Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1869-09-03
BYlROBERT YOUNG s. co.
a. I2 Z II II x.
Equslise the Land Tax.

Tally lO0ke0 ABOUT lot 6uOtDeI fcncuy.t
ers Of real estate, being principally interested,
have had their serious attention turned 10
this subject. They arc unable to see why
the mere fact that their capital is invested 10
aand, much Of tired clay gullics and light
: sandy 'ridgcs, should throw the bulk Of taxa
ton upon them. The result is a growing
conviction that if this kind of property is 30
valuable, those who share in the profits Of
land should also pay their share for the priv
ilcgc Of making crops thereon. In other
words, land owners are beginning to think
that the hired laborer, who gets one.third Of
the CROP, ought, in justice, to pay one.third of
tho tax. Under the present arrangement, his
share Of the crop is net profit, as he contrib
utes nothing but his labor. The two thirds
which the owner gcts, on tue other hand, are
gross. The entire expenses of the farm are
to'be deducted, in order to show what he ao-
tually makes by the years risk and trouble.
3 II has, therefore, beon suggested that the
land owners Of the State insist upon the pay
ment of a part of the land tax by the hired
laboic r, 'as q condition in NIL contracts
where a share Of the crop is the enumeration
The idea is that he who shares in the profits,
ought also to share in the burdens. This idea
To- founded on Justice. Why should one part
ner be exempt from expenses which must be
paid, and the other be forced to bear it all 2
III sBut,'in order to secure a just distribution
Of the burden, it is necessary that there should
be combined action, on the part of the ag-
grieved parties. If one stands up for his
rights and another does not, nothing can be
effected. Az laborers ore in demand, the re-
suit will be ipjurioSSso &c 6 willing to nav tho
for justice. lie slaborers at the expense of
him who wants them to pay 'thGss rs .s!.
of ,the tax. And we fear that for the sake Of
astemporary advantage, many would submit
tothe Imposition.
But such an advantage would be only tenn
porary, and not at all to DO compared with
that which would result from a combined re-
~sistance to the present injustice. Tho only
way; to got rid of burdensome taxation, is to
mako the entire voting population feol it. So
long as the majority are virtually exempt from
taxation there is no relief. 1t ia their ex-
emption from this burden that now makes
them the ready tools of unpriucipled and reok-
less Saspirants for their suffrage. just let
thomi feel that they help to pay the expenses,
and the spell is broken. They now pay these
expenses, but not IN a tangible form for the
whole community must, in some form or 9TH
or, bear the weight Of whatever taxation OK
lists. But it is very essential they should be
awsre of the fact, and we know Of no better
way to bring it home to them, than as pro-
posed above, - YoskpiM Enquirer.
{G jg.f .---~.~.--
INCOME RETURNs.-Ffom q list of income
roturns published 10 the " Savannah Ad.
ve%rtisor'' we CLEAN tho following facts in
relation to the wealth Of Savannah: Fifty
two persons return incomes of five thousand
dollars and upwards, ranging as high as two
hundred and three thousand seven hundred
and fifty dollars. The large majority return
incomes of a little over one thousand dollars.
Printers, with one exception, are very poor,
and return no income at all Doctors are
also an impeoun;;ccns GLASS, and work day and
LIZ. -ithout acoumu., latin , 4 fortuno. Law
Uara ara not !, -erburdened witt; large incomes
which may be ow,n,sg to the baokwardness in
clients ia not settling up promptly, Editors
Amt worth a continental--beipsg even poorer
than printers. The richest man In Savannah
belonigs to the mereandcle profession. One
widow, returns nineteen thousand and forty.
six dollars income.
ARArN SroaM OF SNAKEa.--An extra.
Ordinary and most wonderful phenomena oe-
CURED at Indian Grave Gap, in Campbell
County, Tenn, through which the Knoxville
and Kentucky Railroad is being built, on
Sunday afternoon. During a severe thunder
storm, and while 1t was at its hight. tho gap
was suddenly Hlled with countless numbers
of snakes, which were seen falling for nearly
ten minutes. They were Of the common spe
dies, and measured from Ave inches TO two
feoti D length: They wore all dead, being
killed " e supposed BY the fall, The new,
aof this fseaksof nature soon became known
among the farmers Of the region, and created
Stho most, intense excitement. BY evening
8thssgapfwas crowded with, hundreds DC PEG.
pleidyaMn hither Il gswitneas the novel specta.
0le.s NWaarouBs Sarhsises were inGalged IA