The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-17
ANNUAL MESSAGE TO
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
GOVERNOR ANSEL REVIEWS AZ
FAIRS OF STATE
Gives Information and Suggestions
Gathered From His First Years
Administration.

Administration.
Governor Martin F. Ansel's an
nual message was transmitted to the
general assembly on Tuesday.
Following is synopsis Of the mes
sage:
States Finances.
We are one year behind in the as
sessment and collection Of our taxes,
or rather We collect the taxes at the
end Of the year for the expenses OF
the state government for the year,
past, when We should have the taxes
in hand at the beginning of the year
to pay the obligations Of the state as
they mature. This condition Of things
frequently makes it necessary for the
state to borrow money before the tax
es are collected to pay the running
expenses Of the state government and
the appropriations made by the gen.
eral assembly. During this year tha
governor, state treasurer and comp
troller general have had to borrow
$35O,0O0 for these purposes, the au-
thority for borrowing the money haV-
ing been granted by you at your last
session.
| These conditions are likely to con-
tinue year after year unless provision
is made to catch up. I, therefore,
recommend that at least an extra
2-miE tav for state purposes be pro-
yided for at this session Of the legls-
lature, the same to be done for the
next tive years, when we Will have+1
the treasury money sufficient to place
us waere we Will not be required to
borrow, but "can pay as we CO." =.
Another, matter which l desire to:
call to your-attention is that the ap-
preparations Of last year exceeded the
c.timatea revenue. or :: ! l-2-mlH:
levy, BY So. .Ial thousand dollars
(see report Of comptroller generaf}..
! It is very evident to every thinking
business man that if an appropriation;
is made the tax levy should be sufh-
cient to meet the same:
Assessment of Property.
By the constitution, it is made your
duty to provide "for a Uniform and
equal rate Of assessment and taxa
tion, and shall prescribe regulations
to secure a just valuation for taxa
ton Of property, real, personal and
possessory, except mines and mining
claims. the products Of which alone
shall be taxed" All property should
bear it's just proportion Of the taxes
The question arises, How is the audi
tor to find out what personal property
the taxpayer has? suggest the IN
ouisitorial plan: Require the county
auditor to publicly administer to the
taxpayer "A cath requiring aim to
truly answer concerning all his pro.
perty Of whatsoever kind and record
lit on ais tax return with the valua=
! ton he places on same, which Is to pc
afterwards equaiized by the town.
ship and county boards Of equaIza-
ton. BY this means the value Of all
the visible property, as we'll as all
stocks, notes, bonds and money nbe
arrived at, and much personal pro-.
perty which now escapes assessment
would be brought to light. More care
should be used by the county auditors
i'm receiving the returns Of the tax
payer. The oath should be admins
tered and the party fully interrogated
as to his or her property and the pro-
perty under his or her control, with
the valuation thereof. When this is
done publicly the aeignbors who may
be present will know whether the val
uation is correct and the "tax dod-
ger" will be required to answer cor
rectlv or take the consequences.
Labor Contracts.
Governor Ansel calls attention to
the fact that the United States gov
er.lm2nt has declared the labor con-
tract laws unconstitutional, and has
tie following to say in regard to the
matter: recommend that you pass
a stringent act which will punish both
landlord and laborer for violation of
a labor contract, and make it a mis-
demeanor for one person to employ
a laiborer who is under contract with
another. Require that these labor