Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-11-24
in the property of the subscriber is fur
ther inducement These investments, like

in the property of the subscriber is fur
ther inducement. These investments, like
I others, are sometimes wise and sometimes
not, but it is we'll to classify them correct
ly. If farmer buys mule and the pur-
chase money is collected through an officer
of the law, it is not taxes because the OH
The farmer has acted in his individual ca
pacity upon his own responsibility. The
profits of the transaction are not to be cred
tied to good government, nor its losses
charged to maladministration.'
The report shows that the amount OF
these railroad subscriptions Gnterest and
retirement of bOnds) charged upon the tax
books for the fiscal year 1856 is s126, III,
distributed among the following twelve
counties: Abbeville $3,OO5, Chester Sl2,-
1888, Colleton s4,725, Edgefeld SC, ,O76, Green
Sl2,563, Newberry S4,47O, Pickens S13, 1856,
Spartanburg $24, AL, Union $11 ,999, York
slO.11O
The comptroller. general says: 1.-THE de-
crease in the valuation ofthe taxable proper
ty of the State must necessarily affect the
taxes of the present year the levy was
made upon a valuation of S15O,000,0OO and
an estimated yield of S145,0O0 for each mill.
The property upon the duplicates amounts
to only Sl44, 100000, and this will in all prob
ability be further reduced nearly $4,000, 900
by the recent terrible disasters in Charleston
and Berkeley counties, leaving taxable
valuation of not more than sl40,0O0,00O.
There may be no deficiency this year, in
consequence of this decrease, but | advise
that in making an estimate for the next
year it would not be safe to calculate for
more than S135, 900 for each mill.'
AS to the loss and gain Of real and per-
sonal property the report continues: "Ihe
loss in the returns is about 81, ,362 900 for real
property and about SO, ,760, 900 for personally,
though as before stated the former item was
Almost every item, both of real and per-
sonal property, shoWsa decrease in number
and valuation, but this is more especially
the case with live stock, the number and
valuation of which shows heavy shrink
age all through the State. The average val
ue of land for the whole State is 1912 per
acre against 1884 per acre last year. The
lowest valuation is in Horny, SO cents per
acre, and the highest, except in Charleston
county, is Anderson at S4.97 per acre. The
lands sold during the year amounted to 462,-
344 acres, assessed at $3.50 per acre and sold
for 1928 per acre. The table shows the per-
centage of assessed valuation to selling price
of lands as valued by the State board of
equalization at its last meeting. This val
uation stands for four years. A close in
spection of this table will demonstrate how
completely this board fails to accomplish the
purpose for which it is organized"
The Legislature at its last session instruct
ed the comptroller general to ascertain and
report the names and condition of all citi-
zens who, by reason of wounds or injury re-
ceived while in the military service of the
State in the war, were unable to earn live
lihood. He has on file $50 Of these claims,
and reports that it is impossible for him to
determine how many of the applicants
come properly under the the provisions OF
the Act. Every one who received wound
at all seemed to think himself entitled to ap-
ply. Some of the applicants are earning
good salaries. The comptroller general
holds the applications subject to the action
of the General Assembly.
| JUDGE WITHERSPOON AT BARNWELL.-
A Barnwell correspondent of the Ne1cs and
Courier writes under date of November 1t:
The Court of General Sessions convened
on Monday, the 9Th instant, and adjourned
yesterday afternoon and looking back over
what was done during the session the peo-
pie have abundant reason to congratulate
themselves upon having such jurist as
Judge Witherspoon to preside over it, and
such lawyer as Solicitor Murphy to repre-
sent the interests of the State. There is
no question of its having been six and
half days of good work for Barnwell, and
the people will not forget it. Judge With
erspoon, in the numerous cases that were
tried, not only held the scales of justice
impartially, but he also held them firmly,
and, in the meantime struck blow at
abuses that have existed in the Courts here
for years which, if followed up by the sue
ceeding Judges, cannot help but result in a
| loI in ~ nj O. n
the law.
Heretofore, ifa person ofgood social stand
ing was charged with violation of the law,
and he had no defence, but had money, or
could get it from friends, to pay the ex-
penses necessary for delay, all he had to do
was to have witnesses summoned, the re-
turn made and then arrange for one of them
to be out of the way, and when the case
was called his attorney announced to the
Court that one of his material witnesses
had not appeared, made some frivolous ex-
cuse for his non-appearance, read the return
on the summons and made the affidavit
which the rule requires, and the case would
be continued without further question. By
this means the case would be continued from
term to term, until the witnesses for the
prosecution would get worn out attending
Court, out of pocket largely for money ex-
pended in paying their expenses, and final
ly, disheartened and disgusted with the ad-
ministratioofn justice, they would abandon
the prosecution, leaving the Courts more
punished than those against whom they
sought redress. In this way numbers of
violators of the law have wormed them
selves out of its clutches.
1t is at this abuse that Judge Witherspoon
has struck blow in particular. He has
taught witnesses, when they are summoned
to attend Court, that it means business; for
as soon as it was announced that a witness
was absent who had been regularly sum-
moned, he Immediately issued rule, put
it into the sheriff's hands, and if he could
be found in the State he was brought up,
and unless he could give good excuse for
his absence he was fined for contempt. 1t
must be observed further, that while he
has been strict with witnesses and others
whose attendance was required, it cannot be
said that he was at all harsh, for he never
failed to give any one ample opportunity to
render his excuse.
THE POSTAL SERvICE.-The report of
the postmaster general for the last fiscal
year, which has just been published, says
that in immensity and extent of means of
expenditures, of performance and results of
postal machinery, the United States exceeds
| that of anv other nation on the globe