Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-17
#tistel1aneuus geadimg.
McswEENEY's LAST MESSAGE.
suggestions.

Retiring Governor Makes Some Wise
suggestions.
Governor McSweeney, in his last
message to the legislature, congratu-
lates the people on the good feeling
which prevails and upon the absence
Of factional bitterness. He refers to
the great material progress that has
been made, the further promotion Of
which should be one Of the chief aims
of the legislature.
He refers to the financial deficit and
declares that the appropriations should
be kept within the amount the levy
will produce. He discusses the ques-
tion Of taxation, and on the matter Of
assessment he says:
ITO adopt percentage Of actual
value would be plain violation Of the
provisions Of the constitution. 1t
makes little difference to the taxpay-
er what the basis of valuation Is so
that all property Is assessed in the
same ratio Of value, for a certain
amount Of money has to be raised to
meet the expenses Of government, and
If the valuation Is high the rate Is low,
and vice versa. The inequality which
now exists, however, makes the burden
bear unevenly, and the best plan Is to
require that the mandate Of the con-
stitution be followed. If one county Is
assessed at 80 per cent. and another at
so per cent. Of actual value, one Is pay
ing too much and the other Is paying
too little Of its proportion Of the state
tax. The tax for county purposes
makes little difference. This Is a ques-
tion that has puzzled the legislators
since government has been organized
and taxes laid, and the man who can
devise a plan which will make the
burden of taxation bear evenly on all
property will receive the we'll done of
the people Of the state.'
He repeats the plan recommended in
his last message as to the manner Of
making assessments, which, in brief,
follows:
Much more could be accomplished
If the law were amended so as to re-
quire that the county auditor shall, af-
ter notice in the public prints, take re-
turns in each township, and that he
shall not take these returns except
while present in the township. In case
any taxpayer refuses or fails to make
return whileSthe auditor is present IN
the township, the auditor and tAs
township board shall be required to asS'
sess such property, and notify the
owner Of the valuation placed upon his
property. That there shall be appoint
ed township board Of assessors, con-
sisting Of three discreet freeholders,
residents Of the township, who shall
meet with the auditor to receive the
returns and assess property. That this
board shall be appointed by the coun-
ty auditor and receive compensation
for their services. That all returns
shall be made in public in the presence
Of the auditor and the township board,
and that the owner Of the property
shall be required to answer the ques-
tions as now provided by law, and
make affidavit as to the correctness
Of his answer. If the township board
thinks the return is too high or too
low it shall be its duty, in the presence
Of the owner Of the property and the
auditor, to raise or lower the return
in order to reach the true market value
of the property. The chairmen OF
these township boards shall constitute
the county board Of equalization, and
this board shall meet at the court
house and go over the returns for the
county with the county auditor and
hear complaints and appeals, their de-
cision to be subject to appeal to the
state board. The auditor shall not be
permitted to go into a primary, but
shall be appointed by the governor, as
provided by law, so as to be as free
and Independent as it is possible"
The message goes into the subject of
good roads at some length, and prop
erty tax Is suggested for the purpose,
though no details are given as to the
levy of such a tax.
A compulsory education law is rec
commended, it being held that no one
will question the right Of the state to
enforce such a law; and further, that
the history of the operations Of such
laws shows their benefit and that they
work no hardship. He recommends
that the legislature contribute to the
public schools a sum equal to the
amount appropriated to the state COL
leges. He also heartily endorses Mr..
McMahans ideas about establishing
schools designed especially to train
boys and girls for the actual duties or
life. The work of the various state
colleges is referred to separately and
in detail, all going to show that good
work has been done.
On the child labor question the gov
ernor says that compulsory educa-
tional law would help very much In
the solution Of the question, and in
fact" he says, "the adoption OF
child-labor law would necessitate COM
pulsory education. The question must
be met and solved and the sooner 1t Is
done the better" He argues that the
state has a right to interfere and goes
on to say:
1T is a perplexing question, but 1t Is
a question of such vital Importance 10
the state that it should be settled, not
upon fine spun theories, but the para
mount issue should be the best inter-
ests of the commonwealth and Its cit
izenship. This being true, child labor
should be prohibited by a wise ana
a....a 4;..a laru which will protect