The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-12-02

money OF tho property. The returns tlus
cqunliZcd stnnd. az to valuations ot real
property. AZ the basis for taxation.
special Board uf Equalization in pro-
viled for, composed OF tho 81 ate Treasurer,
Secretary of Stute, Comptrolier-Gen Il encrai
and Attorney GGueral, 10 cqusliZc the
! vHlucnf the property ofrailrOad companies,
i'll manner similar to that prescribed for
the other Boards of qntlization. y right
Of apueal IL also given from the County
Board OF Flualization TO the Comptroller
| General. who liz All; ;hori::c,l to IN re Abatc-
! nicn,s i'll taxes in rd-cs nf erroneous or
! lll.gA nsscssments.
The leading purposes OF 4 tax system,
| Which rests upon IN al rui0,rn la sis,
should be, i'll the languaScn OF our Cons, itu-
| tion, to "Accurc a nat valuation for taxa
| tiOa Of all property" aud to provide safe,
convenient aHdiDeEUcu.ivc methods for the
collection of faxes. The at rdi0renl systcm
being fixed by the Constitution, our aticn-
ton must be directed to the practical means
Iof carrying out this system. Grave dis
| satisfaction with our tax laws has existed
during the past six years. Tho most gene
raj and urgent complaint has beon that the
J valuations placed upon tho property of the
! state have bten, TO q large degree, capri
| cious and excessive. 1t has also been be-
| lcVed that excessive Valuations have been
| made III order to conceal tho real extent Of
tho burden OF taxation. Without attempt.
ing to discuss tho motives which prompted
( thoso who enforced the law, l express The
opinion that the valuations made previous
to the present year, have been, to IL great
extent, unjust and oppressive. Whatever
! tn" causes, the result has been that pro-
perty has borne n valuation almost wholly
arbitrary when different localities or sepa-
rate pieces of similar property a-c com
Parcd, anu excessive in amount. when
| tested by unreasonable standard of value.
L see no reason to regard this Injustice
AZ legitimate rcsnlt ut our present tax
system On the contrary, my most careful
| examination convinccs Mo that the system
Siil work out just icsnit il il can be
placed III the hands of hamest and compc-
tent officers. Undoubtedly, the machinery
for making valuations IL somewhat comI,li-
Gated. if not intricate; hut the system will
be rer1, think, upon fair examination,
to bc adapted, i'll all its features. tn guard
! ing the rights of the taxpayer, i'll respect
! to a-sessmcnts, whenever it is administer
*: HE those who regard the int ere SITS OF the
! taxpayers. During the past year q new
assessment OF real property. the fourth
eince 1868, las been made. 1t is no, yet
possible Tor me 10 Judge OF its eorrec.ncsB,
but am assured By those who have been
familiar With the work during it, progress,
tlst 1t approaches very nearly Ia the true
valuo Oi the property. l am further in
formed that the aggregate valuation o; all
the proprrty OF the State under this aHAn-n-
mcNt vii! Fall from $50 U;N) 0GU to $40 600 go
below 1he aggregate Of the previous "A .sess-
ment. navc confidence that much has
been done III this assessment III relieve the
injustice OF former assessments, but call
yonr attention to the sntje ar .1ne OF
fundam cEt III Importance to he whole ,CO-
pie. The people demand, and they have Il
Fight TO demand, that property eLnIl b..
valEcl for taxation at it = r,ic money value,
as nearly as the ii!lcrfcc!ion of The human
Judgment Will permit. IT the present as
/ a"Ss1ucnt docs not roach hi Stundufl then
1t is our duty to adopt such measures as
Will remove tho rem lining defects | shall
cooperate with the General Assembly in
any measures calculated to attain the end
contemplated hy our Constitution and laws
IA just valuation tur taxation of all pro-
perry according to ita true mOnew value
| In this connection | NAV remark, that 20
far az the working OF our tax system de-
pcnds upon faithful officers appointed by
INC Governor, intend TO soc to it that no
County shall have ust cause Of complaint
Tho appointment or County Auditors and
County Treasurers now rests with the Go
vernon, .ject to the confirmation of the
Senate. commend 10 your careful coIs,-
, deralion the question of making these OIL
iicers elective by the people of the several
Counties. There arc some arguments
which might be urged in favor Of either
mode of selection. The only test which
should be applied in determining the q,,es-
tion is, which mode will with most crrtai ,,y
secure good officers and 4 iaithin! enforce.
ment OF the l8wr'
My examination Of the Act of the Gene.
raj Assembly of March II, 1871, commonly
ChHcu tue lAShtl0n aul assessment Act
leads inc to recommend that fuIllevi.iun
| OF that Act be made by some appropriate
means by the General Assembly ut this ses-
sion, in conjunction with tho Comptruller-
General, i'll order TO remove inconsist cncies
ana supply defects now apparent in the law
further recommend that the work q.
equalizing railroad property be given 10 the
state Board OF Equalization. provided for
by section ca OF the Taxation and AeseAa-
nlent Act" sec no reason for placing this
pOw0r in tho hands 1T Il board composed
wholly or State officers as at present 0u the
contrary, sec many reasons for giving to
| the property OF our railroad companies all
the protection afforded TO other property.
Having secured just valuation for taxa.
ton ol the property of the State. orr next
duty will be- 10 determine the rate per cca;
or taxation necessary to support the go.
yernment. Upon this point the inilexiblc
rule should be- applied Of limiting the
amount OF taxes 10 the actual requirements
OF good government. 1t should especially
be remembered that the people of this State
| are not now able to contr butte ono dollar u;
taxes beyond what tho si0st TiEi,, economy
will warrant. Probably there will be very
| little dispute upon this general proposition
The work aud difficulty will consist in ap.
plying it. deem it my duty, therefore, 10
proceed to point ont the specific measures
which will, in my judg ment. tend to bring
ua nearer to correct rule OF public eI.
penditure. The General Assembly At tie
last regular session OF 1873 "a adopted the
plan OF making apeciflc levy OF taxes for
each object of public expenditure. | most
enrnestly urge that this plan be observed
| In the future. It's advanta ages are manifeat
and obvious II tho lcpialaiiya branch q,