The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-06-21
The Live Oak Bulletin thinks il is high til

The Live Oak Bulletin thinks il is high time
the people of Florida, and the newspapers,
should stop theorizing upon the grave question
of high taxes and go TO work in earnest TO re-
duce the assessment A practical solution OF
the problem will be hailed with delight by all
good citzens.-StGrke Telegraph
A solution will be found when the expenses
of the government are reduced to the lowest
reasonable limit consistent with efficiency and
honest dealing with the States creditors on the
one hand, and all the taxable property, real and
personal, is made TO contribute its due proper
ton to meet those expenses on the other. To
secure this last revenue system must be devised
better than any yet enacted-one that will catch
the big fish as well as the little ones 1t is diff
cult to believe that the taxable resources of
Florida were not as great in 1880 by million of
dollars as they were in 1875; and yet the tax
books show just that extraordinary state of a.
fairs. In 1875 the tax returns showed $32, 154,
920 for the whole State-n 1880 the showing
was only $31 1875 46, or 1897. 074 less!
We hear much Of boom" and read of large
land sales, but the evidence Of the growing pros
perity, II is plain, will not be found in the tax
books.-FLoRIDIAN.
We agree with the FLORIDIAN in the opinion
that this is a solution of The difficult problem
With justly assessed valuation, and a reasOna-
bic reduction OF expenses, there need be no cry
of high taxation. But in devising system of
assessment it would be well to bear in mind the
fact that the properly holder is not the man to
Tx the valuation of his own property They
have been entrusted with this responsibility and
have betrayed the trust consequently il behooves
the State to try some other PLAN Fernandina
Express
The Charleston Meas and Courier has been
looking into the working of the revenue law in
South Carolina We quote
Continuing his examination of the lax returns
in the Comptroller Generals Office for 1879,
rOne Who Thinks" has published in the Co
lumbia Register tabuated statement showing
the average value of arabic land in the several
counties, the average value Of all classes of land,
the number of buildings in town and country,
their average value and the average number of
inhabitants to each building The figures given
are not creditable to the property holders of the
State and show the utter inefficicncy OF the pres
ent mode of assessing property, real as well as
personal, in South Carolina.
According 10 this table the average value of
arabic lands throughout the State Is about IS
per acre and the average value of all lands cassed
together about $2-75 per acre. In Georgetown
county the average value OF arabic land was
placed at SIS per acre, higher assessment than
in any other county of the State. In Charleston
county the average value of arabic land was $l2
an acre; in Beaufort county $40 an acre; in An
derson, Marlboro and York counties 81 an acre,
and so on, down TO even SO low valuation as
81 per acre in Williamsburg county The highest
average value of all lands without classification
was reached in York county-$6 per acre, and
the lowest average value in Horny cOunty-$1
per acre. In Chesterfield and Colleton counties
the average value per acre was $125, and in
Clarendon, Georgetown, Hampton, Kershaw,
Oconee and Williamsburg counties 81 so per
acre. In Chesterfield. Marion, Orangeburg, Rich
land Sumter and Union counties no returns OF
arabic lands were made. In Edgefeld county
the average value of arabic land was "a per acre
and the average value of all lands without CLASH
fcation 1915 per acre.
In Charleston county, city and country, the
total number of buildings was 1904. and the
average value of each amounted 10 $767. Sup
posing that all the buildings returned were dwell
ing houses, each building contained eight in hab-
itants. According to the same returns there
were !, $40 houses 10 Abbevile county. 1882 in
Edgeheld, 008 10 Fairfield, 529 In OcOnee 900 in
SparIanburg, and $40 in Pickens The average
value of each house in Hampton county was as
low as $685. The numbers OF inhabitants to each
building returned amounted in AbbeviIle county
to 80, in Anderson county to 20, in Edgefeld TO
81, in Fairfield to 81. in Oconee to 81, in Pickens
to 80, and In Spartanburg county to as many as
Al persons 10 each building In these estimates
all the building In the different counties have
been reck0ned as dwelling houses and nothing
has been left for storeLouses, ginhouses stables,
barns or ouibuildings OF any kind. If the tax
returns are true, then are we poor indeed; if they
are not correct some OF the property. holders in
every county have systematically deffauded the
State of her rightful dues, and by attempting to
escape the public burdens have brought reproach
upon the community, and at the same time ex-
posed their own crooked practices.
The personal property returns In every county
of the State have always fallen far short of any
thing like sn honest valuation. The State has
been defFauded in every conceivable way by the
taxpayers and cheated out OF her rightful reve-
nue. from both real and personal estate. The
evil II widespread It is not confined to any
hiu0la mr. ia "A. <.f Ar
entire Slate. It will take strong legislation to
eject the needed reform and secure plan for
assessing property that will be at the same time
just and equitable to the tax. payer and TO the
State,
May not something like this be said with re-
spect 70 the valuation Of property returns in
Floridag While It IL true that In some counties
land has very little value, owing az much to the
persistence in unwisely following in the old ruts
BY lie owners.as anything else, In other sections
u L vastly underrated for tax purposes We
read the other day 10 an eastern exchange of the
sale by q citizen of q part only Of his landed
estate for the magnificent sum OF $500, 600, when
only last year s whole property was listed on the
tax books of his county for less than $4,000
And this is by no means an exceptional case In
regard 10 personal property, II may be said, In
the words Of the Nescs and Courier, It has IS al.
ways fallen far short Of anything like an honest
valuation" The remedy is in the framing of
such . Law a. will catch the big fish," The
little hsh," As general thing, pay the expenses
Of government A stringent revenue law which
would subject aR property, real and personal, to
iis Just share IN supporting the government,
would bring taxable resources up 10 such point
%. with an economical and honest Adminlstfa-
ton Of the finances, would make taxation COM
hour