The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-05-19
THURSDAY, MAY Ie. 1904.
THE TAX ON CANNES.
Mr. J. Davis Carter Regards the Law
as a Blow at the Poor Man.

Editor County Record
And now, Mr. editor, comes the
300 dog tax, a direct blow at the
poor man. However, ! will say at
the beginning of this article that ] am
no dog lover and all who know me
will bear me out in this statement, 80
] want to BET myself Alright on this
subject. It's not the dog, but the
poor man that ! am trying to defend.
Well, to commence with, if AM not
mistaken, the supreme court has sl-
ready decreed that dogs are personal
property and I notice that all dogs
ere valued by the county board Of
equalization at s., which l think is
the highest valued property listed
for taxation. Why then put a capi-
tation tax of SOC on dogs? Why not
make it $500 per capita on horses
and mules? / think they are assessed
much lower according to value, than
dogs. But oh! that's not the object
to raise money says one; but to get
rid of so many worthless dogs PROV
ling around killing sheep, eating eggs,
etc. Well, 1 admit that such is
the case, but, / think, there is very
good way of getting rid of such char
acter of dogs, or at least / have been
successful around my place.
Well, now, let's see how the dog
and sheep stand in relation to valua-
tion by referring to the comptroller
generals report. I find the value of
dogs in South Carolina decidedly
more than that of sheep. Why then
put SOC tax on dogs. Is there any
good reason why? If SO l would like
TO have it explained, for / fail to see
it now. / said in the beginning of
this article that it was blow at the
poor man, and / shall endeavor to
show why it is generally conceded
that the poorer man gets the more
dogs he wants. well why? Because
It's pleasure he's seeking. Now the
people of this State are divided into
many classes. They all try in seme
way or other to have recreation and
pleasure. The rich have their pal
ace cars, parks and automobiles.
There is another class who enjoy their
fine horses, worth all the way from
five hundred to twenty five hundred
dollars, and possibly returned for
taxation at one hundred dollars.
There is another class who enjoy the
pleasure of looking at their fine herds
of cattle. hogs etc, others their
fine fowls and fighting cocks, and
so on down. / might mention many
other ways in which our people
have their pleasures, but when you
get down to our poorer people they
have nothing to look to for pleasure
save their coon dogs. And now l
say in all candor, don't deprive the
poor man of his only source of pleas
ure by taxing his dog all out Of pro-
portion with other property. If
there is more money needed for the
public schools 60 down in your
clothes and get it; don't force he
poor man to pay it or give up his d e
] think it far better to look closer in
getting all the notes, bonds and
mortgages on the tax books, than
looking SO close after the dogs. Thi
being done the SOC dog tax will not
be needed. And now, Mr. Editor, lest
] trespass too much on your valuable
space and time, l close by saying, do
let the plow boy have his dog so he
can chase the rabbits around the
plantation and git 'em for supper.
Respectfully,
JDAvIs CARTER.
lao g e. Nav 1904