Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-09-07
Our Taxes.

Mr.. Copeland, the correspondent o.
the New York Journal of Commerce
writing from Columbia, under date
of the 18th instant says:
I.have examined into the system Of
taxation, and discovered the reason
why there has been 80 much grum-
bling about the rate. The fact is
there has been a surprisingly large
amount of corruption, both in the
levy and collection of the taxes. I
was shown by one of your subscribers
| who has been in business here and in
Charleston for many years, a tax re-
ceipt in which the tax was legitimate
ly in accordance with the levy, $28.50.
. The extra added swelled the amount
| to SAL. he protested, and the tax
collector struck off the extras. This
was on a small piece of property. He
says he has seen bills calling for 40
cents and so cents, upon which the
extras amounted to So, 1926 and
$3.50. These little collections are
generally made from the negroes and
poor whites, who do. not know any
better than to pay them, but the tax
gatherers are learning better than to
af6x perquisites to bills rendered to
intelligent men, because their game
is beginning to be understood. As I
said above, the citizens Of South Car
olina have always been aristocratic.
Their aristocracy was Of the landed
order, and to encourage the owner
ship of lands in large bodies the
State did not tax them. The taxes
on negroes, buildings, and on mer-
chants and professions, paid the debts
of the State. When the war w:s
ended the negroes were free, the
buildings burnt down, and nothing
was left to tax but the lands, and
even they were worth much less than
they were before the war, for the
reason that they were overgrown
with shrubbery, cane, &c., during
years when their cultivation had been
neglected. The accounted average
assessment value Of all lands in South |
Carolina before the war was fifty
eight cents per acre. Now they are
assessed and taxes are collected at an
average value of about FIVE dollars
per acre. Many persons who had no
money when the war ended had their
domains sold for taxes.
When the fact is considered that
only from one-tenth to one-fourth of
each landowners possessions is cul-
tivated, (Which, however, is greater
average than was worked before the
war; it is not wonderful that there
should be considerable reluctance or
grumbling when the planters are
called upon to pay taxes on the whole
amount of land owned at rate of
assessment frequently beyond the
market value. The result is that
good portion Of many Of the large
estates is offered for sale. South
Carolina has not been developed to
an extent that causes all her citizens
to feel comfortable, or they would |
not part with any portion of their
estates. Still they are doing remarka-
bly, well under the circumstances.
Every man srands brsvely up to- the
of the State debt, with |
out regard to the outrageous addi- |
tions to it, and not one Of them would |
lower his pride to breathe d whisper
Of repudiatio in any form.
The taxes levied for this year are
nine mills on the dollar of assessed !
values, and the estimated total col
lections at that rate will be 1900 |
600. OF this 100000 will be re-
quired to pay the interest on the
debt. leaving $600,00o for the sup |
port of the State government. /
would advise gentlemen who are in
terested in the financial affairs Of |
South Carolina to preserve these state
ments, as they are well authenticated |
and trustworthy.