The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-09-14

al professions except fa-m-
erS.- OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 81
Is not this reason sotEcien,? Is this equal
rights 10 all aad special privileges to nout?
Agair, does this Discrimination step here?
40. It gees furthec aud d,scfluiinaIe5 even
;tmoug tue f4rnIsrs, Farmer a pays ST %
per ;on for acid, aud pays Is ceEts tax
;bsrecD, not on property. but tor the privil
ege. This is equal to 35 mills, or 81 PER
cent. on the purchase price Farmer
pays S45 for ton of nitrate He pays Is
cents tax. or less than mills on the pur-
chase While farmers pay their full share
uf all other taxes they are in addition bur
densd indirectly with this most iuiquitous
of all taxes. Ii the State proposes to go in
to the indirect tax business to raise revenue,
why, in the name OF all decency, should she
single out fertilizers? Why not tax mineral
waters, che ing gum, luXuries of kinds,
railroad eupplles, manufacturers supplies,
and the supplies Of every other Industry?
"hy single outa necessity OF the farm aud
place such discriminating tax upon it?
Why require the consumers of fertilizers
alone TO support one college in such lavish
way and pay their full share 10 all 9th r ip-
stitutions? Is it righr? Is it just? Is it
statesmanship? Is it becoming civilized
people: Echo answers. no, thousand
Zines, no. Ibis system is becoming that of
d heather OF unciviized despot; one who
would tax small towns for the bereft of
large cities, or q government distrustsul Of
its own people, seeking to take from the peo-
pes pocket, indir ect'y and behind their
hat oh thn,, of y 81
1t is becoming cowardly government
Col. Norris says there was no demand
from the people for the reduction Of the tax
.Fas there any demand from the peope,
that the consumers OF fertilizers should
build and maintain L textile school in con-
nection with Clemson college? Pear in
mind am not opposed to a textile school,
ard believe that great good will accrue to
the State from such school properly man
aged. (And, by the way, one Of the profess
sors told Inc on my last visit 10 Gleason
that the oat crop was so prodigious that i,
vas necessary to rent land u shock it on.
believe the textile school is intended to
teach the boys to spin yarn. But, ifit is ri Eht
to tax the consumers of sItilizers to build
and support an agricultural and mechanical
college, why is it not rightto tax mill people
Tor yarn spinners) TO build and support q
textile school? No, sir; it is all wrong
This should be an institution of the whols
people, and all should be taxed alike for ite
support. But possibly | have "ampi6ed"
TOO much.
However let me say that have not spoken
or written one wor1 for the fun of it or for
b,,~ TOW
to write, aud aohor newspaper notoriety;
neither have written for the purpose of
doing any one harm, or for the purpose Of
e'evaring any one, but from q conscientious
feeling of duty that feel owe TO our State
aud the people at large, and especially to the
consumer of fertilizers, aud also, as con
scientiously believe, for the benefit Of Glenn
son college and all other institutions of the
State | have always stood by all the State
colleges and fell deep AID special iuteresi
in Clemson. i long to see the day when all
Of them will be taken out OF the political
market, thereby iLcrea,iug their efficiency
and usefulness. And, notwithstanding
em constitntionally opposed to bond Issues,
believe it would be economy aud to the
best Interests of the State and colleges to en-
low them with bond issues
1t is TO he regretted thai the Citadel ha,
rr.e.ved what is considered By many two
very serious blows during the present yc2r,
namely, the riot aud the ignoring OF the
graduates in the army appointments.
l have tried to be fair to all in what
have had TO say, and regret that thoughtit
necessary to use what might be termed
strong words at times. | tried not to pu.
any one in the penitertiary. or accuse him
Of fraud or theft Ifany one has been placed
N an awkward position it is his misfortune,
not my fault, and he has my sympathy. be-
iieve the Gleason board to be made up of
honorable, conscientious men, who are Try
ing to do the best they can. shall not at
tempt tn criticize their action here, except
to say that believe in their desperate effort
10 hold on to and perpetuate the present in
come to Clemson, i. e., this unequal and un
just special tax on fertil zers, that they will
eventually impair by prejudicing certain
classes Clemson's great future prospects for
usefulness. Let Clemson come to the ge-2.-
al public crib for her sustenance. have
such faith in the people Of the State that
believe Clemson would be given every dollar
needed unhesitatingly. hope the public
will pardon me for intruding on their pa
,ienee. My earnest desire to see justice
done to all prompts me to be lengthy.
could write more, but enough for the pres
eDt but, remember, the half has not been
told. Respectfully,
L. S Counor.
Orangeburg, s c., July %, 1898.