The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-03-02
A CAUCUS ON TAXES.

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A CAUCUS ON TAXES.
Forty Members of the Legislature in
Consultation With the Comptrol
Ter General.
The correspondent af the News and
Courier makes the following report Of
the first caucus or conference, or What
ever 1t may be called, which was held
on Wednesday afternoon in the Su.
preme Court room at the State House
The meeting, or whatever it should
be called, was to have been held in the
ONCE OF the Comptroller General, but
as the crowd of legislators was toe
large it was adjourned to the Supreme
| Court room, whore some IF those DAYS
| a rnmhrr al l-"y.Is ia, CON-, st the
very laws under discussion. In the
| o!den time 1t might have been cP lied a
caucus OF Reform. There were none
others than Reform members at the
| meeting so far as could be seen. The
idea seems to be that the members
wanted enlightenment on the three
revenue bills under consideration in
the House, and wanted to talk over
with each other what had better be
done about the measures. That might
as well have been done on the floor of
the House.. except that Mr. Comptrol-
Ter General Norton could not have par
ticipated ia the discussion, and have
told the members what was what and
given some A. b. @. lessons in finances
and showed the real condition OF affairs
In the State and how the revenues of
the State are not what they ought to
be.
Mr.. Norton was the principal talker
at the meeting, and he gave the Rep
resentatives present some pretty plain
facts about the deficiencies and levies,
and was of the opinion that without
these three revenue bills the income
tax, the license and the insurance bills
tho levy must be about five and one
half mills to get the State and it's
finances upon an absolute cash basis.
which Is very much to be desired.
With these bills the levy on all the
people.could be reduced to four and
hall mills, while the taxes on some of
the people would be good deal more.
Mr.. Norton talked at length on the
bills and their advantages, chiefly that
they would reach a class OF people who,
he insists, now avoid paying taxes, and
that the bills would dlstributs tie
burden of taxes.
Captain Blythe, OF Greenvilla; Mr..
kinard, OF BarnwelI; Mr.. Toole, OF
aiken; Mr.. llderton, OF Florence Mr..
Zimmerman, of Aiken; Mr.. Skinner,
and many others participated in the
debate. Mr.. Zimmerman said that the
promised reduction of taxes by the
Reform party had not been made, and
that something would have to be done
Objection was raised to certain de-
tails of the license bills, and Mr.. Nor
ton said that this was q matter of de-
tail, and that the details could be
arranged later on to suit the members.
The discussion continued in an in
formal manner for while, Mr.. Crum.
who seemed to be the chairman of the
meeting, having occasionally to rap
for order.
were Messrs. Price, Blythe, Ilderton,
Dukes, Toole, Skinner, Price, 81. j.
kinard, j. ID. Kinard, Caughman, Phil
lips, Goodwin, Efrd, Miles, Bethune,
Winkler, Garris, Burns, Caughman,
Westmoreland, Fox, Limehouse, Les
ter, McWhite, Senator Pettigrew, and
altogether about forty.
1t was by no means a full gathering
Many OF the members said that they
did not care to attend the conference.
Members who were likely to oppose
Ine ollls ala not 8" EN- to be expected.
At least, they did not appear to know
that such meeting was being held.
The conference continued in session
for some time. AT the conclusion it
was stated that the inclipation was to
continue until next session the gradua-
ted license bill, but consider the in
come tax and insurance bills. There,
however, seemed to be decided differ.
ence OF opinion as to whether the bills
are to be pressed in conflict with
Saturday adjournment or not.
There seems to, be no binding obliga
tion as to the supporting OF the income
and Insurance bills, and many of those
at the conference are inclined to post
pone the bills asked for. The whole
thing Is that two bills have been favor
ably acted on by this conference, and
the license bill is to be left over until
next year. There is no certainty, how
ever, that any OF the bills will come
up, as the going home spirit is spread
ing. The Senate is only waiting on
the House as to these revenue bills in
order to agree to or postpone agree
ment to the adjournment resolution.
There is likelihood of substitute bill
to the graduated license bill If it should
como up.
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