The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-13
A DAMAGING DEFENCE.
THE WAY OUR TAXES INCREASE.
Facts and Figures which Clearly
Prove the Correctness of Is. X.
Tillman's Charge that the Taxes
Have Increased $4,000 Since
1870.

Have Increased SSSV,VVo Snee
1850.
To the Editor Of The Nc,cs and couritr: IL
letter published In your issue of the 2Stn ScP
tember, Mr.. B. r. 1filman uses the ioi!owihS
language: "The management of the depart
ment of agriculture is only n specimen. Ihe
State Government Is run on the same primer
pile. The taxes for the State purposes were
10000 more in 1885 than in 1885. and yet we
are told that the Government has been wisely
and economically administered; that there
are no useless offices. no excessive salaries, mo
waste or extravaganza, no Democratic llioe'
cility, or lack OF stateSmanship."
Mr. Tillman clearly considers his statement
in regard to the incrense OF taxes us PROOF Oh
his charges of waste" "eXtravngaInISe;n i,, us
conclusion is both illogical and unjust. illog'
ica', because increased taxation is not neces-
suriy Inconsistent with both good govern
the in crease is5uSlifiabe, and It's results Denc-
fical to the interests Of the state. Unjust, oe-
cause, rs we propose to prove, the increase
may be derived from an increased valuation
nf the taxable property, which would argue
efficiency rather thun imbecility IN the man.
ngenent of affairs.
Although IL is evident that Mr.. Tilinans
conclusions do not necessarily follow ms
statement he leaveS no doubt as to his meall-
ing and the impression which he wishes 10
convey. AS this is the very first approach 10
a. specific charge that have ever seen rom
Mr.. Tillman or from any of those who for a
wear past have so bitterly aud perSiStently at-
lacked the honesty and ability OF our Stale
Government. have had some curiosity 10
see whether the statement would bear tne
light of Investigation. Mr.. TilIman states
that his figures are taken from the report OF
the comptroller general; bat upon referring
To these reports find that there mas oeen no
statement OF the amount Of taxes collected IN
1885, and am at q loss 10 know where MT.
Tillinan could have ohtained his information.
The last report published by the comptroller
general contained the settlements OF the treS1 "
9irerS for the taXes collected In 1854 those of
lSS4IS5 were collected In October and NoVem-
Der, 1855, too late to be Incorporated In the re-
port of that year. If am correctly Informed;
the treasurers have but recently conriuded
their settlements for 1SSi-S5, and the result Will
appear presume in the next report OF tnc
comptroller general. 1t is possible that MI.
collected in lSS5 on the "abStract of the dupll-
cate" page "a, Of the comptr0lltr's last re.
port, which shows the total State tax assessed
10 be SSil, ,526.3l. 1t is true that this aostrlct
shows The amount of. taxes. charged on the
books, bat until they are collected ana ac-
counted for it is impossible TO say what per-
centage of the amount charged consists OF CT
rors to he abated and nutia bona; so. that the
abstract Of the duplicate is not q reliable
guide. / have made y careful examination OF
all of the reported settlements with the coun.
~ treasurerS, from lS19-S0, as the only correct
source from which to obtain tne aetui.i !.
is75.S CReport Comptroller General.
Table A. =; Is3, levy ~ nI 'So
Table 4, D. 4lS,l levy 3 miilS. ,J13
lsSl-Ss, (Iteport Comptroller GeneraI,.~ . -
Table 4, p. H. levy a mills: "s:si 'l4S
Table 4, p lD levy 4% mil!s-........, ,...S692.o54
1SS3.S4, (Rcport Comptroller General ,-.
Table 4. p. 20,l levy I9i
Upon the assumption that Mr.. Tilkman used
the abstract OF lSStS5. we VIII make an eSll-
mate Of what the taxes OF that year should
have yielded, and base our remarks and com
paris0ns upon that approximation. On page
%i OF Report Of 1885, the amount collected Tor
the taxes of ISSl-Sj is given us $2I5,U72, and on
page 81 OF same report 1t Is eStistnteu that there
remains to be paid $3.50, 900, making In all s,S,-
ON. II is true. as these statements SHOW, mat
the amount OF taxes collected has increased
and that the amount collected in 1875 proba-
by exceeded that collected in 1850 by about
sls6, ,o0j, but this is certainly not S32O,O0o. >.
Bat, granted the increase, what does II
prove: That the mrGtion has increased pro-
p0rlionatcly? Not at all, for 1t will be seen
that the rate Of taxation varied only u mill
srom 1879 To lSS'. and only z mills for the year
1850 wls not called upon to contribute S19'.Uto
In 1885; far from it. This property paid only
the advance Of x of q mill, or about S95,Oeo;
100000 collected? Let the records tell. In the
report of the comptroller general November
lSTa the taxable property Is given as 1862. lIu
ncreS of land aud III ,y'6 buildings, with lax
able valuation as follows: Realty s7GSSS,>S6
personally S36.57i,S5S, railroads ,3Go,9OO, az
Ereg;ting Sl20Ijl,62i.
In report of November |. 1885, the taxable
property is aS follows: l7,373,SI9 acres land
I2i,S7j buildings; taxable value. realty SS.l3l, I,
4Ol, personally SS,2lS,92: railroads Slo,221,9 l.
AN aggregate of 50,6US,3Gi, and an increase OF
s 0.UG $50. In four years this corrupt Govern
ment. by its nMsmana cement, extravaganza
and imbeclity. had restored 10 the tax books
just $40 acres of land and Al, 40 buildings
valued at l0,547<535; it had discovered and
liStrd personal property to the amount of Sll.
675,0Sl, which had been contributing nothing
40 the support Gg the Governments, and 1t has
added To The taxable value OF the railroads
S. Si5OGl or more than 100 per cent Clearly
then, the increased taxes Of 1885 came In large
part from the Increased property which the
energy and good S!lanngement OF our officials
have forced upon The tax books.
EXPENDITURES OF STATE GOVERNMENT FROM
1S7s,SO TO lSS+S5.