The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-02

tant matter may continue to mark his
whole official career.
The Proposed Tax Levy.
Where is the public usefulness Of the recent
iDiunctiors, il an enormous tax levy is In
stantly to be made for the benefit OF rascally
holders Of spurious claims against the State Z
Where is the gain in suspenaing the pay
ment Of interest on the public debt, II a sum
equal, in amount, to that interest is to be
wasted by pronigate officials? Where is the
propriety, or honesty, OF setting to work to
levy and collect taxes, before the people
have been instructed as to the purposes to
which the proceeds are to be applied?
This is the way Of it. Comptroller Nea-
| gle, under q resolution OF the Legislature,
levied q tax for the fiscal year beginning No
vember /, 1871. Two iDjunctions were OBJ
tanned; one prohibiting the application OF
taxes, as received, to the satisfaction OF any
demands other than the appropriations OF
the current year, and the other prohibiting
the levy and collection OF the tax Itself, upon
the ground OF its unconstitutionality. In
granting these iDjunctions the courts main-
tanned two propositions: First, that every
wear must bear its own fiscal burdens; Sec
ond, that the annual tax for the year ending
October 81, 1872, had already been levied
and collected. The whole question, there
fore, was RENTED to the Legislature, with
which body it rests to provide for the dei-
ciencies OF previous years, and for the x
| penses OF the present year. According TO
! the best information we have been able TO
obtain this is expected to be done by the I'M
mediate levy OF a State tax OF thirteen mills,
payable before the fifteenth Of January, 1878.
The tax Is composed Of six mills for general
expenses, two mills for schools, and five
mills for deficiencies. Upon q gross assess
ment Of one hundred and fifty million dol
lars, this tax should realize:
6 mills for general expenses...s 100000
2 mills Tor schools. ........... SOO,OOo
S mills for deficiencies. 100000
Is mills for all purposes. ,s5o,OOo
The public objections to this levy are too
obvious to need any detailed explanation.
With the tax OF two mills for educational
purposes, the people are not disposed to find
fault. They know that the standard OF edu-
| cation iu South Carolina is unavoidably low,
and they are anxious to do whatever may be
neediul Tor 80 training the coming genera
ton hat they will look to honest labor, not
to politics, for their. success In life, and
will exercise the right OF suffrage with ia
telligent discretion. Next N the pro-
posed tax for the general expenses OF the
government Nine hundred thousand dol
lars for the year, exclusive OF the schools,
and the interest on the public debt. This is
not reform; it is proaigate extravaganza.
No word OF explanation ls given. The peo-
pie are not advised whether the Legislature,
or the contingent funds or the public insti-
buttons are to swallow up this tremendous
tax. And there is worse behind. 1t is pro-
posed to apply $3.50. 600 to the payment of
outstanding claims. These are said to
| amount to millions; three quarters OF a mil
lion will do to begin with. OF course the
deficiencies in the deficiency appropriation
could be provided for later. There is wis
dom in taking the eggs instead OF killing the
goose. Decapitation is q quicker death
than the scientific bleeding which kills by
inches, but the yield Of blood ls less. This
is the theory and practice OF the new de-
iciency bill.
The Legislature have no right to levy a
tax without specifying the expenses which
the tax is expected to meet. A general
statement will not do. The people, except
ing the politicians, work hard for their
money, and they want to know where every
dollar goes to. Unless their promises are a
mockery, unless they intend to betray their
constituents, the legislative majority must
show, before it is authorized, how e Try
cent OF the tax Is to be spent, and that it is
indispensable 10 the support OF the govern
ment. The appropriation for deficiencies,
as proposed, would be the source of untold
losses. Not one OF the outstanding obIiga.
tons. Outside OF those for the public asy.
lums) should be paid until a rigid scrutiny
has proved that they we're lawfully contract
ed, at fair prices for the work done. In o
word F: The People, before they peg any
more taxes, demand 10 know how the taxes
are to be spent, and before they commit
themselves to the payment OF any old debts,
they require proof that they are really liable
for those debts. No bill OF appropriations
has been introduced; no schedule Of out
standing claims has been submitted. 1t is
the duty OF the Legislature to refuse to levy
any tax until this be done.
There is supposed to be some satisfaction
in being robbed under the forms OF law, and