The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-04-10

as poor as q church mouse. But no"
now? Witness the magic effect Of
being treasurer of South Carolina. To,
day he is considered the wealthiest Of
fice-holder in Columbia. He lives in
elegant style, keeps six or eight horses
and entertains his copper-colored and
carpet-bag friends like prince. His
wife displays herself in magnificent
equipage, the finest in the city, and
her hands are bedecked and heavy with
diamonds. Meanwhile, everybody ac'
cuses Parker Of being a rascal, and he
takes no particular pains to deny it
There is discrepancy between his
books and those Of the State financial
agent in New York OF $730,SOS o.
Parker says this is caused by a differ
ence in dates" but refuses further to
explain.
No wonder the people are tired o.
paying taxes, and talk Of refusing to
contribute another cent into the Treas,
ury until they have some assurance
that it is honestly used. The opinion
is wide spread throughout the State
that nine-tenths of the revenue are sto,
len, and until there is different set
of men in Office they cannot be con-
WINGED to the contrary
Reconstruction is needed here badly,
but it is needed among the office-holders.
If all the members of the Legislature
and three fourths of the other officers
would resign, and let a new and honest
set come in, there would be peace, or at
least less fuss than now.
1t is proposed on the part of the tax
PAYERS 10 hold a convention here next
month for the purpose of making an or,
ganized effort to check the
FINANCIAL EVILS
of the hour. From present indications
| should not be surprised if the tax
payers refuse to pay any more taxes.
This is revolutionary, but it Is what Is
coming unless there is reform in the
State Government. The subject is be-
ING canvassed now, aud arguments adj
duced pro and con. Those who insist
upon a united refusal to pay taxes are
among the ablest and wealthiest men OF
the State. They argue that it is the
only way to get rid of the negro gov
ernment as they call it. They say let
all the property-holders Of the State re-
fuse to pay taxes, ard then when prop
erty is put up at tax-sale, let no one bid.
a large meeting OF the tax payers OF
Charleston has been held, and resolu-
tons of the above tenor adopted. II
such course should be generally
agreed to it would produce some funny
results. If no one appeared to bid at
tax sales, then the property would have
to be bid in by the State. In this way
the State would soon own all the prop
ertv in the State. Then who would pay
taxes on it, and, meanwhile, how would
the Government machine run? There
is n good opening here for the study Of
speculative philosophy.
The State debt is now about SIC, OOO,-
coo, an increase Of about SlO,OO4OOO
since the State tell into exclusively
loval hands. hear tax-pay cro say that
they would prefer to have less loyalty
and less debt, but as they do not belong
10 Tie great parry Ui a't'anceu murai5
and progressive tendencies, their opin.
ions are worthy Of no consideration.
From 1850 to 1860 the average State
tax was $4,000. In 1850 the tax
was only $392, 600. BY coming down
to later day, after the State had fallen
into the hands dwell, everything
we find that the taxes for 1868 amount
ed to the comfortable sum of 81, SjS,-
600! 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 goes up from this unfor-
tunate State. That other picture is
this: The taxable value Of the prop
erty Of the State in 1860 was $3.50, OOO,-
600. The taxable value now is only
1854, 1000, the great falling off hav-
ing been caused by the freeing of the
negroes and depreciation in real estate.
Here we have the singular spectacle
of an increase of taxes OF about five
hundred per cent, and 4 decrease OF
two-thirds in the value OF property.
Figures will not lie, but such figures as
these will make a man sick if he has
an interest in South Carolina
But this is not all, though | wish for
the sake Of the human race, regardless
of color, that it was. Let us compare
the expenses of 1853 with those Of 1868.
Legislative expenses OF 1873, Sjl, 900;
Of 1868, $4,000, or more than five
times as much. Executive expenses in
1858, 5000; in 1868, $4,000. Civil
expenses in 1858, 1000; in 1868,
$2lS,0OO. Why this enormous increase
in ten years? In 1853 those who
owned the State ruled it, and in 1868
those who did not own it ruled it. !
am not saying that the State should be
turned over to those who ruled it twelve
years ago, but | am simply giving a few
cold facts and figures which the reader
can digest and ponder.
But STILL THIS Is NOT ALL.
The more we founder about in the
financial mire Of South Carolina, the
more nnwelcomc figures we kick up.
Last year the total State taxes were
81 ,0l4,G9l, and the people were much
more able to pay than this year, for
cotton was not then selling at figure
below the cost Of production. Yet, but
S+S7, 100 could be collected, or less than
one-half. This year, however, the drains
upon the treasury have been so great
that it is found necessary to greatly
increase the rate OF taxation
and anticipate the tax of next
year, that is, collect the tax Of
1872 next fall. Taking in the county
tax, this will make a total of about four
OF dollars TO be raised by tax
alton this year AID that, too, in the
face OF the fact that less than one.iourth
Of the sum could be raised by the ut
most effort last year. No wonder the
,aopla nF The ,,iSroyernp1 State are in