The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-04
An ExamIn.,ion Of the statistics.

An Examination Of the Statistics.
EDITOR PHOENIX: That reply to the
memorial of "The Taxpayers Conven-
tion," published by the dignitaries of
the Radical party of this State, is re-
markable production. AS document
designed for the perusal of an ignorant
multitude, who would be likely to mis-
take bravado for brains, it would doubt
less appear to be conclusive of the fact
that its promulgators were O crowd OF
the worst slandered innocents that the
world has ever produced. But being
put forth under the pretence that it is
designed as O serious and candid reply
to the memorial Of the Ta4-Payers'
Convention" and intended as vindicn-
ton Of the Radical party Of this State
from the damning charges preferred
against them in the document to which
it purports to be reply, and tho state
ments therein contained being addressed
ito the honorable the Senate and House
of Representatives of tho United
States," it betrays want of sagacity
remarkable indeed, when we take into
consideration the brilliant array Of Ia
lent, literary culture and experienced
statesmanship unavoidably suggested by
the imposing array of names thereto ap-
pended. The design Of this remarkable
production is to show to the Congress of
the nation, and through them to the
people of the United States, that the
tax payers" of this State have no bur-
dens of which they have any right to
complain; but that they are, on the
contrnry. if they only had sufficient
sense to appreciate the blessing, highly
favored people, who ought to feel de.
voutly thankful to Heaven that such a
set of contumacions rebels as they are
have been permitted to enjoy the mani
fold and rapidly multiplying blessings
showered upon them 30 copiously, under
the beneicent sway OF the benevolent
party OF progress, that was placed in
power in 1868, through the operation Of
le machinery of reconstruction, and
LA! !.:.s !::rs!!E rnn.!azs.H:.ta.,s. IN aha
display of degree of magnanimity
characteristic OF so wonderful collec-
ton Of disinterested patriots, to "go-
vern" said contnmRcious and rebelliOus
"tnx-payers" for the last six years, only
charging them, for the arduous, self
imposed labors attendant upon the labor
Of love to which they have been so ASST
duously devoting their energies, the in
significant trifle of 81. ct per capita.
"Oh! that mine adveruary had written
book" was the e. ,lamation of one of
old. Now, it 30 ooou43 that the National
Congress. being of an inquiring turn OF
mind, does every t. ,th year commission
men to 60 forth and make inquest Of
the affairs Of the country. and the in.
formation thus collected is carefully ar
ranged in tabular form, after which it is
printed, bound into book and labeled
Census OF the United States" Since
the appearance OF the document called a
"Reply to tho Memorial of the Tax
Payers Convention" the writer of this
article has taken some pains to look into
said book, in order that he might see
for himself whether the taxpayers oi
this State are really groaning under an
excessive burden Of taxation, far more
grievons than that imposed upon the
people of most of the Suites, whore
the representative bodies leyying
the taxes, no matter what poll
tical party il in tho nscendancy, arc
elected by, and do really represent, the
property holders and Taxpayers of their
respective States. The result of this
Investigation is confirmation Of the
opinion previously entertained by the
writer, that the taxation in this impo
verished State is simply Outrageous,
whom compared with tho taxation Of the
more opnlent States of the Union.
where the taxpayers have voice in the
legislative department OF the State Go
vernment. Such being the fact, the
writer proposes to lay before your read
ers the statistical results at which he
has arrived. HAST thou appealed unto
Cesar? Unto Cesar thon shalt 60, >
said Festus to Paul. "Hast thou up.
pealed unto siatistics2 Unto statistics
thoa shalt sc" say we to theparty that
has assumed the paternity of tho docu
ment OF which we write. The statistics
by which we essay to decide whether the
Taxpayers of this State are outragoonsIy
oppressed, are not published and ma
nipulated by South Carolina carpet-bae
officials; but they arc such as have been
collected carefully. aud published al
great expense, by the Congress of the
United States, the very body through
| which tho Radical rnlarc of tbn III .fot ad