The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-12-16
TAX ON DOGS.
A REMARKABLE FORENSIC DISPLAY IN
THE STATE SENATE.


Tax of ST for Ours Of High and Low De-
gree is Passed.
The Senate Is never without Il SUBJ
iect for wide debate. Tuesday the most
interesting essays were on the subject
OF dogs, good, bad and indifferent, hy-
drophobic and harmless, carnivorous.
graninivorous and omnivorous.
One of the first bills on the Calendar
for second reading was Senator Tai
bert's providing for the taxation of
dogs and bitches" MIR. Talbert secured
a preliminary victory by securing the
rejection OF IN unfavorable report
without a division. He then moved to
amend so as TO provide for IL '1iceuse"
of one dollar instead of Il "taX," the
proceeds to be paid into the county
treasury for educational purposes. Car
ried. ..s
Senator Williams moved to strike
out the enacting clause Of the bill.
This brought Senator Talbert to his
feet, with a spirited defence OF his pet
measure: He cast gross aSpersions upon
the Edgefield dogs. Last year there
had been three thousand cases of hy-
Grophobia in Edgelield County and sew
eral deaths. The worthless, starving
dogs were so numerous that they in
vaQed the cornlields and dcvoured the
roasting ears.
Senators Williams attacked the bill
vigorously rs Il proposition to oppress
the poor people. -,
Senator IOumans thought the bill
would be unjust to great many poor
people.
Senator Hemphill read from the comp
troller generals report to show that
the number of sheep in the State was
86.O52, valued for taxation at Sa7,S52,
while the dogs numbered GO,257, and
had taxable value Of $685., ,093. The
difference in favor of the dogs was
$239241. "
Senator Smythe drew attention to
the remarkable mortality in the dogs
of the State during the last year. Since
the last preceding report of the comp
troller general the dogs had decreased
5000 in number and $4,000 in;value.
The value Of dogs, he showed, ,tyaried
from $1.1O in Anderson to $10'in Barn
well. He thought the State could get
along with fewer yelplng ours. His
friend from Abbeville said that the
dogs were worth more than the sheep.
No doubt, when they kept the number
Of sheep down and discouraged their
raising. If dogs were so valuable and
such a comport rs the Senator from
Georgetown declared, there was no rea-
son why a licence of one dollar should
not be paid for them. In its present
shape he favored the bill. He dwelt
upon the inlpossibility Of successfully.
conducting sheep lrusban6'vswliile' the'
dogs were unrestrained and unuimin-
iShed.
Senator Patterson objected to the
adoption OF a uniform license fee. The
poor man would have to pay us much
for his 81 dog us the rich man for his
500 dog. The proposed law could not
be carried out. The provision for H.
cense collars could and would be easily
evalel.
Senator Talbert declared that the bill
WAS in the interest Of the poor man,
because it would put money in the
county treasury to educate his chill
dren.
Senator Sligh read Il paragraph from
the News and Courier Of to-day, in re-
gard to Il little girl Of his county who
had been bitten by mad dog. The life
Of that little girl was worth more than
all the dogs in Newberry County. Why
fear to put a tax on them which would
decrease the number? The poor man
is required to keep his COW and his hog
up, but the dog is in Independent ami
NAL and roams at large. lIekills sheep
and hogs, and, added the Senator, with
the emphasis betting a climax, "he
sucks eggs
Seuat0r Youlnalls thought as much OF
aspig as OF a dog, for he was able to eat
the pig, hut suggested that raccoons
and wildcats had eaten the Edgelield
corn and hogs.
Senator Howell drew in affecting
picture of the County Commissioners
tramping through the country putting
license collars ON dogs. The bill ought
to be killed. Many people in his colln-
ty supported themselves by following
their dogs III hunting.
Senator Murray was surprised at the
last statement Of the Senator from
Colleton. If there were in the low
country any considerable number of
people who made their living by follow
ing their dogs around after game, it
was one Of the best arguments Tor the
bill. lie hoped that they would be IT.
formed 50 ;ls abandon this profession
and go into some productive business.
Senator Field did not know that lie
favored the hill in its present shape.
hut he thought something ought to he
done to decrease hydrophohia. which
w;ls 4 growing curse in his section. He
favored SOME stringent law to curb the
dogs.
Senator Howell wished to correct the
that the people of Colleton
"lived on dogs" Laughter. lie had
meant to sly that many Of them lived
by their dogs by hunting. deer were
SO plentiful in Collc.on that man. one
day last week had killed five ut Il shot.
1t was evident that with so much game
in the county dogs were an essential.
senator Smythe inquired What the
deer were worth.
Senator Howell replied About
S12."