The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-29
The Press and Banner
Wednesday, Oct. 20. 1879.
The "Register's" Last Blast.

the Register gave elaborate replies to II
article on the Railroad tax. Tho manner
in which that paper conducts a contro-
versv is in such striking contrast with
the manner in which editors usually OK
press dissenting opinions from their
brethren, that the reader annot but be
impressed with it's dignity, and ability
even in maintaining the wrong side OF q
question. That paper is the only ono
which has pretended to look into the
merits OF the question, and its courtesy
in presenting its views is such as to make
one regret to be compelled TO differ from
it.
We have no malice against the Comp
troller to crafty and are as ready to play
.auits" with him, as we are to play whist
with the editor of the Register. But the
game Of "quits" cannot be played until
the Railroad tax is paid or mntH some e.
fort is mode to coIecti it. W. know that
our friend the Register is potential with
the authorities in Columbia. Let him
suggest to tho Comptroller to speak to
the Receiver on the subject Of taxes, and
we have no doubt that General Conner
will at once instruct the company's
Treasurer to pay it. In case the Receiv-
or refuses to pay, let the Comptroller di-
rect the AK collector of this County to
make the money, and we shall dissatisfied
to play ''quits." ALI we want is the
money or the evidence of An effort to get
it.
The Register will understand tho i'm
portance of early attention TO this matter
when We state that the County Commits
sioners in q short while will make their
annual report to the Legislature, and II
the matter is not settled before that tim
they arc in duty bound to ask the Legls-
lature to levy u tax on Jul citizens suttl-
Gent to make up the Railroads dehclen-
cy. Every dollar Of the Railroad tax is
due to the creditors of the County who
did work for the County Commissioners
under promise of cash payment. They
have been kept out Of their money for a
year, and many we've compelled to sell
their claims at q sacrifice. The Commits
sioners must raise the money by taxation
to pay these debts if the Railroad cannot
be induced to pay its tax. We believe
if the facts had been stated to General
Conner that he would have paid it long
ago. We cannot believe that a man
like him would think of cvGding the pay
mept of the Railroad tax if his attention
had been directed to the Importance OF
attending to the matter. We presume
that he has paid his own individual tax
long ago, and We have no doubt that he
is as ready to order the Railroad tax paid
as he was to pay his own. We know hal
neither the Register, the Receiver, nor
the Comptroller would have our citizens
to make good the deficiencies Of tho Rail
road.
Certainly nothing is more reasonable
than to expect and demand Of our officers
at least an effort to get the money from
those owing it, before taxing u people
to make good the deficiency caused by
the Railroad. We are willing to over
look the negligence in the past, if the
Comptroller will get the money now, or
direct the Treasurer TO make ii in time to
Il US the possibility of an additional
tax. The debts of the County must be
paid, whether the Railroad pays or not.
The beautiful logic Of tho Register al
most makes us forget the fact that no Ell
fort has yet boen made to collect the Rail.
road tax. That paper has such an artful
way of diverting ones attention from the
main point, that we are about ready to
feel in our peck cts for our share OF the
delinquent tax.
The Register misses the mark altogeth-
err in defending the Comptroller in the
Newberry matter. We didn't assail him
on that point at all, and said, in words,
that we referred to it with a Wow OF
showing that the Newberry case was in
stituted before the passage Of the "Act
TO facilitate the collection Of taxes" was
approved. The fact that the case was in
the hands of the Acknowledgement was
one Of the statements in that connection.
We shall not attempt to answer our
trends articles, but will ask him to do
the people of Abbeville County the favor
to use his influence with the Comptroller
to get him to attend to this matter at once
and we will play quits with the Comp
troller on the tax business, and will be
delighted to engage our friend the Regis
ter in a game of whist either under the
big Oak Tree" or on the banks of the
Congaree.