The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-01-18
LETTER TO FAR
MER UNI0NISTS

the rest keep mum for fea- Of being
called common knocker'? So far
as placing al property on the tax
books upon equa! basis At its market
value IS concerned. the County Audi
tors Office is farce ana the Board
o: Equalization is huge Joke
Il is : Stupendous fact tha: ever
ore who places his property on thu
tax books q current or customary
rates helps TO pay the graft or rake
of held back ty taN-codSerS. which
fact should enlist the active coop
erstion OF ali law-ab!dinS citizens.
With Comptroller General Jones in
his commenda5le crusade 20: tax
Publishing all tax returns in coun-
~ papers every four years AZ Teas
scssment Of real estate is tae one ,c!l
sweep that would attract TIE !ate-cS;
and aid Of the people in each town
ship OF the State. This publicity is
the gatl!ns gun or ho!ao-she!l that
woald drive every h!dcr OFT in tac
open where the populace can Inspect
the returns and see ,c It that no one
shall pass music. ~ithou, clean
record. For the same reason tha,
we require publishing o: expenditures
OF the peoples money. that We MAJ
see just where /. goes. VIC should also
know who !. not turning IN a.! the
just tax moaey due the county and
State.
The draS-ae: tsat wculd catch all
the sharks that jump over and dive
under the s7s; o: Jan2a-y as the
date :o- property or han5;. instead
oc naming one day. the law should
take an average OF several months
tcr basis OF money on deposit or il
any business.
A ,a1 !nquisito- for each Congress
sional d;s.r;c; having ,he right 10
examine all 3G5!ic anu corporation
records anu the power 20 summon
witnesses 10 testify rs 20 taxable
property aS we'll as :he right 20 con-
vens County Eoa-ds 0: Equalization
20 suit the itinerary o! his rounds.
would also Sc the one limb OF Il"
law that nigh, he made 10 bring in
revenue OF te2 or more dollars
co- every dollar spent On his work
on either nf tie plans OF sa!::r or
percentage pay Some think that
these tax !nQu:s:;o.s .haa!! he re-
qu:rel &c change districts in their
rounds after the plan OF he circuit
judges.
Our law make.s should keep the
fact in mind that these ,a1-dodg"-s
are cunning masters IN this art and
unless 4 master in the ART OF tax find
er is sen: after them, the effort viii!
BE futile.
Those tax inqu;si:ors should not DO
aoundersns politicians or weaklinSs
OF the thirty cent calib-e. hu, should
be selection from among the ablcs;
men We have and paid accordingly for
their work-men Of spine. discretion
and diplomacy that know he law
2,cre than k!th or kin. or friend or
foe
We have been -o7aliz!nS over this
tax-doGs'ng graft aboat long enough.
il IS time our representatives go for
.hese parasites upon the body poi
tic" with gloves of. and provide
sure plan TO tighten the screws down
.?on al ;ax-dodgers alike. We have
cent = Lvoa out after .he !iluor
g-a!ters that fetched in the game
and we now want gang Of B.acal
tigers. that can see TO 20 after the
willy taH-dcdcers. Something mus;
be done to relieve the strain upon she
coascieaces OF our good people who
are IN the habit OF sitting in the
amen corners" c. churches s;ne'Gr
psalms on Sunday and going before
the County auditor on Monday aac
swearing that the value Of their cow
is IS when they know they could
get $40 or $50 :or her. or their lana
is worth Ss per acre When they know
that othe. lands BY them are selling
from $40 10 sloo per acre: OF they
have no othe. property. stocks. notes.
mortgages. cash o. any other prop
ertv 20 their credit not listed in their
returns and spend six months after
wards irving 20 relieve the strain
upon their conscience BY SariaS they
all do Il" or irving to make them
selves believe that false swearing is
d:2lomac: or some Other lcft-haadcd
thing with no harm in i.
Most any man who has the pluck
to say that plain pco2le do the dou-
be tax pa:inS while the cunning rich
DO the stunts IN ta1-dodS;ng IS sure
70 be STYLED as demagocun and now
IS the time co7 each and every rep
10 be called upoa 20 stand
up and be counted az TO whether =
dollar be dollar whether /. Ae in !
the HANDS Of the rich or poor man
or In iron clad securities. or in the
active producing world. Give all 2 |,
chance TO say whether o. not they go |
20 Columbia 70 get something for the
interest they represent" that other !
people don't get Is there an hon |
est man In all South Carolina who
thinks or believes that other people
should pay taxes on his dollars?
J. :. S:.ibl,aS.
PeaGleton. 5. c.
Farmers Union Burea- .