The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-26
Something Wrong.

the levy, and collection, OF a tax OF three
mills on the dollar to meet the expenses Of
Charleston County for the year 1869. This
tax should realize at least SIPS, 600. ~
While,the joint resolution was under con-
siderstion by the House Of Representatives, it
was moved by Mr.. A. j. Ransier to make
the tax two mills instead Of three upon the
ground that $4,000 would be amply sufH.
cientito meet all the expenses of the year.
This statement was made upon the authority
Of the chairman OF the Board Of County Com
missioners. The proposed reduction of the
rate of taxation was Justify opposed by
DeLarge, who said that at least $3.50, 900
must be raised. MIR. Mclaughlin, one OF
the County Commissioners, had assured him
that the county fees, funds, &C., would alb
sorb SIS, 900, and that s5O,0O0 was required
for repairing roads and bridges. Auditor
Tomlinson offered a compromise in the
shape Of a tax Of two and half mills, which
was promptly voted down. DeLarge flip
PANTY declared that the chairman Of the
Board of County Commissioners knew no
more about Charleston County than the
man in the moon knew how much there was
in DeLarge's pocket. This unanswerable
argument secured the adoption of the three
mill tax.
When the joint resolution reached the Sen
ate it met with an active opposition. Sena-
tor Corbin urged that the tax be only two
mills, which amount, he said, would
be sufficient, for Charleston County, which
'did not wish to pay all, or nearly
'tall, Of he taxes as it had been doing
''heretofore." This brought Senator "Dad
s'dy" Cain to his feet, who said 'two mills
''on the dollar will give our (Charleston)
commissioners 500, I think they
"can spend that. Ibelieve that the more
''we give them the less work they will do.
"Out Of sight Of the stecples Of Charleston
''they have done little oc no work; in fact,
'tnearly all Of the work that they have done
'.has been inside Of the city limits. am
"willing to give them another chance though,
ssbut want them to understand that here
"after they will be watched with sleepiess
.!vigilance. 100000 has been spent by the
commissioners since last session BY the
sway, the returns Of these commissioners do
"not show for what this money was spent.
"They show who received the money, but
mot for what they received it."' Corbin
and Donaldson protested against the levy
ing Of three mills as ''an outrage" and, on
motion, two mills was substituted. The
House refused to concur in the Senate
amendments, and committee of conference
was appointed. This committee made
report, in which the three mills tax in
Charleston County was agreed to, and the
report was adopted.
We have been particular in showing the
tone OF the debate upon the passage OF the
three mills tax, in order that it may be clear
ly understood that the most independent
members of the Senate and House deemed
two mills tax sufficient, while their oppo-
uents admitted that q three mills tax would
give them all the money they required. The
tax has been assessed, aad is in course Of
collection. We have no reason Ito believe
that there is any unusual tardiness in pay
ing the county tax, and yet the County
Treasurer declines to pay any Of the checks
drawn upon him by the County Commis-
sioners, his excuse being that he has no
funds. Whether there is any discrimina-
ton in paying the checks we are unable to
say. 1t may be that the friends OF the
treasurer and of the commissioners are paid,
while the general public go begging. But
even this is doubtful. A diligent inquiry
gives US the names Of large number of per-
sons who are refused payment Of their
checks, but we do not hear of solitary one
whose check has been paid on presentation.
Indeed, some Of the check-holders are told
BY the treasurer that they cannot be paid
before January.
Under ordinary circumstances, and in Or
dinary times, we should be inclined TO sup
pose that some unavoidable cause had in
terfered with the collection of taxes, and
had kept the treasury empty. But no such
plea can be urged now. The tax was more
than the most extravagant estimates called
for, and the taxes have been paid with the
usual promptitude.
| What then is the reason why the checks
of the County Commissioners are refused
payment by the County Treasurer The
facts in our possession force us to believe
that the Cry Of ''no funds" is raised to de-
preciate the value OF the claims upon
the county, so that the County Com
missioners, or County Treasurer, may
buy them up at heavy discount. 1t is
notorious in Columbia that the State Off
cials are allowed a discount of twenty and
twenty-five per cent. upon bills against the
State and the same result is to be reached,
in different way, in Charleston County.
Here, the Treasurer has mo funds" the
checks upon the treasury fall to ten and
fifteen per cent. discount, and at this rate