act with unanimity they con undoubt-
edly make the laborer bear his part of the
load of taxation. t6cl .-H7e h.-a II
The whole question is very simple one.
AS the expenses OF the farmers increase their
profits decrease. They expect to pay State.
ffaaXes; fa,yr ~ put & when the amount OF the tax is
cedlng year, the probability oY proillp aoE pts- S
comes particularly smalt Their corn CROPS
may fall their cotton may he cut down to
third OF "a crop; but the tax-gatherer goes
his rounds'as usual, and makes no difference
IN his demands, whether tho season be good
or bad, successful or unsuccessful The
planters, then, when they find that exces-
sive taxation eats away their profit, must
increase their margin for the coming year by
reducing their other expenses Labor, rs
on important element Of cost, frat demands
attention. Tho planter first carefully es.
Inmates his working expenses, on the basis of
crop OF the average OF the last three years,
to be sold at the average price. II he finds
that in consequence Of the Increased taxa
tion he has little chance Of doing more than
make both ends meet, lie must in some way
reduce his outlay without diminishing his
expectation Of a crop. There is. no room
for making less his personal expenses; they
are small enough already, All that. he can,
dGis,to call.hi hands together and tell them 4
frankly that they must accept less compen-
sation for their work., The hands can be
made to see that this is done In no spirit;of
grinding or oppression, but because the
planter cannot pay more and mako money.
They will understand this readily enough;
nor viii they full to comprehend their situa-
tion. They will.see that it isstha Radical
Legislature OF the State.wfich I'D fes them;
while 10 the planters desire to- give the
laborer the highest compensation they can
afford. The same course Of action applies
to laborers who arc hired by the month; and
the result Of the plan must bes to Convince
the laboring classes .that their only hope Of
higher wages, and moro comfort for their
families; is in eiecting to Office upright and
capable men, in the place OF the knayes and
tricksters who now impoyerish Whites and
blacks alike. ~, 5.sg5
The value OF labor is determined by the
demand and the demandais determined by
the profit to be'deriyed from;its employment.
Excessive taxation, therefore, in diminishing
the profit OF the employer lessens the de-
m md for labor, and forces the laborer to
work Mt lower rate or starye We hope to
see wages advance; for than this there can
be no better sign Of solid improvement In
our positions; but while taxation Is as high
as 1t is now, the laborcr, however worthy OF
his hire, must expect to see his yearly profit
grow steadily and surely less. ,,.a
| 'a1'
THE population Of Horny County, accord
ing TO the cens,,s tuat con,,latad 10 oe .oI