The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-03
Who Pay Taxes.

IL IS common thing these days TO
tell the farmers Of the State they pay
the bulk Of the taxes and ought to
run the government. Were the
premise absolutely true the conclu
sion would not neces arily follow,
for as every prosperous government
must have Il variety of cmployments,
so every law.maling body, to secure
wise and just laws, should have in it
variety of knowledge and expert.
ence. The best government is that
which protects and stimulates each
and every industrial enterprise with
the least injury to all, and this can
be best attained by clccting not farm.
ers. or lawyers, or merchants, or any
class specially, but true men. who
combine knowledge, experience, in.
tegrity and patriotism in the highest
degree. In the hands Of such, wheth.
er they be called farmers or by an
other name, the government can be
safely trusted without dctrimcnt TO
any class or profession. Industry in
every calling is commendable, and
though the farmer proper constitutes
the bread producing class, the essen.
tial basis of every other industry,
this by no means proves the other
pursuits Of life arc non-esscntial or
can be dispensed with. Let us all
then labor to prevent any clash be-
tween classes or industries and strive
to unite all our people in conscien.
tious effort for true men, without re-
gard to calling.
Suppose "a" a doctor. or "B' Il
lawyer, or &C" a merchant, or "D" q
mechanic, or "IG' a banker, should
say, each for himself, 1 pay more
taxes than any one Of you and should
have influence in the government in
that proportion, would it he right?
No. Suppose the railroad corpora
tion should set up their claim ON
like ground, would it be right ? No.
Suppose all these callings should com.
bine with other farming indus.
tries and claim they paid the bulk of
the taxes and should run the Gov
ernment, would it be right? No.
Neither should or won Il the claim OF
such right be tolerated nor would it's
selfish exercise, if permitted, profit
such classes. 1t would injurc them
and all others in the State. The fact
is, we are one people, one in govern
ment, one in interest and one in pur.
suit, the great purpose of all good
citizens being an earnest desire to
promote general morality, religion,
education and wealth. AS there are
diversified industries in every so
ciety, so every member of such So
ciety, whatever be his leading calling,
has diversified interests. The pro.
fessions, as a rule, are personally en-.
gagged in agriculture, and farmers,
more or less, give advice or adminis-
ter medicines and all are moving in
the same dircction-m0ral and ma.
terial progress.
As so much has been said about
taxes, their burden and on whom it
rests, a friend, who neither holds nor
seeks any Office, made out and hand.
cd lis general estimate Of the taxes
paid in Oconee and by what classes.
The estimate is an average, the party
taking four townships and estimating
the taxes paid by non.rcsidents from
the taxes so paid in Center, Seneca,
Chatuga and Whitewater. 1t will
not be found far wrong. The prop.
erty Of persons living in towns,
owned in the townships named, is
included i'll the taxes paid in towns.
For instance the property of a person,
not farmer proper, who lives in the
townships named, is put down as
paid and taxed as non. farmers. The
following is the showing rs tabulatcd
and handed to us. If it he erroneous
it may lead some other person to re-
wise and report it more accurately {:
Total taxes paid in the county so, ,277 GO
or this amount the
two railroads pay $l,15G 25
Walhalla and citi-
Seneca City and citi-
zcns pay......... 1920 30
Westminster and
citizens pay...... 70j 20
West Union and citi-
Zcns pay.......... 30l OF
Non residents OF
county, as cstma-
ted, pay........... 1000 90
Machinery and man
ufacturcs pay. 3,G7S Is
Total. $1,000 GS
REHABILITATION.
Total taxes paid. .......$ $25,277 co
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