The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-20
TILLMAN'S TAXES.

TILLMAN's TAXES.
Editorial Greenville News
There are one or two points in the
tax return made by Governor Tillman
to the auditor of Edge6eld County
which deserve the attention of the pub
lie.
In the first place total of sixty-eight
COWS are returned at s730, an average Of
$l2.64 each. Itso happens that twelve
of these COWS were sold to the State
lunatic asylum in October for S442.2 S4422 20,
an average OF s36.s6 each. Governor
Tillman says, however, the asylum had
the pick of the herd. With the twelve
cows worth S442 20 the remaining fifty
six were, according to the governors
return of the herd for taxation, worth
s2s7.s0, an average of a little more than
S5.13 each. That is pretty low price
for COWS and indicates that the COVER
nor's herd must have run very irregu-
larly. About the same time the lunat;c
asylum sale was made, however, the
Columbia Register, which is probably
good administration authority, an
nounced that Governor Tillman and
Senator Irby had met sin conference"
at Ninety-Six and that the governor
had sold to the senator fifteen COWS.
Now good many harsh things have
been said about Senator Irby, but no
body would accuse him of going to
Ninety-Six to buy of the executive
head and commander in chief of the
military and naval forces Of this State
fifteen COWS at $5.13 a head.
The figures and facts indicate that
when it came to returning to his be-
loved State and for the relief of the
over-burdened and oppressed taxpayers
those COWS for taxation our governor
valued them at Sl2.64 a head; but that
when it came to selling them to his be-
loved State and the over-burdened and
oppressed taxpayers those cows were
worth any where from S25 to S37
head.
When the banks and rail roads re-
turn their property for taxation at
two-thirds Of its value that is declared
to be an outrage. Comptroller General
Ellerbe said they should not only be
required to pay on full value but that
all other classes Of property should by
force of legislation and executive power
be required to do the same. Some
months ago we advised the banks, in
supporting their contention that pro-
perty in the State was not returned at
two-thirds of its value, to put the gov
ernor and comptroller general on the
stand. It seems we were right, as
usual. Cows returned to the State for
taxation at S12.S4 and sold to the State
for cash at S36.Se are eloquent. They
cry aloud and the governors seven
mules at an average of $64 each, his
four horses at $3.50 each and his even
100 hogs at s1.C5 each join in the gleeful
chorus. One thousand eight hundred
and ninety acres OF land with all the
governors practical farming thereon at
total of $500, or an average of So. A
an acre, add to the refrain.
There is yet another point. The gov
ernor's total assessment is something
more than $4,000. That would make
his State tax in the neighborhood of
S7C. He has not paid it. When the
legislature passed the tax extension re-
solution last month be would not sign
it because he wanted the taZ payers
left in doubt so that they would hurry
in to pay and putenough money in the
State treasury to meet the interest on
the public debt. He is drawing $500
year from the State. A little more than
one week of his salary would have paid
it. Three weeks salary would have
more than paid all his taxes. Yet he
cid not put in his part to help fill the
State treasury. Ee made hundreds OF
other tax payers pay, but he knew the
resolution would be allowed to become
law and he did not pay a dollar.
We think good many people will
agree with US that reform like charity
ought to begin at home, but Governor
Tillman does not seem to look at 1t
that way. So for as his personal inter-
ests are concerned he does not seem to
reform worth a cent. He used free
passes and, they say, express franks;
he has held to and drawn every dol:@r
of his pay and every dollar allowed for
expenses at the executive mansion; he
sold his COWS to the State at good
price and returned them to the State
for taxation at a poor one. But be
thought it very wrong and corrupt for
other people to use free passes, he
thought expenses and expenditures
should be cut down when others were
in Office, be thought everybody else
should return their property for taxa
ton at full value and he was willing to
scare other tax payers, less we'll in
formed than himself, into paying.
Trojan HDrao.