The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-29
Rcpubilon u Testimony.

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Rcpubtlonn Tsstimony.
| DR.. J. Winsmith, writing in ''ths Spur
tan. in reference to the subject Of taxa
tion and the May convention, and in re-
ply to the statements OF Republican
journal. saya:
'Is is the amount OF taxes collected,
and not the ratio per cent OF taxation,
which materially concerns the tax-pny-
ers. If the rate of taxation should not
even have been higher than in former
years, but should the assessors have been
goaded up to assess property ut twice,
thrice, or, even four times as much as
! formerly, it is easy to see that the aggre-
gate amount Of taxes will be twice. thrice
or four times as much as before. And
this is the thing complained of now; the
tax payers cannot be deceived in this
mntter, and they feel and comprehend it
in it's true light.
II see from the Comptroller Generals
report, for 1856. that the gross amount
Of taxes paid into the Treasury that year
was S532, ,744. IA. which amount, it ap.
pears. was quite sufficient to carry on the
government ut that time. But rs that
Was before the war, allow me to call your
attention to report Of Oomptroiler. Ge-
neral for the year 1866. and, by reference
TO which report, you will see that the
gross amount Of taxes paid into the
t Treasury for that year was S4l9, $685. rs.
Under this state of facts, Mr. Editor,
how cnn the taxpayers fail to exclaim ]:
How can it be possible that if only
S4l9, 668 70 was paid into the Treasury
III 1866, aud found sufficient to carry on
the government, that they shall be called
ON to pay more than four times that
amount in the spring, and also required
pay like amount in the ensuing No
| vember2' I have heard only ono reason
given for the collection Of this second
Lax during the present year, aud that is
that the people can pay more easily il
November than in the spring of the
year That is great mistake, as it has
been proven, by long experience, that
taxpayers can make their payments
| more easily from the 1st OF March until
the 1st of June than at any other period
of the year. But should the Legislature
come to the conclusion that these pay
ments can be more readily made in No.
vember, just postpone the farther pay
ment OF taxes until November, 1879, and
feel confident the Taxpayers would be
| satisfied with the arrangement. Truly
tno e0oTmOuS amount OF taxes ALREADY
collected this year will be quite sufficient
to keep the government in motion until
November, 1872. And let me beg you,
Mr.. Editor, not to indulge for a moment
The belief that opposition to the pay
nent of the November tax is only enter
taine'l by q few persons who control
public opinion aud the press in the seve-
ral Counties of the State. So fur from
that being the case. this opposition is al.
most unanimous, and the Gull for con.
vention meets with concurrence of. tax
payers almost without exception. Nor
Is i. because this proposition for con-
vention was made by the Chamber of
Commerce. or Board OF Trade ct
Charleston. that taxpayers approve of
it; but because the proposition was IN
accordance with we'll matured and fully
developed sentiment of opposition en-
tertained almost unanimously by the tax
payers OF the State.
"The convention. Mr.. Editor, will be
held. hope the delegates selected will
be- prudent, discreet mon; ntatesmen i'm
bued with principles of justice und actu-
ated by patriotic devotion to the inter.
| ests of the State, ready to approve the
right aud equally ready to rebuke cor
ruption and wrong"