The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-03-04

go to Clemson College -avowedly for
the purpose Of paying for the inspec-
tion Of the commercial fertilizers to
protect the farmers from being i'm
posed upon. Really less than $4,000
year is spent upon the analysis Of
commercial fertilizers. Clemson thus
gets for operating expenses from the
privilege tax more than the combined
appropriations to the South Carolina
College, the Citadel and the State
Colored College. In addition to this
Clemson gets revenue from other
sources. There is $4,000 from the
Hatch fund; SO, from the interest
on Mr.. Clemson's bequest; s6, 900 from
che land scrip fund, and about $50, 900
from the cadet fund.-" which, as
stated in the annual report of the
legislative inspecting committee, is
expended on board, laundry, ETC., for
the cadets. Clemson has indeed a
princely income, just how much can
not be told from the annual reports,
and is doing a superb work. Out of
the income the permanent improve
ments are made. Last year nearly
$50. 200 was paid out for new build
ings. The question arises: When
Clemson gets through putting up
buildings and adding to the equip
ment, will there not be an annual res
idue from the tag tax receipts
That question has worried the gen.
eral assembly for several years-but
was not touched upon at the session
just ended, although there were sew
eral bills to reduce the tag tax from
25 cents a ton to Is cents, to raise it
to 35 cents, etc. But the proposition
which has ever attracted the greatest
attention is to have Clemson divide
the privilege tax with Winthrop.
This has been opposed on the ground
that the State has no right to levy a
special tax and that this inspection"
tax is but subterfuge for a special
tax on a commodity. Should the in
come be diverted from the inspecting
agency of the government, then the
whole scheme might be declared un-
constitutional and Clemson suffer a
serious loss. If Clemson continues to
develop and extend her magnificent
plant, it is probable that all Of this
inspection tax may be required for op-
Grating expenses and that there would
be no residue.
Judge Lyon, who attends to the fer
tilizer tax books in the State treasur-
er's office, stated Friday that there
is little or no chance for the fertilizer
companies to defraud the State gov
eminent. The companies are liable to
heavy penalty if they omit from the
sacks Of fertilizers the tags showing
the authority Of the State govern
ment. The consumer may be defraud-
ed, because every sack is not tested
and it's contents analyzed, but the
payment of the tax cannot be escaped.
When fertilizer company makes a
Iequisition for tags, the check is sent
to the State treasurerS office and
thence forwarded to the State chem
ist at Clemson. The latter sends the
official tags to the company. The Vir-
ginia. Carolina Chemical Company
pays the greater part Of the privilege
tax, although some members of the
legislature are impressed with the
fact that the people themselves pay
this tax and that if it were removed
the price Of fertilizers would not be
reduced correspondingly. Friday
Judge Lyon received a check for ST.
500 from the Virginia. a-Carolina Chem
ical Company accompanying an order
for tags.