The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-04-21

was Seio py VrensuFer Cardozv and
Hon. Thos.sY. slmons. =
The correspondent OF the Charleston
Ne,cs writes, under date oil. of.Wsshineton.
D. O., April 10:
A final hearing of the representations
OF the taxpayers committee, and Of the
counter -memorialists on behalf of the
State officers Of South Carolina, was had
to-day, before the Sub. Judiciary Com
| mit,ee OF the House, Messrs Tremaine.
Eidridge and White, of that committee,
being present
Ibe final argument on behalf of the
counter-mem orialists was made byF.L.
Cardozo, State Treasurer, who went
over tho question of taxation, saying
that not only the basis, but the system
under the reconstructed State Govern
ment is new and strange to the tax pay
ers OF tho State, though basis aud O
system familiar throughout the Northern
and Western States. He denied that
the taxation is unequal or unjust, and
argued to snow that the rate Of tax since
the war ia less than it is in the States of
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Della.
ware, Florida. Kansas, Louisiana, Ne
vada and North Carolina; that the en-
tire levy for State purposes is only eight
aud one.half mills 10 the acre for the
past Blk years. He proceeded to show
that the entire cost per cupiia for govern
ing tho State is less than in number Of
the States, aud gave from the census of
1870 figures showing that the cost per.
capita in Arkansas is 81. 96; California,
~. 50; Connecticut, SO 4S; Kansas,
S2.22; Louisiana, S367; Maine, S2.15;
Maryland, 1920; Massachusetts, IS .OS;
Nebraska. 50. 13; Nevada, S7.O2; New
Hampshire, SO; Rhode Island, 50. 25;
Virginia, S2.32, and in South Carolina
only Sl.87; and that the entire cost Der
capita for carrying on the State for the
SIX years between July. 1868, and Octo.
Der, 1874, was only $3.50 per annum.
He held that under the circumstances,
the taxation in South Carolina is not so
excessive as to be complained of, but
that, on the contrary, it is reasonable.
he referred te the charges of the tax.
payers about the extent OF the public
debt OF the State, denying that it could
be equitably stated at over $40, 600, 900,
and gave figures designed to show that
only 81, 100000 of the debt was partly
attributable to the now State Govern
ment. He snid the Legislature had de-
cided that Sc. 900, 600 of the debt is lille.
gal, and have refused to pay either
interest or principal. and cont ended that
of the remaining $l0,00O,OO0, S., 5,OOO,-
900 had been funded before the war,
and S3.700,000 of the remaining
IS, 100000 was q floating debt left by
the old and funded by the new State
Government
ln response to questions by Mr.. Ell
bridge, Cardozo said the question of the
S6. 00O,0 900 repudiated by the Legisla.
tuse is one that the courts will have to
decide. and admitted that he thought
the courts would not sustain the Act of
the Legislature in deciding that they are
an illegal indebtedness He also admit.
ted, in response to other interrogatories
by Mr.. Eldridge, that the new State Co.
vernment had accumulated n floating
debt of S4.000.000. aud confessed that
the debt Of the State, supposing all the
funded indebtedness is legal, is about
$50. 00O.000. He exemplified the
financial calibre of the State authorities.
by stating that Sc. 600. 900 Of the bonded
debt was hypothecuted in New York to
raise funds to carry on tho Stute, and
that, inasmuch as the money SO raised
was only forty per cent. Of the face
'"'oo ~ SHo Oohco PACdBCu, tuo 1l-Sld-
lature have it in contemplation to make
the holders Of those bonds Qoug since
forfeited) exchange them. two for one,
for new bond:, thereby reducing tie
volume by one-hnlf do not pretend
to say what the sub committee thought
Of this financiering scheme. but there
is no sort OF question that it would be
good for the State, provided the holders
OF the bonds so sought to be attenuated
would be consenting parties to the trans
action. Cdrdozo closed by laying the
entire blame OF the present condition of
the State upon the Democrats, who, he
said. refused point blank to help the
Republicans to make tue new Constitu-
ton, or to take any part in the recon,
structed State Government. He ''pero-
rated" by calling upon the tax payers to
sympathlze with and aid the non-tax.
paying majority in reforming the abuses
complained of, and which he admitted
exist, but arc as much ohargeable to the
Democrats as to the Republicans.
Hon. Thos. Y. Simons. in behalf OF
the memorialists, then closed for them
in an argument of upwards of half an
hour in length. He adverted briefly to
tho action OF the Tax. Payers Conven-
tion of South Carolina, to the causes
which had led to it's organization, and
Il jsolniminn for tha conUo1t;nn That -