The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-10
CHARL ES TON.
SATURDAY MORNING. JULY 10. 1869.
Governor Scott and the state Taxes.

SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 10. 1869.
Governor Scott and tho State Taxes.
The letter Of Governor Scott, which we
printed yesterday, does not meet the one
great complaint made by the taxpsying
citizens Of the State. This is, that while
the constitution and the tax law require
that all property shall be taxed ct its
value, the State Board Of Equalization have,
in whole counties, doubled and trebled the
taxable value Of tho property. The returns
we're made, in tho first instance, on oath,
and the assessments were "equslizsd" by
the County Boards. Then the State Board
stepped in and increased the assessment to
twice and thrice tho original amount It
/ is not pretended that the State Board had
any information to warrant theft arbitrary
conduct. There was . difference In the
value Of land in the different counties; but
neither this nor what Governor Scott calls
"ths caprice and irregulsrity" Of the off,
oial assessors can justify 9 proceeding which
,oompels the honest taxpayer to pay $4,000
or $1,000 where Of right he should pay but
$1,000. Governor Scott may be Of opinion
that the property Of the State should be
worth $206, ,000, 900. This, at one time,
was our opinion; but sufficient allowance
had not been made for depreciation Of
values, and we are willing to accept the
sworn statements Of our citizens as show
ing the selling price, the real value, Of their
property, st the time the returns were made.
No prsting about expenses, or the price Of
State bonds, or the credit Of the State, can
make the conduct Of the State Board any
other than tysaaaieal, iafAneus and upjuet.
E'l There Is no objection made to the system
Of taxation. We are willing and ready to
pay taxes in preportion.to our property so
that every county may bear its proper
share Of the burden Of taxation. The sys-
tenn, in theory, is tho best that We have
ever had, and We do not wish to see it
changed. We cannot, however, quietly
submit to having the value Of our property
assessed according to the osprioe Of q GARD
Of Equalizers, who assume at the start that
every taxpayer has perjured himself, and
pile on additions right and left until the
taxable fabric is high enough to bear the
weight to be imposed upon it.
Governor Scott is unwise, to say the least,
in threatening SO many terrible things, 'if
"faetious attempts be made to embarrass
",he government, BY the interposition Of
"the courts" We know to our cost that
any appeal to the courts which interferes
with the man@uvring Of the Radical party
is styled "s fsctious attempt to embsrrass
ssthe government" But the courts are still
open, and there may be found judge euf-
foiently free from party spiri. to decide ac-
oording to the law, and not according to
party e1pedienoy. Our people have the right
to apply to the judiciary for protection.
4ao IoA low 4tooh oVAsonPAosoo ouon ou
appeal in giving ss sufficient cause for
not collecting any tax 'that (Section 93)
'such taxes, assessments or penalties were
"eDjoined by 9 competent court" And
when We know that under the law all real
and personal property must be taxed ''a: its
"true value in money" and that our property
has been valued for taxation at far above
its true value in money, We may apply to
the courts for relief, without needing
the idle menaoes Of man whs might per-
form moro if he threatened less. In vindi-
eating the rights Of the people We do not
fear Radical responsibility or edium;" for,
in the words Of Governor Scott: ga gev-
"ernment incapable or unwilling to main
stain its dignity aud enforce its laws against
"opsu violence aud covert fraud, is unwor-
"thy Of the name, and is fit subject for
"the pity aud contempt Of its friends and
'sthe scorn and derision of it's enemies
Such government is that of South Caro-
lima, where "open violence and covert
"fraud" are sought to be used for the in
timidation and impoverishment of our peo-
MIA