The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-27
"MR. TILLMAN INDICATED"


with conspicuous headlines, and with the
following editorial comment:
"MR. TILLMAN vINDICATED."
"Omittng all expressions of disr spect for the
Government officials II will be seen that Mr.. Till
mans charge that the taxes for State purposes were
900 more In 1855 than In lSO Is strictly true.
The col espun cent admits that the amount collected
in 1855 probably exceeded that collected In lSsO by
about.
Phosphate r0talty for 1SS0.....".-...."S 6533l
Phosphate royalty for lSS6.........-...- 10000
rrcrsass @cas.ST from S'"I. a.ricwur. observation-disclosures 5000
Making total increase 5Z1o
"With tic S30OO1000 added TO the assessed value OF
property, together with the great increase IN the
amount Of phosphate royalty II will BE- Seen, II there
had been no increase OF expenditures that 0ur State
laSrs would now BE- three mills instead uf five and q
half as at present We do not knO,D Where me
money gocc Gtacs olrS), hut think MIR. Itman Is
justified by the facts In saying that our taxes have
been increased S39O,OOO."
The question at issue being the amount of
taxes taken from the people. and the consequent
burthcn imposed upon them, II Will strike the
reader at once us Il rclnarknble proposition
that these taxes are increased and the onrthen
made heavier by the direct payment 10 Me Peo-
pie of this royalty, every dollar of which
comes out of the pockets of corporations,
most Of them foreign.
The Press and Banner, very prudently, d3es
not question our facts or figures, but art1uily
represents the phosphate royalty ana tne
funds of the agricultural department as taxes
imposed by the State. relying upon the 1Sno-
rance of its readers not to detect the dGcep-
lion, and upon the influence OF It's head lines
TO miSlead them. 1t will discover, We imas-
ine that the people Of Abbcville ana ot the
State are not so misinformcd or SO inleiiSctu,
ally poverty-stricken, as to accept headlines
In lieu OF argument, or the assertion thnt Tue
phosphate royalty Is Il tax upon them rs
fact. Nor Is it satisfied with this attempt to
impose upon the credulity OF its readers @ DIt
stitutcs the royalty OF 1856, when the compare
sons were all with the year 1883, thus sacrlIc
ing candor Of discussion for n few thousand
dollars gained in support of its statement.
Our demonstration that the t'Xes in !SS5
were not S}29 900 more than they were In 1851
Is accepted by the Press ana Banner, ana ~
uses our estimate Of the actual increase as
correct 1t also endorses what We nave salu
of the State officers by 'omittins all express
ions of disrcspect for the Government ofh-
cinls" So that by its own showing, "a small
Taxpayer" and not Mr.. Tillman, stands VIM
dcatcd. ~.
In this single issue Of the paper there are so
many evidences Of ignorance uf matiers reIa-
ting TO the State Government that 1t Is ques.
ton In our mind whether the classifying Oh
The phosphate royalty as tax upon The pco-
pie was really intended to miSlcad, or wheth'
cr IL was not rather the result OF an honest De-
lief that the people were actually required 10
pay it. In another portion OF the paper, re-
remarkable statement:
"With exclusive privileges to engage In the most
profitable business in the State, and ,cilh the con.
ricts 10 do The Tork. Qtaltes ourst, we 40 not see
what more the phosphate diggrrs c'n ASK.
sVlh The conrfcts to do The lcork!" Can 1t be
possible that the Press and Hammer Is ignorant
Of the fact that of the millions OF tons oi
phosphate rock Oh which ihc state has recr1v-
I'd royalty, not q S,n0le pound Was ever Nn z
by II convict? Does II not know the differ
ence between river rock which belongs TO the
State and land rock which Is the property oil
individuals? The Press dnd Banner, howey-
or, not ouly displays It's ignorance. Dut actuai.
Is confesscS 1t, In the acknowledgements that
il does not know where the money goes.
most damaging admission for u paper whlch
prrSuneS to exercise censorship over tne aI-
minis ration OF the ST ate Government, not to
know where the money gocS. Dld ~ ever
take the trouble to Try and find out? surely,
the peop.c of Abbeville will no longer look for
guidance to this blind leader oi the plind' 1or
GrLstn. IN Uno, JttlSnm in omnibus.
/ HIRE, under all rules OF discussion. we would
be Justified in leaving the Press aud Banner,
but We are honestly concerned TO think thal
any portion OF our People, no mnt'er ,,'h moM
authority for information on matters rel'illnS
to the State Government, and we propose 10
give TO its readers that information which III
confcsscs itself unable to give, ana, possibly,
even to enlightrn the PreSs and BtnRer Itself.
In undertaking this task, we claim no supe-
riOr knowledge Of these matters, none, m
decd, that may not be acquired oy any lnteiil-
gent man who will lake the trouble and the
interest 10 examine and study the reports oi
our otii cials. This much we do claim TO DO,
and every fact and every figure used IN TINS
discussion has been taken rom Inc reports ol
the comptroller general, a source OF inioTina-
ton which we commend to the attention ol
the Press and Banner. In the event that II
should ever de. Ire tD make fair ana impair
tial statement in regard TO the State Govern
mcnt.
Referring again TO the editorial comments
on "a small taxpayer" II Is asserted:
IF there had been no increase Of expenditures our
taxes iur State purposes now be three mills, In
stead of five and half, us ut present We do not
know where the money goes
So far us the expenditures are involved, we
have already proved that their increase for
l$S5 was but S95,0m, due to the establishment
nf the College and the Citadel, the completion
of the Siatc-llousc and the increased number
of inmates Of the charitable institutions, and
that in the current expenses of the govern.
menl, there had been an actual Tcducft1n ol
ST. 900. These points have been established
upOn the evidence of figures, which the Press
aid Banner does not undertake 10 question,
and the correctness OF which we challenge
any one To dispute.
An impression seems to have obtained and
is being made much of by the asSi,iiants ot
the State Government that there is u very
large surplus in the treasury, kept there W iih'
cut reason. and which should be thrown into
the general fund 50 as TO reduce the tax levy.
Is inns correct! inc coihptiohCt sonoitttn i,'
his last report altcr expressing HIS Siatilctt'
ton that he had been able To draw ms war,
rant upon the treasurer for the payment ol
every appropriation as 1T became due, goes on
to:
"Wbc Il Is true however that the balances in the
treasury have rnbi ID MS Ia meet all EXPENSES during
,'; ,., !, j.; r",'r ih,, n shnuIJ be understand
, . 49, Lai,mr,. , nm, r,.,rrsrmt ,urnlus over
a"J ,hnvr ,hc rltms a"nns, Ihe State: hut are on
an" @ , niw claims tI' ,vnrn, of which have
W, NV ,i & in:,J os far imSiancr interest nro
;Iyi rr h"nJ nnt ve, funI.d dir.rt tax from the
S."e" i"i WINS NV ~, w i ,h .,'n;a g., ,n,n,Is