The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1902-06-20
IMPORTANT ISSUE.
Assistant Secretary Of State Can't
Shows How Taxes Can be Reduced
WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED.
Figures From Otlcr states Ar,
Quoted ana Differences In 'rnx
Systems Are Pointed
O.. by him.

1t Is not known TO many people that
last year there was made Il modest be-
ginning IN project which promises
to bc Of great benefit to the people OF
the State For years the fees collect
ed by the Secretary OF states ohlcc
have aggregated between three and
four thousand dollars, which has been
butt q small factor in the States IN
come. Last year however, the splendid
sum Of $40, 5S3.7 II was turned into The
State Treasury and a material source
Of revenue opened To the state gov
crnmcnt. There Is OF course, an cX-
planatiOn Of this fact which must be
OF interest TO the people When MI
Ganlt vas appointed Assistant TO the
Secretary OF State he found to his sur
prise that the OllIcc Of Secretary OF
state turned over annually hundreds
OF thousands Of dollars To run the gov
crnmcnts OF the various States Of the
Union. He Immediately began work
nnsolying the problem, and tho sum
turned over last year is due to his cf-
forts. lie found many inequalities
IN the corporation law Of tho State.
which he sought to remedy. = cor
poration having only 81 900 OF capl-
tai stock he found WAS required under
the South Carolina law TO pay Sll.00
for It's charter, while other corpora
tionS having millions or dollars Of cnpi.
tai were not required to pay anything,
Understanding as he did the detail Of
these matters, he prepared Il measure
correcting the injustice, ,,nd providing
another schedule Of fees, with the re-
suit that Il large increase In the rcvc-
nuc derived has resulted Mr. Can't
believes that other beneficial reforms
along the same line can be accomplish
cd, and thai 4 large revenue can br
supplied the state government, from
other sources thnn a direct tax on the
property OF the people; and a material
reduction In the levy Of taxes for State
purposes accomplished.
In view Of these facts the following
open letter published IN The Coluln bia
state, VIII be ot especial interest to
tho tax payers Of the State
| TO the Editor OF The state.
An experience Of oycrsthrcc years In
an executive Office Of thcrSiatc govern
ment, prompts some obs itionS upon
| the tax system ol south ,rolina, for
which ] ask your INDULGENCE. There
always has been and dotDtlcS> viii be
until the end OF time complaint aris.
Ing rom any system which seeks TO OK
act money from tile individual 20 sup
| Ia, i<.,. A. 4 A a.
| "WhGcvcr hopes Il faultlcSs tax to see,
Hopes what nc'cr was, isnot, and ncci
shall be.
| However, the fact that sc can never
reach perfection IN the means wc adopt
should not dctcr us from striving to.
wards such an end. While the best
and most bcnclicicnt reforms have al
ways been by gradual processes, It
seems to me that We have stopped al
progress towards better system, and
that VIC are permitting other States OF
this union TO ontstrip lis IN reaching 4
solution OF this problem.
An earnest desire for Il reduction il
the tax levy for state purposes Is no,
confined to the ollicc seeker, hut i
shared by the best element OF the pro
grcSsirc and propcrty-Owning class OF
the people OF South Carolina. tol
years We have been promised some re.
ductlOn In the burden, and IN attempt
has frequently been made To do some
thing o-Wards this end, but lhcs,
promises and attempts have been bul
Dead Sea fruit In the mouths OF tn,
people and never ended in fruiliOn
| We have been told that wc were pay
ing our public oflccrs cXtravagant sal
aries. We have seen salaries reduced
but tht burden was not lightcncd
| The attempt TO Impose an income Ia,
ended In farcla failure.
All this being true, where can w,
look for rclicf2 The appropriation,
FOR the public schools OF the State must
and VIII be continued. a majority o
the people nrc determined that our in
stitutlOnS OF higher education shah bt
adequately supported for they are M
| willing TO advertise to the world tina
we arc too poor or too Indifferent t
| properly maintain them. We canno
deny TO the Confederate veterans Tn,
aid OF that State which lie dcfendct
| NJOti llO liic-ulOOti, All tIllS DBIl1R tFtlc
wc have little hope Of q reduction Ii
the levy from q reduction IN the OK
pcnscs Of government. where we hay
vainly sought IL for ten years, only t,
be disappointed.
| notwithstanding all these facts,
reduction IN the levy for state pur
poses Is not impossible, but must com
Instead from the development OF othe
sources OF income to the State govern
ment. Other States have found tlcs
sources and we have their cxampl
and experience before us. a i've mil
levy for State purposes is excessive an,
burdcnsOmc. There Is no reason wh
the levy In South Carolina should b
heavier than that OF other States. w
have q similar gOvcrnment, our publ
: debt Is not excessive measured by th
Standards We find, and our people az
contentcd and prosperous.
There Is no reason why the man wi,
builds 4 home here should have place
, upon his shoulders the burden tha
should be the share Of other men. w