The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-15
An Appeal for Lever Taxes.
Greenmue Mountaineer.

The Newberry Observer makes O
strong and cogent appeal to the Legis-
lature for a reduction of taxes in this
State. Whether or not this appeal will
! be needed we are not averse to making
we believe the danger ahead is on the
other line, and unless there is vigor-
GUS protest against any increase of
taxation, tho chances are that the levy
next year will keep pace Will. the in
crease in taxable property. 1t is not
| hard to believe that the majority of our
people favor high taxes, as has been
alleged in some quarters, for there ia
seldom any earnest and concerted ac-
tion on the part of the people to cause
| q reduction in the levy. All tho salar-
led officials in the State arc entirely
| willing for the taxes to remain as they
| are, so far rs we have any information
on this score, and the beneticiaries of
| our government in any capacity are
not opposed to the present arrange
ments. On the contrary there is an un-
ceasing demand for larger and more
extensive appropriations from tho pub
lie treasury, and when the Legislature
meets in January the members will be
asked to add here and there to the ex-
penditures Of the State, while not
word will be urged against them ex-
cept by few legislators who will act
III surprising minority. One Of the
reasons that will be given for theseex-
:: tFA appropriations is that inc taxah.c
property OF the SCate has been ccp sid
erably increased and that Tie State
can afford to make such expenditures
because the rate of taxation will not
be increased thereby! There will al
ways be found plausible excuses for
making extra appropriations, but the
Loo al m hn
South Carolina that will engage in a
systematic reduction of expenses. so
that an actual benefit will accrue to
the taxpayers. Cheap and inexpensive
government seems to be n thing Of
the past, and rendering service to the
State must be accompanied with a
liberal compensation these days, all of
expenses. The on-taxpayers are in
an Overwhelming majority, and the
Legislature will continue to favor the
State with generous appropriations,
because the people who pay tho taxes
are not aggressive and persistent in
their demands for reduction in the
levy. The Observer says:
The taxable property of the State
has increased for the current year to
the amount Of three and half million
dollars, and when the people know this
fact they are bound to think to them
selves some very strong thoughts that
are also bound to bo heard later on in
the form of words. They cannot un-
derstand how it is that the burden of
taxation cannot be made lighter. 1t is
getting too heavy a. burden especially
for the farming class of tax payers, for
Notwithstanding the great depression
in the price Of farm products which,
with few exceptions, has prevailed for
many years, taxes are no lower. In
fact, it seems that taxes are continual
ly on the increase.
The times seem to be out of proper
ton when we consider the relation
of the producing class of our popnln-
tion. Fifteen years ago q pound of
cotton would buy g pound Of bacon,
and these two products now bear about
the same relation to each other. A
dollar to-day will buy at least one
fourth more than q dollar would fifteen
years ago, and everything else has ad-
cept the administration of public af-
fairs. Instead of our taxes being low
er, as should be the case, they are con-
tinually getting higher and higher, and
after most farmers pay their taxes,
guanO and lien bills, they have moth
ing left. We are honestly of the opin-
ion thatthe State government could be
administered at less outlay of money
than it is now costing US, and not be
one whit less effective than it is now
carried on. Take the salary of one Of
flee, for instance, at say two thousand
dollars. Adjust it to present conditions
as to how much ench dollar of that
salary will now secure Of the comforts
of life as com mpared TO the time when
such salary was fixed, and we find that
an amount equal to One-fOurth less
than onoh n o0 tnrVy will nhfoir,- M, nh
to-day. But when cutting down salar-
les is talked about one is always pnrti-
cular that his views in support Of such
reform should be construed us refer
ring to the salary of somebody else:
We are aware that this is an old ques-
ton and that it has been kicked about
in Legislative halls until it is all. out of
shape. There are big salaries and lit
tie salaries, and some officers OF the
government do not get salary enough.
A readjustment is needed. 1t seems
these days that Office holders are our
masters in this republican form of
government, when they really should
be the servants of the people.
We must m a not be understood to be in
What we want is lower taxes; what
the people want is lower taxes. Hero
we find this year that the wealth of
the State has made an appreciable in
crease and the amount Of taxable pro-
perty has been on the increase year af-
ter year for the past decade, yet still
there is no relief for the taxpayer. In
fact our taxes are higher now in pro-
portion than they we're in the inflated
days of carpetbag- misrule. There
ought tc be s0Ine relief afforded the
people nOw-at once. The servant is
not above his lord, but we hold to the
principle that the affairs Of our govern
ment should be administered with the
strictest economy and j JeffersOniau sim
plicity. f we are Democrats in form,
and if we practice what we preach we
cannot then afford to have extravagant
and luxurious ideas. We appeal for,
lower taxes.