The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-01


The decrease in the amount Of the tax
returns from many CT the counties this
year in comparison with the amount re-
turned in previous years. is the subject
OF a good deal OF comment. For the pur-
pose Of making a point in favor Of the
free coinage OF silver the silverites are es-
sorting that the decrease in the amount
Of the returns is due 70 the fact that our
mints are not open TO the free and un-
limited coinage Of silver They do not
give any satisfactory reason for their as
sertion. II they had reasons to give they
would not hesitate 70 give them. Il would
afford them a great deal OF satisfaction 10
De able 10 show that the state is on the
down aTade. that st is losing its wealth and
population. In order 10. make point in
behalf Of silver they advertise that
Georgia is moving toward poverty. instead
Of prosperity.
Is it a fact that Georgia is declining in
wealth and population? We boldly as
sert that it is not. We believe that the
people OF Georgia. the farmers especially,
are in more comfortable circumstances
than they have been for many years. in
the towns there may be people who are
having pretty hard struggle 10 make a
living. because some Of the avenues Of
employment that were open 10 them be-
fore the hard times that followed the
panic Of 1888 are still closed. but few Of
these people are taxpayers. II is true that
the cotton planters received a very low
price for their last cotton crop. but they
made it cheaply and they are about ont Of
debt. Their fruit crops this year have
been excellent and the corn crop is as
good as was ever made in the state.
Farming land cannot be purchased for
less money per acre now than it could two
or three years ago. and it is doubtful If
live stock. with the exception Of horses,
can be bought any cheaper. Why is it
then that there is such falling of in the
tax returns IL so many Of the counties?
The main reason is the panic Of 1898 has
made the people feel they are poorer. Last
year they placed a lower valuation on
their property and they are doing the
same thing this year. In our dispatches
from Atlanta. published yesterday, it is
| stated that the belief prevails that the ac-
ton OF a Fulton county grand jury. which
/ recommended some time back that owing
to the hard times the people be permitted
to place a lower valuation on their prop
erty, has had much TO do with the falling
off in the tax returns. The impression has
/ gone out from Atlanta that the people Of
the cities are placing a lower valuation
on their property, and the people of the
country are acting in accordance with
that impression.
II silver had anything TO do with the
matter the decrease in the amount OF the
returns would have begun years ago, and
it would have been noticeable in all the
| counties. AS a matter Of fact. there was
a pretty steady increase in the amount Of
the tax returns for years before the panic
( OF 1888 and in some Of the counties this year
there is no decrease. II silver is the cause
Of the slump" why Is it that there is not
q decrease in all the counties?
The silverites will have to find better
arguments than this Of the tax returns
20 support the cause Of silver or else ii
will have very little support. Has there
been a falling of in the amount Of tax re-
turns in every other state? The silverites
must show there has before they can hope
to have accepted their theory that the de-
nial Of free and unlimited coinage to silver
is making the country poorer.