The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-05
CHARLES S TON.
MONDAY MORNING, JULY s, 1869. =
TH. News is published every day in the
year except Sunday and will appear as
usual to. morrow (Tussdsy) morning.
shan the state Taxes be p.ids


The people Of the State are indignant
that the taxable value Of their property
should have been doubled and trsoled with
out any sound reason and in more than
ono county there is disposition to try the
question, whether the sworn ststement Of
the property holder is not a better evidence
Of tho true value Of his property than the
arbitrary decision Of q Board Of so'callsd
Equalization, having its sessions in Cslun'
bis. The State constitution declares (srti
Gle I, section Ss) that "all property subject
to taxation shall be taxed in proportion to
its value" and the tax law Of 1868 provides
(section 4s) that call real and personal
property shall be valued for taxation at It's
trae palss in money, which, in all cases not
otherwise specially provided for in this act,
shall be held to be tho usual selling price Of
similar property at the place where the
return is to be made" Under this last
clause the sworn returns were made to the
district assessors. They were then exam
ined BY the State Board Of Equalization.
who added total amount Of $49, ,046. .068 to
to the retarned value Of the real property
alone. I'D
This addition presses upon the differ
ent counties with very unequal weight.
In 0rangeburg, for instance, the revised
assessment is three times the original
assessment; in Ksrshaw and Marion twice,
and in Chesterfield and Edgeheld one and
half times. In some cases, lands had un-
doubtedly been given at less than their
intrinsic value, but it is very questionable
whether any returns Of consequence were
made at less than the price which the pro.
perty would then have sold for in open
market. The worth Of the thing is what it
will bring, and 1t was not incumbent upon
the holder to assess his property at one
cent more than its market price, however
low that price might be. And, besides, it
any returns were improperly made, what
justice is there in taxing a whole county
for the Shortcomings Of one man or ten
men? The whole action Of the State Board
Of Equalization was tyranniosl and arbi-
trary. Tyrannicsl, because they took
advantage Of the terms of an incemprshsn-
sibls law TO double and treble tho amount
Of taxation; and arbitrary, because they
made their additions by rule Of thumb,
having no means Of deciding whethe- the
returns had, indeed, been frsudulsntly
made. The effect Of this equalization"
must be disastrous. Mon who had laid by
enough to pay taxes on $4,000, the true
value Of their property, now find thsms elves
called upon to pay taxes on $4,000 if they
live in Kershaw or Marion, and on SIS, 900
if they live in 0rsngeburg. This is enough
10 dauut any people, however industri-
Gus, and it is not surprising that more
tusn one Of the county papers advise their
readers to resist the payment of taxes, or
to refuse to pay upon more than the origi
nal assessment of their properly.
In so serious a matter the people will net
aot without deliberation and reflection. We
are in the hands of a goddess crew who
have no interest in the general welfare Of
the State, and who would 6nd room for pro-
ftable jobbing in any movement which
might lead to the sale Of large tracts Of
land under tax executions. A square and
open resistance to the collection Of taxes of
any kind would probably bring the Radi-
calls to their senses, but this cannot be had.
What is now needed is to test the legality
Of the action of the State Board of Equal
ization. and this can surely be done.
Nor should we hesitate to avail ourselves
Of all the tricks and turns of the law in
Kidding ourselves Of an unjust tax. The
tax law (section 96) Gays that all taxes
"shall be payable, annually, on or before
the first day Of March after their assess.
ment." IL WAS intended To mako tho a aoaeao