The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-03-28
COLUMBIA. SC.
Sunday Morning, March 2s, 1875.
The Mountain of Taxes.

to grind. The session is over, the mem
bers have gone home. We naturally
turn tosee the results of this long incu-
baton. The inquiry will tako us over
many days. We shall have to sift out
the good and the bad, and strike the ba-
lance between condemnation md mp
provai. We have already referred to the
elections and to measures which indi-
rectly lift small part of the burden off
the shoulders of the people. We have
been pleased to recognize tho breaking
down, to some extent, of an exclusively
selfish, narrow and partisan spirit in the
dominant party. We have shown some
projected evils, hidden away in deceit
full, Legislative schemes, to have been
counteracted and prevented by the OK
posure 10 which they have been subject
ed. We shall recur to these exceptions,
and to the whole body of legislation,
when we get it spread in full before us.
What every one is Immediately concerned
in, what will be first inquired into all
over the country, will be the sum total of
the tax that has been levied and the dis
-tribution of the sums to their appropriate
objects. How mnch will the people have
to pay, and for whatP The bill to raise
supplies for the fiscal year, beginning
November l.. 1875, levies State tax of
thirteen mills, and County tax, not to
exceed three mills in every County, for
County purposes. Nearly all the Coun-
ties of the State have had levied upon
them, besides tax for past due indebt-
edness, claims of one sort or another,
ranging from three to six mills. No.
where, then, is the tax much less than
two per cent on property. AS compared
with last year, and all preceding years, it
is heavy, inexcusably heavy, we think.
A great deal of it, it is true, comes down
in the shape of deficiencies to be pro-
vided for, the ugly relics of preceding
era of reckless corruption and lavish ex-
penditure. But after making oil due
allowances for these inherited burdens,
and cordially acknowledging whatever
reform sentiment, spirit and policy may
exist, we are constrained to conclude
that it has not been exerted in this par-
ticular direction. The yoke of money
exaotion bears more heavily upon the
people than ever before And there is
no certainty that when one pile Of de-
fioienoies hos been cleared away another
will not be found accumulated, demand
ing also to be provided for. The labors
of SisyphuB have no end. North Caro-
lima on one side of us, with % territory
and population fifty per cent larger than
those of this State, upon an assessment
of S120, 100000 of taxable property,
levies State tax of four mills. Georgia
collects about four-and-a-half mills on
s24O, 100000. We pay more than quad
ruple the sum that these States pay,
and Georgia is engaged in paying, and re-
gulariy pays, o large amount annually
for principal and interest on its public
debt. Our reform is in vain, and all
our talk about it but little better than q
pretense, as long as these heavy imposi-
tions weigh. upon the property, clog the
industry, out the energies and depress
the spirits of the people. They cannot
rise and recover their fortunes, athey
cannot educate their children, they are
denied the comforts, enjoyments and
improvements of life, and, unless they
escape this thraldom, they will recode in
civilization itself. The following table
will show the rate of tax, and the specific
; object for which it was levied:
Executive and judicial officers,
clerks and contingent ex-
penses of Executive and Ju-
dicial Departments. IL mills
Penal, charitable and educa-
tional institutions, exclusive
of common schools. IL
Public schools.
Expenses of the General Assem-
bly, IA and rs. II
Public printing for rs and de-
fciency for "a
Interest public debt. q
Claims passed ut regular session
IL md 75
Unpaid appropriations for print
ing for '73 and "a. z
Balances of unpaid appriprin-
tons for the year ending 31st
Past indebtedness for Lunatic
Aovvrro and Aar1,,vv, 81. n..c