The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-01-04
Tile Receipts and Disbursements of
the Year.

The report of Mr.. F. L. Cardozo, show.
ing the rcceiptsaauddisb ments by the
State for the year ending October 3lst, is
as clear as it is unsatisfactory.
The receipts for the year are s., ,4ll,-
245.71. This, with the balance brought
forward from the previous year (s2l2,:
6S1.50) makes the entire revenue' 81 $685.
927.71. The disbursements amount to
81 1855 5s906.S4, leaving balance Of $3.50, :
| 1851. What this balance of nominal
cash consists of, Mr.. Cardozo does not
say. 1t is presumed that it is not money,
or anything readily convertible into
money.
Of the current receipts of 81, All ,245.71,
the sum of 81 ,203, ,039.07 is the proceeds
of the taxes Of the year 1876, and $780,
3O6.54 We're received on account of taxes
of previous years. The Phosphate royal
ty amounted to S49,926.OS, of which
amount S39, 1893 were paid by the Coosaw
Company, $6,25150 by the South Caro-
| lima Phosphate Company, and $3,539.35
by the Marine and River Company.
From the Carolina National Bank $780,
900 were borrowed, and from the Central
+ National Bank Sl5,O0G.a Both these
amounts hare been repaid. The income
from taxes was, therefore, far below the
estimates. Mr.. Cardozo attributes the
falling off to the tender and receipts of
bills of the Bank of the State for taxes.
The amount of these bills actually re-
ceived is not mentioned, but we are con-
fdeut that the poverty Of the people, and
their unwillingness to pay out money to
be squandered or stolen, had a serious
effect in reducing the revenue. A gov
ernment which has not the respect or
confidence of the people cannot collect
taxes, whatever the amount, fully and
promptly. The public expect protection
and Justice from the government they
support, and when protection and justice
are denied them, they will not pay, if
they can avoid it. .,.....,
The principal payments during the
year were: Salaries $lS4,038, Lunatic
Asylum S48,3O4, Pcntentiary SH,692,
Census expenses $45,6S7, Printing SIS:
1877, Portraits of Lincoln and Sumner
81 900, Free Schools $2OS,4S9, Legisla-
tive expenses sll4,525, Interest on pub
lie debt $141, ,762. 1t will be noted that
the disbursements for Salaries, Public
Printing and Legislative Expenses
amount to $976,750; or one-third of the
whole of the receipts from the State tax
of 1875. And in addition to what has
already been paid out, there are defcien-
cies, for the single fiscal year, amounting
to $9290S0. These deficiencies include
$4,000 for the Lunatic Asylum, $27 $40
for Legislative Expenses, $34,377 for the
Penitentiary, SAT ,569 for Free Schools,
$50, $3.50 for Salaries, and $50, ,954 for In
terest on the debt. The entire expenses
of the State Government, paid and un.
paid, (deducting the capital amount OF
money borrowed from the Banks and re-
paid amount. therefore, to Sl,320, ,O06.
This is about twice AS much as the ex-
penses ought to be, alter making aliberal
allowance for the free schools.
The few figures we have given, Joined
to the recollection of the eXcesses of for
mer years, strengthen the conviction that,
as purely business proposition, it is un,
wise, in the highest degree, TO pay one
cent of taxes to the Chamberlain Govern
ment. In previous years the taxpayers
had no solid ground to stand upon, tor
the Government. which plundered them
did represent majority of the voting
population. of the State. The election Of
1876 changed all that. The Chamber
lain Government is a minority Govern,
ment. 1t remains in Office, not by virtue
of the popular vote and the law, but by
the grace of President Grant. No tax
that it levies is lawful, or can be enforced
by the Courts, and we say frankly that
they who, with all the facts before them
pay taxes to the Chamberlain officials
are not only oblivious of their own in
terests, but are disloyal to the State. In
a very short time the taxpayers can starve
out the plundering cabal. The fate oi
the State is in the hands of the taxpav.
ers and a terrible retribution, will visit
them, if they now furnish to the pre-
tended officials the money by which the
public oppressors live and move and have
their being.-Nevs and Courier.