The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1871-04-26


his way the State would soon own
all the property in the State. Then
who would pay the taxes on it, and,
meanwhile, how would the Govern.
mcnt machine run ? There is u good
opening here for lie st;dy Of "specu-
lative philosophy" s,.,
The Statc debt is now about $i6,-
600, 900, an increase of about $l0, 0,000,-
600 since the State fell into ex-
clusivcly loyal hands. | hear tax
page. ,ay that they would prefer to
have less loyalty aud less debt, hut
as they do not belong to the great
party ofadvanced morals aud pro-
gressivc tendencies, their opinions are
worthy Of no consideration.
From 1850 to 1850 the average
State tax was $43l 900. IN 1860
the tax was only S392.000 BY com.
ing down, to i later day, after the
State had fallen into tho hands Of
well, every thing we fiud that the
taxes for 1868 amounted to the com
Portable sum of S ,S58,000 or more
than four times what it was in 1860
But now look at another picture,
and you will not wonder at the howl
of distress that gues up from this un.
fortunate State. That other picture
is this The taxable value of the
property Of the State in 1860 was
! $3.50, 100000. The taxable value
now is only SlS4 900, 900, the falling
off having been caused BY the Freeing
of the negroes and depreciation in
real estate. Here we have the sin
gular spectacle of an increase of tax
es Of about five hundred per cent ,
! and a decrease Of two.thirds in the
value of property, Figures will not
lie, but such figures as these will make
man sick if he has an interest in
South Carolina.
But this is not all, though I wish
for the sake of the human race, re-
gardless of color, that it was. let us
compare the expenses of 1853 with
1868. Legislative expenses of 1858
$5l, 900; Of 1868, $27O,oo0, orr
more than five times as much. FIX
ecutivc expenses in 1858, $4,000 ;
in 1868 $4,000. Civil expenses in
1853, 50? ,o00: in 1863, 2iS,0G0.
| Why this enormous increase in ten
years ? In 1858 those who owned tho
State ruled it, and in 1868 those who
did not own it ruled it. I am not
saying that the State should be turn
ed over to those who ruled it twelve
years ago, but l am simply giving a
few cold facts and figures which the
reader can digest and ponder.
Bat still this is not all. The more
We founder about in the financial
mire Of South Carolina, the moro un~
welcome figures we kick up. Lrst
year the total State taxes were ST.
Ol4,69!, aud the people were much
more able to pay than this year, for
cotton was not then selling at q figure
below the Gust Of production, Yet
but $487, % could bo collected, or
less than one-half. This year, howev.
er, the drains upon the treasury have
/ been SO great that it is found neces-
sary to greatly increase the rate of
taxation and anticipate the tax Of
next year, that is, cnlecs the tax of
1872 next fall. Taking in the coun-
ty tax, this will make total Of about
four millions of dollars To ho raised
BY taxation this year md that, too
in the face Of the fact that less than
one-fourth Of the amount could be rails
cd by the utmost effort last year. No
wonder the people Of this, misgovcrned
State are inquiring ono of another
what they are coming to. What they
have already got to has also begun
to awaken Considerable iCteiitiSn. It
is time.
The condition of the State can be
briefly summed up thus Debt, six
teen millions and nothing to pay it
with. Bonds weak, if not demoral.
lied, and with Stfofig downward
tendency. Taxes of, this year sud
ne&t both payable this year to Keep
the sinking ship afoat yet little
longer. People holding meetings all
over the State and resolving not to
pay any moro taxes. The treasury
empty. The Eegis1atIre as CORRUPT
as so many New York backalfey cook
fighters, so ignorant that not 4 thi rd
of them could pass an eXar ination to
teach a backwoods district school in
Ohio: State, Treasurer grown lich
while in office, and living like a
prince. Comptroller aud State finan.
cial Agent 10 Now York, both under
d cloud. Ku.Klux raidlng arouhd in
tb6 UPPER country, brctendfrg to Cor:
rect the e9ils of the day under cover
Of the night. Militia called out only
to be reculled after the Ku Klux had
captured all their arms. United
States troops coming in by the thous.
and to preserve order Business dull
nSopey scarce /; people distrnstful and
lien officers afraid to do their duty
or dou't know what their duty is
negroes frightened from the country
into the town, whore there is mothint
!. to do. and ali tic Dad elements loose