The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-13
Fighting the Taxes.

the property-holders, a just representation
in the General Assembly Of the State. The
most common suggestion is, that the people
should, as one man, refuse to pay any more
taxes until the expenses OF the government
are reduced and the character OF the Legis-
lature is changed. There is, however. a
practical difficulty in this mode OF action
which is hard to overcome. That difficulty
is How can the sale of the delinquent prop
erty, for taxes, be prevented and, if it can
not be prevented, will the people be willing
to run the risk Of allowing their property to
pass into the hands of native negroes, or
Northern spectators, at price representing
| one-fourth of its actual value?
There are two classes of taxpayers-those
who cannot pay the taxes of the year, and
those who can. The former class, if it
were decided on to refuse to pay taxes,
would be no worse of than they are now.
They have not the means Of meeting the
demands upon them, and their lands, &C.
cording to law, will be sold, whether the
owners are refusing to pay as o part OF a
general movement, or only because OF their
inpscunious condition. This is clear ; bat
how about those who can pay? These may
have their property sold, il they refuse to
pay. They are able to pay, and tits idle to
expect that one who can pay will allow his
property to be sold out for just what it may
happen to bring at public outcry. But, in
truth, the hazard run by those who can pay
is limited in extent. All lands sold for taxes
may be redeemed within two years from the
day of sale. When redeemed within one
year, the sum to be paid Is the amount for
which the land was sold, together with the
subsequent taxes paid by the purchaser, and
a penalty of twenty-five per cent. When re-
deemed in the second year the penalty is
fifty per cent. This, then, is the whole
danger incurred by those who, having the
power to pay, stand by their fellow-citizens
who are straitened in circumstances. We
have no idea that the delinquent lands
would be sold. There would be no bidders.
But, if sold, the property could be redeemed
within Two years upon the payment OF q pen
atty of twenty-five or fifty per cent. There
is another view of the case-one marked by
some originality. This is set forth in the
following extract from q leader in The Barn.
well Sentinel:
SNOW for the practical working Of the plan.
The county treasurer will open his books and
call upon the taxpayers to pay the tax assess
ed. No one responds. There is no money In
that. The next step he will! put on the default
ers the penalty. No one responds. There is
no money In that. The mex step, he will
make u levy and offer the land for sale. No
| one bids. There is no money In that. This is
| the whole operation If there be unity among
the people. But it is urged there may be some
people at home who have capital, and there
will be capitalists from the North who will bid,
and thus the land will be sacrificed. II the
worst comes to the worst, and the landowner
can raise the money to pay the tax, penalty
and costs, he may run his land to any amount
he pleases, because that will be all he bag to
pay. But il .he capitalist at home or from
abroad shall run the land to a price that tue
proprietor is willing 70 take, he will have made
a good sale. But there Is no probability In
this. The people at home will not be disposed
to buy, had they never so much capital, and
there will be no buyers from abroad, because
if they do not offer to purchase now, when tue
land is placed on the market voluntarily, they
will not be anxious to purchase when it is put
up for sale in unlimited. quantities, to exact
taxes from an unwilling people. But suppose
the speculator does appear, the landowner can
outbid him; not being able to pay his bid, the
land will be offered again the next sales-day.
At the second sale, Of course. the bid OF the
owner will not be received, his son will AXE
his place with the same result, and so on, al
infnituus. Bidders who do not intend to COM
ply, can always outbld those who do. The
result will be, the treasury will be empty,
there will be no money to feed the rapncity of
those who have been preying on the resources
O frhe State, and no money to pay the per diem
OF the Ignorant men who have been Imposing
taxes tor the last four years. In q word, The
wheels OF government will stop.
s.There Is nethlny revolutionary in this. No
armed combination mo violent resistance to
The law-no K,l-Klux-no intimidaLiou--nn
call for President Grants cohorts, or if lie does
send them, nobody to fight. 1t is simply the
auiet determination of the people tc. make
common Cause for. elf.protectlon. An yet
people vino, by the way, were very
urgent secesSionistS. but not very active CAM
paluners. gee great danger In this passive re-
s,stance: they lear it will bring upon us the
soldiers of the United States army. Soldiers
will mol be sent to y place where there is no
violence TO repress, and it they do come, they
will no, hurt those who do not interfere With
them. It will be our interest and policy TO
treat them politely aid respectfully, aud the
money they will spend wi b US on pay Gay Will
no, inconmude OUR people in The least"
These suggestions are worthy OF consider
alton, as are also the Suggestions oil Il COR
respondent VINO writes from Camden. Inis
sentlemau, a distinguished citizen OF the
State, proposes an appeal to the courts, and
explains the manner Of conducting the pro-
ceilings. No more peaceful remedy can be
found, anu il 1t fall we are all the stronger
for carrying on the combat in some other