Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-14
HOW WE GROW RICH.
4 Talk With Comptroller General
Wright on the Tax Returns of the State.
4 fldHta C0nstitHfioI

The first tax digest has reached tho
office of Comptroller General Wright. Il
comes from Jefferson county and show,
an Increase in the taxable property of the
county amounting to $26, ,O35.
How do you think the increase will
stand over the entire State when the re-
turns are all iny'' asked a Constitution
man of Mr.. Wright yesterday.
Il think" he replied. ''that there will
be very marked increase this wear as
there has been every year since 1879. |
do not know, but | am of the opinion that
the increase Will be equal to that of last
year. 1t may be larger. The whole prop.
erty Of the State as returned last wear
amounted to S26S,5l9,9T6, and showed an
increase Of over $l4,000,0O0. There has
been a steady increase in the value OF
property in the State since 1879. and as
the past year has been one of DrOs-
perity in all branches of business, / see
no reason why we should not have
our usual increase. Take the county of
Jefferson from which we have already
received returns. 1t shows an increase
of over $26,O00. That is a veTy healthy
increase. Take Richmond, for instance.
There are two immense factories to swell
the tax returns of that county. One has
capital stock Of million dollars, and
the other has over 100000 invested.
Of fully two million dollars. There is no
reason in the world why every county in
the State should not show very large
increase, from the fact that the State had
good crops last year, and has been adj
vancing in prosperity in every way.
You think the State is in good cOndi-
tionE"
Certainly; the farmers, know, have
not been in such good condition since the
war"
''RailrOad property will show very
decided increase, will it nOt?"
Yes; the returns of railroad property
will show an unprecedented increase.
Many roads have been completed. other
lines have been built entire, and other
railroad property has been enhanced in
value by reason of consultations"
lis much foreign capital coming into
the Statep'
"A great deal of foreign capital that is
coming into the State is for investment in
railroad property. Every one is aware of
the extensive railroad lines in the State
that have been built entirely by capital
from without the State. The mills at Au-
gusta have been built almost entirely. |
believe, by foreign capital, and there have
been many investments of a less impOr-
tant character"
"COuld you give me the increase for
each year since 1872"
''Yes. In 1879 there was a decrease OF
a little over a million dollars. 1t was in
the fall of that year that | came into
office. In the succeeding year. 1880, there
was an increase Of over $4,000, 900. In
1881 the increase was a little less than
Slj.000 900, and in the succeeding year
there was a continued increase of over
$4,000, 600, as ] stated a moment ago."
''In what else is there a very marked
increase!"
''As an evidence of prosperity in one
branch Of business / may say that nearly
all the insurance companies report an in
creased business. They have had larger
receipts and have made money. Last
year was a very severe year on the COM
panies, very few of them making any
profits in Georgia. OF course that helps
the income of the Stateg'
GLOW has the value Of taxable railroad
property increased in the State since
1922
''It has increased very considerably.
In that year the State received taxes
from only about y6.OOO,O00 wOrtA of rail-
road property. In 1880 the amount went
to SI2. 900 900. OF course | do not give
Won the amounts to a cent, but the exact
figures are Just a little above the amounts
that l have named to you. In 1881 the
amount was increased to something over
$16, ,O0O, 900. and in 1882 the figures were
raised to SIS, 729, ,429.
''What do you think the figures will go
to this yearg'
Il am confident that the returns of this
year will show an increase of not less than
50, 600, 600. That will run the total up to
between 50, 900 and $24, 100000"
'What railroad property in the State is
exempt from taXatiOn?'
1.-The property of the State Road is of
course exempt. The Georgia, the Central,
the Augusta and Savannah, and the
Southwestern all have exemptions
amounting in all to about eighteen million
dollars. They, however, have some pro-
perty that they pay on besides being
taxed on their earnings. The other roads
pay an ad valOrem tax
The State is paying herself out of debt,
and gradually reducing her rate of taxa
finn