Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-10
Ytlistellamepns &eadima.
From the Charleston News and Courier.

SylakkkkaAkNM1 &E@"A~y|
From the Charleston News and Courier
TAX B1LL..wHY IT SHOULD BE VETOED.
The articles of the Uaion-Herah on the
Tax Bill of 1876, which bill is in the
hands of the Governor, and will be vetoed by
him, have been reprinted for general distribu-
tion, and we trust that they will be widely
read, in order that such public sentiment
may be created as will ensure, next winter,
both the sustaining Of the veto and the pas
sage of the new Tax Bill free from the objec-
tions which make the present Bill grievously
oppressive and unjust.
The faults of the Tax Bill are general and
particular. It levies State tax of thirteen
mills, the highest tax ever levied in this State,
and, in spite of that, there will be de6cien.
cy of $120,000 or more, because of the une-
quail and unwise way in which the tax is dis
tributed. On the other hand, tax of ten
mills is enough for every proper purpose, and
can be 80 arranged as to leave no deficiency
to be met in 1851. This we shall show by
examining the Bill in detail, availing our.
selves of the information furnished by our
Republican contemporary, the Columbia
Union-H Herald.
The first section of the Bill levies tax of
one and half mills to pay the "salaries and
contingents" of the Executive and Judicial
departments. This is too small, as the tax
will not realize more than. $3.50, 900, and the
amount appropriated is $233,000. A two
mill tax will be necessary this year, but the
salaries can be, and ought to be, cut down.
While wages fall throughout the nation, the
officeholders must, likewise, submit to a re-
duction of pay.
The second section Of the bill levies tax
of II mills for "penal, charitable and educa-
tion institutions, exclusive ofcommon schools. "
This is too much The Insane Asylum can
be reduced to $4,000, the Deaf, Dumb and
Blind Asylum to $4,000, the Penitentiary to
$4,000, the University to 100000, the Agri-
cultural College to $4,000 and the Normal
School to $4,000. Total, $150000 which will
require tax Of 1t mills. IThe amounts named
are, we believe, ample, and, if not, must be
made sufficient.
The third section levies tax Of mills for
the common schools, in addition to the poll
tax and district school tax. We do not OBJ
ject to the tax, but we insist that the amount
which may be raised by district tax shall
be limited to fixed percentage Of the State
tax, and that legislation shall be had that
will ensure the economical expenditure of
the entire school fund. At present dozen
persons can assemble and tax school district
five per cent. if they choose, for the body of
the taxpayers rarely attend the meetings, and
a great part of the school fund is wasted or
stolen. The work done is out of all proper
tions to the cost.
The fourth section levies tax of one and
a quarter mills for legislative expenses. One
mill is sufficient. The salary and mileage Of
members are fixed, and 100000 will pay
both. One mill will raise $12O,OO0, and the
remaining $4,000 are quite enough to pay
clerks, pages, &C. There is no reason why
the whole legislative expenses should exceed
100000. The people will not believe that
the Legislature means reform unless the re-
form begins in the Legislature and with its
members.
The fifth section levies mill for the public
printing of 1876. This will produce $780,
900, of which $4,000 will go to pay the de-
deficiency of last year. A careful estimate
indicates that the whole of the necessary
printing can be done for 100000.
The sixth section levies tax Of two mills
to pay the interest on the public debt The
section has this proviso:
"Provided, That the proceeds of the tax
levied in this section shall be used, first, for
the payment of the interest which may fall
due upon the consolidated bonds and certif-
Gates of stock within the fiscal year for which
the said tax is levied; second, as a surplus
fund.- which shall be kept separate and apart
from all other funds-this is, distinct fund
which shall be applied ,Vithin the fiscal gear
for auhich 1t is collected and created to the pur-
chase of the bonds and stocks of the State is
sued in accordance with the provisions Of the
act entitled AN act to reduce the volume of
the public debt and provide for the payment
of the same, and for no other purpose"
This is bold and shameless attempt to di.
vert the interest fund and similar provis-
ion was found in the bill to amend the Fund
ing Act, which bill Governor Chamberlain
vetoed. The two mill tax will realize $780,
900, which will pay the interest on $4,0O0,000
of Consolidated Bonds, equal to $8,OOO,0OO
(ncluding Interest," of old bonds. The en-
tire debt, when the consolidation is complete,
will be $6O00,O00, so that the tax of two mills
is under, and not over the mark. But the
real object of the section is to use, in purchas-
ing bonds, any amount of interest money not
called for during the fiscal year in which it
is collected This would be a palpable breach
of faith, inasmuch as the holder of old bonds
has the right, under the Funding Act, to come
in at any time, fund the principal and interest
of his bonds to January l, 1874, and receive
in money the interest for as many half years
as have passed since January l, 1874. That
is right of the bondholder which he can en-.
force. We think it competent for the Legis-
lature to limit the time for funding and for
the accumulation of interest, but, as the law
stands, it is the duty of the General Assem-
bly, to levy every year tax sufficient to cover
the interest on the entire Consolidated debt,
and whatever interest is not called for, be-
cause the whole of the debt has not been con-
must be held in trust until the con-