The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-04-10
COLUMBIA s. G.
Wednesday Morning. April 10. 1872.
Tho Taxes again.

Lie UNION 'Camo up 6mlunG yeSLer-
day in o quasi reply to our article of
Friday last in relation to the compare
tive rate Of taxation in the several States,
wherein we claim to have shown, beyond
all question, that in this State far
heavier rate of taxation is imposed upon
the people than in any other State of
the Union. We desire to meet this issue
squarely, for we are as confident of the
position we have assumed as we are that
two and two make four.
By the table Of rates oollated from the
United States census reports of 1870 by
the Nation, which We quoted, it was
shown that South Carolina at that time
June l, lS?0-stood ninth on the list
Of the thirty y-seven States in the rate per
cent. of taxation on every 1000 of
property. In most of the States-al,
perhaps, except South Carolina-pro-
perty is not assessed for taxation at any
thing like its market value generally at
not more than from third to one-half
of what it would sell for. This, OF
course, makes all the difference in the
world in the rate of taxation. A tax Of
ten mills on the dollar, or $40 on the
thousand, in States where the assess
ment is only one-third of the actual
value Of the property, would be no more
than tax of three and one-third mills
in South Carolina.
YsAA Aponn$oI ~ tbo -l:To-ooA
States, which the Union man says he has
taken the trouble to examine, in the
State Auditors Office, are worthless.
therefore, in an argument of this kind,
unless all the facts in regard to the mode
Of assessment, &c., are given. The
table in the Nation Was based upon the
actual, not the assessed value Of pro.
perty, and included every species Of tax
alton, State. County, municipal, &C.,
whether levied directly or indirectly, by
means OF license laws and such like.
This the Union lost sight Of entirely,
and proceeds to make such argument as
it can, seemingly upon the hypothesis
that only State taxes, levied in direct
way, were taken into consideration. In
the table referred to, Nevada stood first,
paying 1864 on every $1,000 of pro-
perty, real ualue. Louisiana next,
S21 SIS; Arkansas. 1888; and on to
South Carolina, which paid, in 1870,
$3.50 per $1,000. The Union quotes
from our article as follows:
1.-THE above statistics were made out
upon data furnished on the 1st of June,
1870. It will be borne in mind that in
that year the rate of taxation for general
State and County purposes, was not over
ten mills on the dollar"
It then asks, evidently thinking that it
has put poser. IF that is so, how is it
made out that the State tax was $3.50
per 81, ,O00?"
It will be noticed that we used the
words taxation for general State and
County purposes" But that is not all
the tax in the State. Charleston pays
tremendous city tax; Columbia pays
100000 for the support of the city 60
vernment, and every little town in the
State pays town tax; nll of which az
gregate vast amount of money; fur
more than $3.50 per $1,000. There is,
besides, the poll tax of $4,000 or
100000. We said that the taxes for
State and County purposes were not over
tea mills. The fact is, that the average
was about eight and half mills-a good
many of the Counties paying less than
FIVE mills for County purposes. The
difference between the rate per cent. for
State and County purposes, as We say,
something less than $40 per $1,000, or
that amount taken from S13 80, repre-
sents the aggregated rate from the city,
town and poll taxes that we have men
toned.
That is ''how it is made out" Mr.
Union. We have answered the ques-
tion, because it was easily done, but
scarcely deem it fair that we should be
called upon 10 prove the correctness Of
the United States census reports. They
are accepted authority by everybody,
and certi inly are the latest and most re-