The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-12-20

real estate. and the COmptroller1S starring
early to lave the property OF the people
of the State placed upon the books Mt its
full value. The following strong circular
bearing upon the subject has been issued
by the Comptroller General, and speaks
for Itself. It is directed to the various
County. Auditors:
S DEAR SIR: Returns for taxation from
the 4lst- January, 1894, to the 10th February
must embrace both real and personal
property. Auditors cannot be too care
ful in taking these returns. Returns of
every species of taxable property should
auditor or his assistant has reasons to
suspect or believe that there is any desire
or purpose on the part OF the taxpayer or
his agent to evade full return of all
property, he should by proper questions
and Investigations bring out all the facts
and secure full, complete and just
return of all taxable property as required
by law to be made.
Great care should be exercised in the
selection end appointment of the town
ship board of assessors. None but clear,
fair, impartial mon Of good sound judg-
ment and information should be appoint
ed members of these boards. If these
boards will exercise discretion and take
pains in getting at and placing on returns
every species of taxable property. and
Justly equalize, as between individual
taxpayers in their respective townships
or tax districts; and the County Boards
of Equalization, composed of the chair
man of the township boards, will exer-
else the same discretion, care and iudg.
ment as between townships, and In all
cases of appeal. the crying evil OF gross
inequalities of assessments will disappear
and no longer be heard. Gross inequali.
ties Of assessments do now exist, and the
remedy is largely in the hands of Audi:
tors in the discharge of their d1ties and
in these Boards appointed by the Audi
tors to value and equalize assessments.
There is no law for assessing and equal
izing taxable property upon a basis of
66 2-3 per cent, or any other basis than
it's ''tiue value in money" Our laws
require all taxable property real, per-
sonal and possessory, to be placed upon
the tax books at the 'strue value in
money" Lands worth S1.00, $500, $1,000,
$4,000, or more, should be assessed at that
value, no more and no less. Bank stock
worth $4,000 above the par value of 800
should be assessed at Sl20 per share, and
others in proportion. Bank stock worth
less than par value should be assessed at
it's value, and no more. Corporations
other than banks, stock of which is nom
taxable, must have taxable interest
equal to the real or market value Of its
stock, and this market value of stock will
furnish fair basis for assessment of the
taxable interest of such corporations as it
may have in machinery, material, etc.
The productive powers of taxable prop
erty, real, personal or possessory., is an
important factor in fixing the "true
money values" for taxation. Lands pro-
ducing one bale Of cotton or ortwenty-five
bushels of corn and oats per acre are
worth more than those producing one
halt these amounts. So with lother
classes Of taxable property. Values are
Influenced by incomes derived from such
property. The greater percentage OF the
burden of taxation rests now too heavily
upon the less productive properties OF
the State, and should be remedied.
Personal friendships, neighborly inter-
course and primary election should not
influence Auditors nor broads in these
matters of assessments b9& they should
be actuatei by the Board principles Of
absolute Justice to all taxpayers and the
full, true value in money placed upon
each and every taxable interest, class and
character or property in the State.
If the Boards of Assessors do their
work in q haphazard way, and Boards Of
Equalization do not correct these gross
inequalities, we shall insist upon Audi
tors proceeding in each casey as is requir-
ed BY Section 239, ETC., General Statutes,
as construed by the Legislature in 1892,
after the construction by the courts OF
this and other. germane sections.
Your esp0cial attention is called to the
~. 80 \ 3 r.