The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-15
Reduction of Salaries aud High Taxes.

There is bill before the General
Assembly the object of which is tp
reduce the salaries Of various officers
Of the State, as we'll as the salaries
Of the Supreme and Circuit Court
Judges. There is no one who is
more anxious to sec aud have econ.
omy in our State government than
ourself, but, while this is the case. we
like to see every man and officer
paid what his work is really worth.
There is such q thing as false econ
omy and it appears to us that our
law makers and reformers are about
to fall into this error.
Our Supreme and Circuit Court
Judges do not receive one dino more
than they are entitled to. Should
their pay be cut down the result will
be that these high and responsible
positions will be sought, only by
second and third rate ability. If we
are to keep first class judges on the
bench we must not cut down their
pay. While VIC admit that some re.
form is needed and that our people
are by no means rich, we do not al
NIT that we are too poor to pay our
judges their present salaries. But
few people realize the amount Of work
done yearly by our judges. 1t is not
our taxes that arc making US poorer
every year. Our taxes are but
drop in the bucket TO other matters
that pull US down and over which we
have complete control without asking
the aid Of the General Assembly. 4
man who pays three Or four dollars
in taxes will spend a hundred in
manner that he should not and then
blame his i'll success on high taxes
and eXtravagant public officials. We
are Of that class Of men who believe
that the prosperity Of our people is
in their own hands and that we must
rely upon individual cxcrtion and
economy for success in life.
1t appears that our people will
never learn that all this cry ab"ut
high taxes IS, simply, in very nearly
every case, the cry Of the demogoguc
and the politician seeking Office. No
man in South Carolina can step to
the front and show that high taxes
since 1876 has kept him from becom-
ing rich or from making money in
small way. No man in this State is
now poor from heavy taxation. 1t is
an easy matter to show that SO many
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars
have been collected in taxes from
the pockets OF the people looks big
and is apt to draw in the unthinking
and make them believe that the coun.
try is being ruined by taxation, but
what do our taxes amount to per
capita, when divided among one mil
lion Of people. The rich pay most
of the taxes, yet they do not make
any outcry about it.
4 negro who only has one dollar
to pay in taxes will keep several
worthless dogs that will cost him
great deal to feed and still he will
grumble at his one dollar tax and
never dream that it is his worthless
dogs that arc keeping him poor. lie
will not attach any blame to himself,
but is always willing to cry out
against our government and taxes.
1t is n we'll known fact that VIC will
not, under any circumstances, if we
can avoid it, lay blame upon our
selves. 1t is human nature to ascribo
our shortcominy, Of whatever nature,
to anything else than ourselves, and
in this way when the times arc hard
we shove the blame from our own
doors and lay it at the door of the
General Assembly.
This is our view OF the matter and
in it is contained our reason for op.
posing reduction of the salaries Of
our Judges, as il would Jc false econ
omy and would be an injury to the
State.--1bbeViUe Medium, Dec 9A.