The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-26

long neglected by OR people. Bad
highways is tho very heaviest tax that
CIR people have had to bear and it is
self-imposed The wear and tear up
on stock and vehicles and loss OF time
incident to the travel upon our public
roads, is the greatest burden We car
~. No public utility will add more to
the value of our property and wealth
of our State than good and perma-
nent highways. The effect will be to
eliminate distance and make life in
the country very much more pleasant
and desirable. This Improvement will
be great economy and blessing not
only to the State, but to all of our peo-
pie and in every walk of life.
l shall stand for and urge the per
naanent Improvement Of our high
ways, such improvement to be made
under local self government in the
various counties.
Fellow citizens, if elected your gov
ernor, l shall urge the utmost care
and precaution as to how we shall
spend the hard earned tax money of
the people Of our State. Wherever
it can be done without impairing the
public service and the best Interests OF
our State there should be retrench-
ment. We should use the greatest
care to prevent the appropriation of
more money than our annual income
will warrant. Our State debt is al
ready toe large, and our annual inter-
ests very great. There are eXpendi-
lures that can not be reduced, those
for education and the eX-COnfederate
soldiers, and there may be others. but
the pruning knife should be used
wherever possible to keep our eNren-
diture within wise and safe bounds.
My record will show that I used the
greatest precaution in voting appro-
priations Of the peoples money while
I was a member of the legislature,
and I still stand for wise economy in
all of our government affairs.
In 1913 our State debt becomes due
and our bonds are to be refunded.
Our bonds are drawing IL per cent.
interest today, but there is no good
reason why our bonds should not be
foated at at least 1-2 per cent. We
have sS0O,O0O in our sinking fund to-
day for the purpose Of retiring bonds
to that extent, therefore our interest
that is now very burdensome would be
very materially reduced, and there
should, therefore be a corresponding
reduction in taxation.
The Inequalities of taxation are so
manifest to every South Carolinian
that a complete revision and read
justment of the tax machinery Of our
State has become a demand of our
people.
There is no reason, fellow citizens,
why the tax department of our gov
ernment should not be run on busi-
ness basis. I am opposed to any
scheme that will increase the tax bur-
den of our people, but I most earnest
ly favor a policy OF assessment that
will force this burden upon the
shoulders of those best able to carry
it, and who are receiving the greatest
degree of protection at the hands OF
the government.
T favor an equalization of assess
ment upon tax values all along the
line.
There is no equity in a system OF
taxation that allows the assessment
of mules in one county at 50 per cent
of their true value. and in another
county at IS per cent. A taxing sys-
tenn is manifestly unjust that permits
the shares of one bank in given
county to be assessed at 40 per cent
while the shares of another bank in
the same county are assessed at sc
per cent Now is there any sane reason
why farm lands should be returned
for taxation in one county at 40 per
cent. of their value while in another
they are returned at 80 per cent. OF
their true value.
This, fellow citizens, is the condi-
ton that prevails throughout the
length and breadth of our State, and
I promise that if I am elected COVER
nor to give this great subject my most
profound thought that I may be able
to recommend to the legislature a
system of assessments that will be
reasonable and just and that will bear
with equitable force upon all our peo-
pie.
Fellow citizens, if you should elect
me governor Of this proud, this grand
old State, I will consider it my sa-
cred duty, to familiarize myself with
every detail of the government and
keep in constant touch with the work
ing forces of all of our institutions. I
will regard it my sacred duty to in
form myself, to the very best of my
ability upon all our public affairs, so
that I may intelHgently recommend to
the law making bodies of the State
those things that the good of the State
and peace and happiness of our people
demand.
Mr.. Chairman, and fellow Carolin-
ians, before close my remarks I want
just few words in regard to the ex-
Confederate soldiers, the truest and
noblest type of our magnificent citiz-
enship. The Confederate soldier is
dear to every true Southern heart.
There remains but few of these heroes
in South Carolina for US to honor. A
large proportion of those who yet re-