The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-07-07
That Three Dollar Poll Tax. Ak.
.spartasniiitba.,.g Spartan.

!: MR.. EDITOR 81 propose to call the at
tention of my brother farmers through
the medium Of tho Spartan to the Unjust
ice Of the proposed measure, and snow
tits practical working upon the farm
ers. Governor Tillman Is the apostle
of the farmers, but il he can carry his
measure, ], as ono Of that class, pray to
be delivered from my friend, as now
demonstrate. ;,
IF understand his project, tits to call q
Constitutional Convention and do away
with the 2-mill school tax, leaving poll
tax Of $500 in lieu Of it.
But, whether the 2-mill tax is to be re-
pealed or not, the $500 poll tax is to be
be made if he can get legislature suoser.
Went to his will. Now, to understand 1t
and see hc,- :. :. -.yorks, let us assume that
the taxable property Of the State is 100
millions of dollars, equally divided be-
tween the class Of farmers and all other
classes not farmers. We will also assume
that so men out of every hundred are
farmers. The census Of 1880 shows about
this proportion, but whether right or
wrong it makes no diHerenco, as 1t Is the
principle am trying to demonstrate.
The State has about one million inhab-
itants. 100000 whites and 600, 900 blacks,
which would give about $4,000 white
voters and 120,0 600 black ones, or total
Of 100000, which at $500 each could raise
$500, 900 for school purposes. Now, who
would pay this tax under the new ar
rangement proposed? If the farming
class is eight-tenths of the whole popula-
ton, why, Of course, they will pay eight
tenths of it, or S4S0, 600, and. all the other
classes, representing halt the property,
would pay only S120,0OO; that is to say,
that the farmers would pay just four
times as much IS all the others combined.
Under the present arrangement, on l59
millions, with mills on property and
81 90 poll tax, the farmers pay $150. 900
plus eighteenth, of the poll tax $500, 900,
1this being dollar upon each voter, 160,-
.0OO-SS1O,00O. The other classes now pay
S15O,000 property tax and two-tenths OF
poll tax or $4,000 more, making that
$l9O,OOO.
Tillman therefore proposes to release
the property holders from $4,000 tax,
which will be seen is the difference be-
tween the present and the proposed plans.
and to saddle the same upon the very
poorest class the country has in 1t, and
good deal more besides, for under the new
arrangement they would pay S4S0,O0O,
whilst under the present plan they pay
only $4,000. whloh is difference Of
$4,000 against the farmers.
Now when yo1 take into consideration
the ability of the tWo parties to pay taxes
this is simply outrageous. Why mako
the poor farmer, who, Governor Tilman
says, last year did not make two cent.
postage stamp clear money, pay such an
enormous sum az four hundred and etgh-
ty thousand dollars and let off all other
Glasses. representing half the property,
with only one hundred and twenty thou
sand. Now would 1t not be nice and bus
mess like to Let off railroads, banks, cot
ton manufactures. merchants and monled
men generally from ell property tax,
with an Insignificant $500 poll tax, for
the few men engaged IN these occupa-
tions and saddle the weight of 1t upon a
lot of men, the large majority Of whom
are working at $40 to $500 per month,
and out Of which they support their fam
lies.
If this is all TIl,nan knows about my
interest as farmer, and is the way he
proposes to look after my affairs, why the
sooner somebody knocks him and all
others who have no better sense on the
head, the better for US poor farmers.
Why he is iSst simply cutting our
throats.
His excuse Is he wants to make the
negro bear his share Of the burden.
Making the negro pay $500 reu tax isn't
going to help the poor white man 10 pay
bis $500, nor will it help the white lasn,s
school, for the negro will get for his
schools all he pays in, and probably a
good deal more, for theEe will then be no
excuse for not giving him 40 equal diyi-
sion. At present the property being in
the hands of the white man he only gets
what he is entitled to, that isa very small
amount.
1t may be that the authorities will say
that the repeal Of the mill property tax
is no part Of the programme. Bat will
saw that they want Constitutional Con-
yention called and one Of the arguments
used to secure it is the repeal Of the
school tax, which can only be done by a
Constitutional Convention.
If the repeal of the mill tax Is not in
the programme, all ! have to say is that
they propose to collect an awful tax, 2
mill tax. say S3O0,o and $500 poll tax,
about SOU, 900, making grand total OF
nine hundred thousand dollars for schools