Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-01
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
County Trustee Rawlings Explanation
to the Public.


to the Public.
The law compels me after the FIRST day of
February to put IN the hands Of officers fer
collection all unpaid tax bills, poll tax IN
Guided. l have no discretion in the matter;
| am obliged to obey the law. The fees for
collection is four per cent. commission and
fifty cents for a levy. The commission ON
poll-tax, which is only two dollars is so trifing
that it was hard matter tor me to get suit
able men to attend to it; as small as the tax
is it may appear oppressive on the poorer
class of our community and | find great OBJ.
jections to paying it. 1t requires great en-
ergy and activity on the part OF collectors,
else the law would be dead letter upon the
statute books. The tax goes exclusively to
the support of our free schools. They need
the money. Their doors are open to all
aGke-white and black, rich and poor have
free admission. Many of its patrons pay no
other tax save a polI-tax. 1t looks reasona-
BILE to suppose (be them ever so poor that
they would cheerfully contribute two dollars
per annum toward the education of their
children. Upon reading the law fair In
ference would be that, after | gave out for
collection a certified list of the polls upon my
books that my duty ceased, and the mode of
collection rested entirely with the collector
who had to make returns according to
law. After progressing awhile with the
collection, l heard of some of my COL
lection of the tax, and perhaps against some
names that were not on the hst-none of
which met my appreciation. | protested
against it, and instructed my collectors to
stop it at once. | have not seen all of my
collectors of late; those have seen | have
told that If they could bring to mind any
man where there was the least probability of
their collecting the tax wrongfully to hunt
him up and send him to me, and | would re-
turn the money. My position in the matter
has been e very unenviable one; l knew the
necessity of collecting the tax. l know my
duty under the law; | have attempted to do
nothing more than my duty: That the tax is
very unpopular one there Is no doubt; that
times are hard, and all taxes hard to pay,
freely admit; and could have consulted my
own feelings | would have shrank from its
collection-duty compelled me to another
course. In my efforts to collect it under the
law, l have had to stand the brunt of public
opinion. [ have not heard OF the aid OF
single citizen, many of whom perhaps might
have assisted in its collection. | have heard
of nothing but denunciation and abuse, and,
by way of variety, few curses thrown In.
Some remarks that | have heard of were GER
tainly very unjustifable, such as that | was
depressing the poor; that | was taking
the last crumb of bread from the poor chill
dren," and ''letting the rich escape" What
nonsense! l have not an acquaintance under
the sun, who knows my nature, but what
would defend me from any such charge.
There are taxpayers in this city-several OF
them-who pay more taxes annually than the
whole poll-tax OF Shelby county would
amount to. At meeting of my felow-citi-
zens in the fifth ward, which appeared in
your paper of to-day, and, reluctant as l am
to appear in print, thought it required my
notice. One of their resolutions reads thus:
Resolred, That we object, not to the pay
ment of q pol! tax, but we, as a club, object
to officials making unnecessary fees out OF the
hard earned wages of the workingmep.
Some might infer that it alluded to me. l
hope and trust that it does not. If it has
any allusion to me, beg to be advised, that
| may prove to the contrary.
j. ]. RAWLINGS, County Trustee.
MAY 81, 1878