The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-11
The General Assembly.
Inc Only FactiOnaI Debate This Session
CHARLESTON SENATOR BREAKS
THE PEACE AND UNITY.
The Income Tax Measure is tho
Bone Of Contcntion--Thc Discus
sion is Warm and Vigorous.


sion is Warm and Vigorous.
Mr.. Henderson moved to continue
until next session the income tax bill,
and submitted his reasons for so doing .
This bill was Unnecessary to meet the
eXigencies of the State government for
this year. If it were necessary, it
should go into effect before January,
1873. If thore was q deficiency at tho
end OF this year when the General AS
sembly met next year, tho time for
collecting taxes could be extended and
the bill put in force then. This, ho
submitted, disposed Of tho arguments
That the bill was a necessity. He fur
ther objected to the bill because it had
never been discussed before the people.
There was no demand for il; no expect-
alton Of it. This bill should not he
thrown upon tho people at the last of
the session. He was opposed to double
taxation.
Mr. PettlgreW averred that this bill
was right and just and it would be bet
ter to meet the expected deficit than
to wait for the deficit to come.
Mr.. ,Mayiold said the question was
upon the eXpediency Of passing tho bill
at this session. Mr.. Henderson had not
spoken on the bill only as necessity.
Mr.. Henderson and he then had an ex-
ch"oSS VI Ill WHICH Nlf. en-
derson said. if next year there was u
deficit he would vote Tor the bill.
MIR. Mayficld continued that there
was nothing in the constitution to pro-
hlblt this tax. 1t was q aecessity
The income from the phosphate indus
try had decreased to such an extent
that it no longer furnished any revenue
for the government. Something had
to be done. He submitted that the
poor man who paid taxes on $500 worth
OF property paid more in proportion
than the rich. There were many
wealthy mon in the State who paid no
tax. 1t was but just, fair and right
that they should pay for the protection
they received.
Mr.. Ragsdale quoted the saying of
benjamin Franklin that we should not
put oil until tomorrow that which we
can do to-day, and also the saying of
Aaron Burr that we should not do to-
day that which we can put off until to-
morrow. lie said that both sayings,
paradoXical as it might seem. when
rightly interpreted, embodied much of
wisdom. Franklin's idea was that in
dustry should be placed above all
things. Burr's idea was that in mat
ters of grave consequence delay will
disclose reasons why action should not
be taken Ho thought this proper
case for tho application Of Rurr's
maxim. The bill was one of great i'm
portance and it had not been considered
by the people. Nothing could be lost
by continuing the bill, to the end that
it might be discussed by tho press and
tho people. He said that he would
favor an income tax under propcr linn
essary, out that incomes below the
cost Of living should not in any case
De taxed. That tho people Of this
State were not wealthy, and if the tax
should be fixed at figure whero an
income tax might be justified that it
would in that case yield no revenue.
lie said that q tax levied on incomes
was double taxation.
The vote to continue stood II to IL
and the Lieutenant Governor cast tho
deciding vote against continuance.
The vote was as follows:
Ycs-Brown, Buist, Douglass, Grif-
Gth, Henderson, Mcdaniel, Miller,
Moses, Mower, Ragsdale, Sloan, Tai
bird, Turner, Walkor--14.
Nays-AleXander, Archer, Conner,
DuBose, Hay, Mayfield, Norris, O'Dell,
Pettigrew, Ragin, Sanders, Stack
house, Suddath, Williams-14
Senators Love, McCalla and Dennis
were paired with absent Senators on
this bill ard hence did not vote. The
two first announced that they would
have voted for the bill and the latter
against it if they had not been so
paired.
When the refusal to continue the
bill was announced, Mr.. Buist moved
to strike out the enacting words of the
bill and said; "Ncver before tho Re-
form party took control of affairs In
1890 did | hear Of an administration
measure. That party secured control
by satisfying the public mind that
there had boon extravaganza in tho
State administration. But since 1890
thero has been no reduction in taxes.
There have been additional demands,
the pensions and Clemson College, both
OF which are proper and right" Flo
did not object to thom. but tho trouble
was that tho State has undertaken too
much. Hereafter he would exercise
no more liberality, because he believed
1T was being done at the peoples cx-
pense. Tho levy had been increased
since 1890 and the resources Of the lit
tie State OF South Carolina would not
admit OF 1t. The day was coming whom
the people would have q word to say
on that question. This measure was
brought up within forty eight hours
OF the close Of the session, whom tho
people were unpreparcd for it: q meas.
uro which was Injurious to the interest
Of the State. In 1860 tho people who
started great revolution did not have
half the oppression and tho cause of
irritation imposed upon them as the
people Of South Carolina were now suf-
fering under. They were allowed to
cat and to wear clothes and that
was about all. The insurance bill had
been passed and now the proposition
was to put moro burden upon the peo-
pic. The proposition was to reward
the men who were building up the
State by q system Odious, and, In his
Judgment, unconstitutional. He know
that this was directed chiefly at the
city Of Charleston, but that made no
differences; 1t was wrong for Greenvillc,
1t was wrong for everywhere.
Mr.. Mayliold regretted tho injection
OF factional issues into the discussion
This tax would bear equally upon al
factions. All the peopls should con
tribute to the maintenance OF the State
povarnment Mr. Ruist had snol,Cn n!