The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-04-15

"Taxation.o

Editor ofhe Oranyebury Nears:
Taxation seems to be the most yexa
tious subject of the time, aad we think,
taking into consideration the impover-
ishcd condition of otr people, it is prop.
,erly so, and it is the purpose of the
writer, to bring to public notice one or
two of the most fragrant wrongs in the
premises, and thereby show some of the
greatest reasons Of complaint by tax
payers.
1st. The irregular and unjust manner
OF assessment, is one of the primary
causes, and by way of illustration, we
find one citizen-"A" whose lands are
are assessed at 500, his mules at $50
per head, and his other property in pro-
portion, and then the same assessor
goes to his mex neighbor "B" with a
fence dividing the respective lands, and
he assesses BIS lands at $500 per acre,
his mules at S125 per head, uad SO on.
BIS land is ideutically the same as AS
in quality, aud in some respects moro inn
proved, and his mules perhaps more val.
liable. Now these cases often occur, and
Mr.. Editor, wien is there a more palpa-'
BILE case of ir~regularitv or %ininitice ?
But this is not all. We have a "Board
of Equalization" soscallod. They meet
for the ostensibh purpose of c9uatisiiaa
taxation, as VIC understand it; and how
is it done2 Instead of putting B's
property in equal value with AS, they
raise AS land to SIS per acre, his mules
to SITS per head &C., and raise BIS land
to 50 per acre, his mules to $3.50 per
head, fnd so on. Judging from this, their
real purpose appears to be, to raise every
ones property, one. two and three hun
dred per cent. Or in other words, to
grab all the money possible.
I'd. The imperfect and partial manner
of assessment. which is if anything, a
more gricvious cause than the first. We
are personally cognizant of one case,
wheye on n plantation Ito say nothing
of others which we are aware Off, there
are ten colored tax payers, ,rho pay NJ
tar, two of these arere returned, 6m bay
none, tie ohef eiyit poAtively refused to
make any return az al, and consequent
ly they pay none. The white man of
the place payed his tax (Which had been
raised), it justly seems, to make up the
deficiency caused by these men being
allowed to defy the law, aud being up
held in this defiance, by the government
Itself, for tine Assessor was notified and
was aware Of these wrongs. 1t will be
seen at once Mr.. Editor, that q more
glaring cause Of partiality was n,yer
pcrpctuatcd.
There might be a partial remedy for
these evils, were men OF good common
sense and practical experience appointed
as assessors, men living in each Town
ship, men who are acquainted with the
different kinds of lands and other prop
erty, and who are competent enough to
discriminate in the several cases coming
under ti:eir jurisdiction. But alas for
MS aud our down troddcn State it is
useless to heal the ulcer on the surface,
where the case is still deeply seated, and
breaks out an hwldred fold worse than at
first. Turn to the Legislature. We
have not finished one , ferrous tax, before
they pass an Act requiring another just
as oppressive to be collected in the same
year. Instead Of advocating economy
and rrtrenchment, they seem to glory in
corruption and proaigacy, and in trying
TO grind our people to the dust.
When will the vultures cease to prev
upon the vials of the people2
Senator Robertson appeals 10 General
Butler aud others to Communicate with
the leading citizens Of each County, SO
us 70 organize and enlist the moral power