The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-01-07

Mr.. Ep1Toa: For the information sos
the public in general and of fsthS City
oouneil in particular. MA With The yisw.
ofsshoTipg that the oppositlon OF the.
Board Of Trsde to che payment of
licenses is influenced only BY the heavy
and unequal burden imposed ON the
merchants and businees men OF tho city,
end not from captious motives against
Council. beg leave - aumbit the fol-
loving statement Of faoes:
For the year commencing 1st April,
1857, and ending 31st March, 1868, the
taxation, sales, water rent, licenses. &C..
(deduoting therefrom city bills issued,
was $40. 1877 49, For the year oommeno.
ing April I, 1868, and ending 31st
March. 1869. the 'entirc income Of the
city from all sources latter deductipg
city bills issued) was S49. .6aO.3 SO. See
Published reports OF Capt James 8.
McMahon, City Clerk and Treasurer.
Since the administration under Mayor
Alexander went into power, new sources
OF taxation have been acquired, by the
power to tax personal property, and the
increased value Of real estate caused by
the extension of the oity limits. There
ia at the present time taxable property,
real and personal, to the amount OF
$6, 600. 600. This alone, at eighteen
mills to the dollar, imposed by the re.
cent ordinance, will bring a revenue of
Sl0S, 600; nearly $50, 900 moro than was
imposed by the Council OF 1868 and
1859, from all sources, licenses included; /;
or about 125 per cent. on real and per-
sonal property in advance Of the entire
taxes for 1868 and 1869. But, hIr.
Editor, il We add to this the licenses
aought to be imposed by the recent city
ordinance, which will realize about
S26, 900, this years income will amount
to 1888. 900, against $4S, $50 in 1868 and
1863; or an increased taxation, under
Mayor Alexander's administration, of
about It's per cent. over tho years 1868
and 1869, and if the water rents, market
receipts and other taxes are added, it
will aggregate 200 per cent. increase.
When this increase Of taxation will end
is question of serious importance to
the merchants and property holders Of
the oity. 10 the merchants, particularly,
it is question Of life or death.
Business is rei''ogrdding and tares are
increasing, and the Council claim the
right to impose taxes on the business and
occupation of the citizens, which must
eventually drive them to seek other
homes whero such exoctions do not ex-
lat. To show the increased city taxation
OF the present time, over the past, will
illustrate by reference to the city taxes Of
the firm Of which was O member in
1861, and compare it with the taxation OF
the firm of which I am q member in
| 1879 Tho fav ofk g..
in 1861, was Sl02. which included water
rent, wagons, horses and merchandise.
The average stock of that firm wac
S65. 900. The stock of the present firm
will not be over SIS, 900, and the take.
arc as follows: Taxes on stock of SIS, 600,
1921; licenses, SITS; water rent, $40;
total, $500, on stock not one-third as
large as 1861. Now, sir, if I had stock
of S65. 900, in 1873, would be taxed
l,l7O on stock, and about $3.50 on
i licenses and water rent. Total, in 1873,
| l,500, against SlO2. in 1861. I have
said enough, Mr.. Editor, to show that
the taxes. exclusive of licenses, arc ample
to carry on the city government: without
the unconstitutional resort to licenses
and to show, also, that the mercantile
classes have just cause of complaint
against this enormous city taxation.
What becomes of the money raised by
this enormous taxation no man kno,reN,
for the administration of Mayor Alexan-
der has failed to publish an account oi
receipts and expenditures up to the pre-.
sent time. VIZ Me 6eNigerent Chairman
Of Me Committee on Ways and Means en-.
tighten the public dy giuing a. lille Of Tx
time expended IN denunciaiion Of the n:ey.
chants TO his more neeJfM duty9
| MERCHANT.
Make money fast and honorably,
$3.50 per day, S75 per week, by at once