The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-02-26
COLUMBIA, S. C.
Thurslay Morning. February 2e 1874.
Tho Marion Complaint.

0oueTai Assembly, before any deHuite
action has been taken upon it. Yester-
day, bill from the House OF Represen-
tatives upon this subject cnme before
the Senate, and elioited some debate.
The bill is to regulate the assessment
and collection of taxes upon real estate
in that County. It admits the existence
of great irregularities in these two parti.
cuiars. and the impossibiljtyof of afording
adequate redress by hearing individual
applications for relief. It enaots Chat
the taxes Of that County shall be levied
upon the assessment OF 1872. instead of
upon that ofSl57s. and that this Act
shall apply as we'll to such persons as
have already paid their taxes as to those
who have not. It provides, also, for a
re-assessment of the real estate of the
County during The present year. The
bill is liberal aud proper, and is likely
to meet the concurrence Of the Senate.
It was opposed by Messrs. Whittemore,
Swails, Gain, Jones and Nash. Tho first
named member read letter from Comp
troller Hoge, in which he called in ques-
tion some of the staten snts of the Ma
rion memorial, upon the authority OF
MIR. Fillebrowne, clerk in his Office,
whom he had sent to investigate
them. He claimed his prerogative,
as the final authority in such mat
ters. and exhibited an animus which
should be condemned. Mr.. White
more was fearful that its passage would
lead to the presentation of numerous
other complaints, and the arrangement
OF the whole tax machinery, by which
the collection would be seriously Grip
pied, If it did not wholly cease. The
fault was with the Republicans of Ma
rion, who have neglected their duties,
and placed an incompetent man in the
Office of Auditor. He otherwise under.
took to pick flaws in the memorial, by
to persons whe had not listed
their property. Mr.. Smith, the Senator
from Marion, made clear and convinc-
ing expose Of the case. He said that
there were thousand aggrieved parties
in the County, who could not take such
action as would relieve them within the
time to which they are limited under
the present law, and the regulations
which had cmanated from the Comp
Office. Either under
these regulations, or under bill which
had passed the Senate two or three
weeks since, it would require one month
ut least to settle the questions of tax,
which concern the people of Marion.
The demand for relief is not confined in
that CaHnty to any ono class. purity.
color or condition. The cry came
from every citizen. Unless something
be done speedily. an immense body
of swamp land would revert to the State
and cease to pay any tax at all. The
increase had been over $1,000, 600
twenty-five per cent. upon the whole
property of the County. It was wrong
that must be righted. and while it con.
cerned citizens of oil parties, redress
should come from the Republican side.
Mr.. Dunn sustained the bill. He
thought it best to go back to the assrss-
ment of 1872. 1t was the easiest mode
OF settling the difficulty. Mr.. File
brown had been quoted as saying some
things, but there were others that he
might have added-ths arbitrary rails.
ing, for instance, of tho valuation of all
classes of lands. He observed clerks
from the Comptroller's Office lobbying
against the bill, endeavoring to per-
shade members to submit their convic-
tons to the dictation Of the Comp.
troller. "who lords it below" Ia fact,
the main spring of opposition to the
bill WAS to screen that officer from the
blame whioh is generally placed on his
shoulders. But We need not quibbe
about that All know that the people
Of Marion have been oppressed. They
have come up in just, proper aud re-.
spectful manner to present their griev-
ances, and the General Assembly ought
to meet them frankly, and not dole
out satisfaction in q stinted wov