The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-11
the matter OF taxes by comparing the taxes
which we pay, with the taxes which have
be II puid in other States find the rate as
follows, rs assessed In 1883:

| (OnnCctlctl ...........153- 3-lU mills.
New 10 Hills.
AlaDlina ............................lli2 TlllIS.
MiSslSSl l)pl ........ ................Io iiius.
A,,tm Arkans;'s = milIs' Ini1s
Onlo ~ f-lo lliiiS.
I ....................2S 2S 9.lO mills.
! South Carolina ...............-.ll 4-) mills.
The later years for other States have not
before me, but presume they have not ma
terially differed.
TIE ASSESSMENT OF OUR PROPERTY.
Compare our taxes with those here given.
1t will be seen that we pay less in South Caro-
lima than in almost any other State. Bearing
in mind that our property is not assessed at
It's real value, comparatively, we have little
Of which To complain. Taking The value OF
our real estate rs settled By our Boards OF
Equalization, IL Is much below the actual VAL
NC or selling price. SO OF personal property:
There is great difficulty IN reaching much OF
the personal property. 1t is not visible, and
all, while IL is true that much of such prop
Prty is assessed at an exceedingly low figure.
believe the average value OF mules IN lhls
county for taxation, Is $40. take II That the
! than that. Forty dollors Will buT only Il
very poor mule Our COWS arc assessed at the
same propOrtionatG low rate. believe
tho average assessed value Is from 500 to
$lO.00, Willie the selling price ranges from
So. 90 to S5O.00-or at least that is what we
have TO pay for them when We buy them at
! Abbevillc and so of all other slble personal
property. How much money, notes ana olh'
or assets escape taxation cannot be asccr-
tained. 1t will thus he seen that while we
may pay a rate per cent. OF taxation that may
really appear bllrdcnsome, we must not for.
get that our property is assessed at n valua-
tiOn much less than IL is really worth. III
i taxed at full value, the mill ratio would be
much css-hut the amount realized would be
the same.
THE BURDEN OF TAXATION NOT TO LIFT.
ED.
Asa distinguished speaker [Tillman] said q
few days ago at ADbcvilc, the burden OF tax
alton cannot be materially lifted, for three
reasons:
lst. 1t takes in round numbers to pay on
public ,tcbt....... .SoSl.VVt
2ud. 1t took last year TO run public o NJ,
i schools 4u.VOt
i Srd II took last year to support our
| charitable and penal institutions $l30.0DC
Fixed charges Oo'
These are ii xed charges from which there Is
no escape, except by paying the public dept
by aboishing the public schools, ana by DO
ing away with our pentcntiary and asylums
Is there any man in Abbeville willing tC
disregard the demands Of these institutions
The welfare Of society demands their exist
cnce, and it devolvcs upon US TO support
them. Approaching the great expense incl
dent to the care of our lunatics, the Legis'a
turc attempted to reduce this outlay, as l;ir as
possible, by enacting q law compelling thoS(
!; patients, who were able and could pay III
part, to help in the expense of their mainte
nance. 1t was, therefore, enacted that nc
lunatc should be received IN the asylum
: without an official statement as to the luna
tics ability TO pay or nN, and alsoh law reg
lating the admission and discharge OF per
sons idiotic, cpilcplic, or mentally 1nfirm anc
not violent or dangerous. ~ ,.
The expense OF maintaining tho asylum
cannot be definitely stated in advance. Iba
amount Is more or less, according 10 the mum
bCr of lunnticS that are maintained NJ puDn'
expense. For several years past large sum-
have been expended in buildings and perma
ncnt improvements rendered necessary Ds
increased number Of patients
TIE CONVICT LABOR AND TIE MISTAKE con
SECrED TuEREwITu.
ON account Of the hue and cry which wen
uD from various parts OF the State Two o.
: lhrec years ago against the employment o
couvicts on railroads, q law was enacted FOR
bidding their employment OUTSIDE Oi tne pen
itcntiary except under restrictions, when hn
: limited the demand for their labor. They arr
. now principally engaged In farmi nS ana u
: working on the colum bia canal. A snial
l number are leased 10 phosphate coinpahlc
5 and on railroads, besides those engaged u
e ;hc stocking and shoe factories within th
walls. Instead of being. as for some years,
paying institution, IL is now supported Ut III
expense. ,,. ,,,,,
farming this year and has suffered enormous
/, ~, rs olhrr farmers have on river bottoms
, have seen it stated that ON the Sccscrs plan
Iuti0n all but three acres out OF one thouS;nt
I'm cultivation were destroyed by the floods
Dn another 500 out of 800 acres, ana on n thtrt
plantation II large part also but the number
acres not remembered.
: The State. ip Undertaking 10 farm, suffers ~
; badly as you do. Yet ihis loss has resulted x
the Stale from taking The conylciS rom ihl
buildin. OF railroads. think II the conTict'
were puL to building railroads and to wUrkln!
, On our public highways that much hettel
aud moro profitable disposition would bt
made of their labor. Eut such has not beer
the policy OF cur Legislature.
WHERE 4 BIG SHARE OF OUR MONEY GOES
Out of 1862 .N1o levied for State purposes last
year about $IO00j0 In round numbers goes tt
Tie payment Of interest on the public dcDt
besides amount appropriated Tor ncnnI nmo M,
charitable institutions, and SIj,GW FOR tht
Slate House. Then is 1t not unreasonable tC
expect any great reduction In the tax levy
| believe that we are running this govern
mcMt on almost the lowest basis possible.
There are, however, certain matters thal
might lie Topped Off. The appropriation o
So IED0 for the state House Is something out
side Of the annual expense oi mann :aiIina
the government 1t was an extraordinary
: levy, but no man who has ever sat there. ana
is familiar with the condition OF the building
would say that this appropriation was nol
! necessary. II we intend to preserve from loss
that magnificent building which cost more
than IL million dollars, VIC must appropriate
! the amount necessary 20 pat TOOL Oh IL ilhu
finish at least the outside work.
TIE BIG DITCH.
Much IN former years has been spent on
the Columbia canal but, l am glad to say
the Abbcville delegation has always been
! almost unanimous in its opposition To
! that outlay. have never voted for the appro
! printion.
! Volcc-Tell us what the canal has cost?
! am not able to say accurately. We nppro'
priated last year in cash $l5,Ou0. and the labor
! of 600 TO go convicts and their expense. l
! have not calculated how much the expense oi
! clothing feeding and guarding them Is.
While do not think the work on the canal
/ a good Investment, it has the aprroval OF
some OF our best business men. For instance,
! Mr.. Frank Arnold, OF this county, who Is ac-
proves the completion of the canal. But to
/ my mind, ii doesn't work that way We
, have too many fine water powers which arc
not drvclOprd and which are faYOrably lOcat.
/ cd TO Railroads, 10 encourage us TO the great
! outlay necessary for the Columbia canal. On
any one Of your large streams In the Pied.
/ mont bet arc to bc found water powers
! Which are still unIrvclopcd, and. which nre
! vastly superior To the Columbia canal, even
. if finished, and at small outlay could he de.
vcupcI lu much greater advantage ana Dullu
. ND more factories that will ever Dr seen on the
! Columbia canal.
FREE TUITION.
! Noicc-Tcll us your views Of the University,
and what you think OF free tuition?
/ | am in favor Of maintaining Inc lnSlllu-
tion am not opposed however to the re-
,Guir munt of Il reasonable tuition fee. VIII
stand by the platform of the Farmers Con-
, ycu;iun and tic County Democratic Conven-
tion, in charging IL reasonable tuition fee of