The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-02-25
Our Columbia Correspondence.
COLUMBIA, Feb. 20, Is.


COLUMBIA, Feb 20, 1875.
Three days of the past week were spent in
the consideration of Leslie's Blackville-Bar
we'll bill, and two days more of the present
week were similarly wasted. No oresult after all
was reached, the matter having been referred
back to the committee.
The committee on ways and means have at
last condescended to report tax bill, and
tax bill it is. 1t proposes to levy tax of
IA 7-10 mills on all the taxable property Of the
State. If this is reform, the Devil take such
reformers, and I know the taxpayers will say
amen. The Radicals determined that the bill
should be considered in the committee of the
whole, as the rules which govern the committee
are different from the rules of the House. In
committee of the whole the yeas and nays can
not be called, hence, there can be no record of
how the different members voted. Party
speeches were made, the color line was drawn,
the party whip was cracked, and the bill was
passed. When this bill Was on its passage, the
Legislature presented curious anomaly which
one would care to witness but once in life
time. On one side sat the handful Of Conserv-
atives representing the Taxpayers, on the other
host of black tax-leviers and tax-spenders.
The Conservatives manfully contested every
inch of ground, and only yielded when the last
prop was knocked from under them. The Rad
icals, bent on rapine and plunder, laid on taxes
with lavish hand. Could all the taxpayers
of the State have seen the greedy, devouring,
wolfsh expression which lighted up the faces
of this gang, especially of the carpet-baggers
and scalawags, there never would have been
any moro use for political speeches. The long
est lane must have turn; then, be hopeful.
This anomalous condition of affairs cannot al
ways last. = A better day is coming; it may not
come tomorrow or next day, but come it must
and will Remember this, taxpayers, and
stand together, shoulder to shoulder; and,
above all, remember the wicked past and the
equally wicked present.
The State Grange has been in session for the
past three days, and the city in consequence
has presented quite gala appearance To
deliberate in its councils gathered patrons from
every county in the State. The session was
entirely harmonious, and much good was &C.
complished for the Order. In organizing such
huge machine it was expected that some mis-
takes would be committed, but am happy to
state for the benefit of patrons generally that
the opportunities for mistakes are fast disap-
pearing, and with every day its vast machinery
is being rapidly perfected
Col. D. w. Aiken was elected Master; Dr.
John A. Barksdale, Overseer; Capt. James N.
Lipscomb, Lecturer, and VIM. Hood, Secretary.
The National Grange, which recently adjourned
in Charleston, has done more for the Order than
at any previous meeting This body is COM
posed of the Masters of all the State Oranges.
It has had under deliberation the perfecting of
the Onder, and by its deliberations has demon
stgSssgd beyond question the fact that the organ
ization of the Patrons of Husbandry is perma-
nently established. 1t is difficult to estimate
the results of this national brotherly meeting
in political point of view. Representatives
from every State in the Union, with their own
eyes, have witnessed the condition of this State
They have visited the Legislature, and gazed
with wonder upon the spectacle which it pre-
sented- disgust was pictured in every face
They expressed to your correspondent the
warmest sympathies for US in our down-trod-
den condition, and promised when they re-
turned home to see to it that the true state of
affairs here should be made known to every
individual in every State of the Union.
SENTINEL.