The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-05-20


10; from the Office Of secretary Of
state. $20.656.6s; from insurance
licensed fees $42,12S.9s: from corpor-
alton license tax. $7S.ss2.ss from all
other sources. $22.ss1.73. making a to-
tai income to the state Of $1.392,192,-
o. The total expenditures for that
year were 31.+s0.2s5.15 which shows
a deficit Of 3ss.103.12. The appro-
priations bills for 1908 will exceed
the one for 1907 nearly $500. 900. and
at the end of this year the deficit will
be probably twice what 1t was in
1907. So II will be seen that with an
increase In ten years Of 100000. 900
In the taxable property. an increase
Of &47.115.os in receipts from the
secretary Of state and insurance IL
cense fees and $7s.32S.S3 from cor
poration tax. the State was still spend
Ing nearly $4,000 more than was be-
Ing raised, and therefore instead OF
getting on a cash basis she Is NOV
Ing further away from II.
There Is no encouragement to have
the taxpayer increase his assessment
so as even to approach an actual val
ue basis. and the taxpayer will con-
tinue to hold his assessment down un-
I'll he feels the Legislature can be
trusted to be less extravagant In the
expenditure Of public money.
I / am almost ready to reach the
conclusion that II the taxable prop
erty was twice what 1t is and 1t would
be that II 1t were assessed at its ac-
tual value. there would be no reduc-
tion in the tax levy. The legislature
would find some place to spend the
money thus raised. This certainly is
correct conclusion II we are to
Judge by the experience of the past
ten years.
There Is certainly a great inequali-
ty In the assessment Of our property
not only as to individual property,
but as among the counties. and there
is necessity for some changes in our
methods Of assessing. and there
should be some change in the man
agement Of our business as a State.
II 10 not the purpose Of this article to
suggest changes. but simply to call
attention to facts.
II the people can get the informa-
ton which M. Jones IL endeavoring
to give them Am satisfied 1t will re-
suit In . reformation. and mon Win
be sent to the legislature who will
give this subject that thoughtful and
business like attention which It de-
serves. and they will inform them.
selves 20 a. to be fitted to do this. II
10 really. In my Judgment. the most
important question before the people
of the state today. II has always
been q question since government was
formed. and certainly business meth
DDS could be applied and q more
equitable assessment OF the property
secured and . more judicious expen-
diture OF the public funds made.
Several efforts have been made to
enact legislation looking to a more
equitable assessment. but these ef-
ferts have met defeat. Something is
needed. especially Il this true as
among the counties, The basis OF
valuation varies In different counties
which makes the burden Of State tax
bear unevenly. Sixty per cent. Is
about the maximum, and in many
counties II Is much lower. In one Of
the largest and wealthiest counties In
the State the amount invested in cot
ton mills alone Is as much as the
total assessed value Of the entire
county.
Some persons seem to have an idea
that reducing the levy reduces the
taxes. The levy must be large enough
to raise sufficient revenue to meet the
Nexpendh, res. The place and time to
reduce the levy Is when appropria-
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