The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1871-03-15
The State Auditors Report.-Where the
Burden ofTaxation Rests!

The report of the State Auditor is
before us. 1t, though long delayed,
las followed fast upon that Of the
Comptroller-G eneral. It contains
much information Of valuable ma
ture. II will appear, by reference
to its stateme Is, that the real estate
of Charleston at tho present assess
ment is equal to one.6fth Of that of
the whole of the rest of the State, in
Guiding all the towns and villages.
This Is certainly a remarkable fact.
1t cannot be that proper valuation
of all the real estate in the rest Of tho
State is only four times tho actual
value Of that in Charleston. But
such is the valuation placed by the
Board of Equalization. Itunly serves
to illustrate how large proportion Of
the taxation Of tho State Charleston
is made to bear. and how tho ndustry
and the interests Of her people are
depres ed, when every effort should
be made rather to lightcn the burden
and enable the seaport of the com.
monweal'h to develope her energies
aud resources for the common heno-
fit.
But it is a still more remark able
fact, that Of the personal property iu
the State liable for taxation, Charles
ton returns nearly ono. third. She
may, therefore, be said to bear upon
her back the great burden Of til.
Government.
THE POLL TAX
There were over 100, 900 votes cast
ut the last election, and yet the whole
amount of persons who Iaid their POLL
tax was a little over forty.one thous
and in number. There were, there
fore over ninety Thousand voters
who psid no poll tax at all,
1t is thus s@en that there Ia scarcely
n ooiored voter who Contributes any
thin9to tho support Of the Govern.
hent, or who pays any poll tax at all.
In fact, thcse who consrol the Govern
ment and tho Offices, arc mere
CONSUMERS. "Nati consun,ere .fruges."
They render no aid to the iinuncial |
support Of tho State. The State pre-
sents the curious position OF all power
placed in tho hands of those who, in
the main, have neither property, nor
contribute to its support, while the
Intelligence, the industry and
shs education Of the State, which
is permitted no audience in
public affairs, are ground to the very
dust by oppressive taxation, for the
support Of tho very Government
which holds them as aliens and atran.
.gers upon their own soil.
We present an abstract Of 80 much
of the Auditors report and the 81. .atis
tics as 10 Of public interest
THE vALUE OF REAL AND PERSONAL
ESTATE.
The total assessed value of oil rea
,ssstate in the State, not in cities aut
towns, S8l, ,84O,S65. This does no.
include tue Counties Of williamsburg
aud Marlboro, whiob. for some rec
sons, areoloft out of the estimate.
The value Of tho real estate in cities
towps and villages of the thirty-one
counties in the State, is $34 466, ,874
making the total value Of the rea
property iu the State $ll7,988,542
Or this, &27,sas,87o, or nearly one
fifth Of the entire amount, belongs to
Charleston. This estimate only en-
braces taxable real property, aud j.
ip the suW fixed by the Hoard O
EqasliHatiop. The total value o.
the taxable personal property inolud
leg moneys, credits, &c., in the State
is set down at $83, l06, ,720, Of who'll
Charlastaa owns $l9,88l, ,2l9, or near
ly ono third Of che entire amount,
TAXES COLLECTED.
+" The exhibit containing tho state
nent of tho taxes collected by .th
Government, including the poll Ia