The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-02-23

frustrated and Of course d.Sap-
pointment resulted, the people
however are the gamers thereby.
l regard the efforts made to dis
rupt the institution as the eff
feces of mercenary greed and mis-
cradle politics. regulations OF
good men were not considered
anything to stand in the way Of
those who were bentupon destruc
ton, but fortunately there were
enough conservative men there
who could see through the pur-
poses of the opposition, and with
a most positive expression reouk-
ed the methods.
The agitation resulted in pro-
vidiug means to relieve the con-
sested conditions and the matter
is so happily solved that | hon
estly believe that within this year
the gentlemen appointed to add
to and build more buildings for
the afflicted ones will soon begin
to get things in shape.
The most important matter of
direct interest to the people is the
matter Of taxation. To put Clar-
endon on 4 cash basis as a good
business Judgment would require.
:, tax levy Of about seven mills is
needed. but thiSin my judgement.
the taxpayers would not stand
Tor, so the delegation thought it
the better part of wisdom to only
make partial provision for part
of the deficit rather than impose
a heavy tax rate before it could
be ascertained what will be the
amount Of taxable property this
year. This is land returning year
and if the returns show an in
crease in the landed assessments
then the neStdelegation will have
something definite to base q levy
upon. We were unanimous in our
conclusions not to raise the coun
ty levy more than l , mill at this
session. There is much complaint
about high taxes and the com
plant is not without foundation
but the legislature is not alone to
blame. The people are making
demands for Improvements and
it is a traism that we cannot eat
orr cake and keep it too, if We
are to keep abreast of the times
then We must make up our minds
that it will cost money and that
it is the taxpayer who must pay
the fiddler. The large appropria-
tions are in response to .he de
mand for increased educational
facilities, and who IS it that Will
try to throw himself in the way
of the great demand for educa-
ton, the man who attempts it will
deserve the peoples wrath. There
is no money thrown away and she
reason for the increased appro.
priations, is that the State is fast
developing and as it grows the
demands for greater improve
nenGS grows with it, hence it
takes more money Its not alone
with the institutions Of higher
learning thatgreater demaudsare
being made, bat the high schools
and the rural schools have lifted
up their voices and are asking for
the aid they are entitled to. Last
year $50, 900 was appropriated for
the rural schools to aid such OF
them as are weak. this PROPOSE
ton brought forth this year a de-
Inand for the same purpose of
500, 900 and the legislature had it
TO give. for it was demanded by
the people at large, yet these
same people will in all probably
raise a storm because taxes have
increased. The State levy this
year is 81 against 81 last year and
even with this oce-half mill in
crease all Of Us know that there
will be heavy deficit to be met
another year: the reason the
levy was not made higher was
because those OF Us who We're
trying to hold things down plead
ed that If we raised the levy too
high itwou!d discourage the right
return of property and leave US
IN a bad fix, and too, those who
were disposed to and really did
return their property at a fair
rate would be uneQually assessed
and be made to pay more than
their just proportion Of the taxes.
in this way we succeed in keep
ing off 81 mill levy for the
year IS1U.
I am not Of the sort to oppose
improvements, I favor keeping
up with the times, out am IN.
alteraolv opposed to extrava-
gance, and when | fnc the people
are not getting proper return
tor their money am always ready
to enter my protest, and fight for
what I believe to be right until
the majority forces me into sub
mission. As a member Of the
finance committee l frequently
protested against some of the big
appropriations and voted to cut
them but the majority did not
entertain similar views and Of
course shifted my little candle
whenever it blazed rp. l realiz-
ed several times when protesting.
that there was no wav out OF the