The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-12

HIGH TAXES.
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| OOlllG odS ludl Jul , - IlC DSSl oO'
eminent that the world ever saw;
but it went to pieces before 1t was
| hundred years Old The English gov
ernment is hoary with age, and one
! Of the most stable on the globe. 1t
has received many a shcck but has
successfully withstcod them all. It
is said that a very important element
of its strength is the foresight and
wisdom Of her leaders who make con-
! ceseions when her subjects demand
them.
! Tho writer has helped to maintain
the government longer than the aver
age man: but he has never protested
AGAINST high taxes Until now. He Is
: a kicker at TIE present lime al d>a CO.
scientjcus one. He believes that the
time has come to call a halt. Taxes
are high They are oppressive. II
any one believes that l am the only
one to protest he is very much mis-
taken. There is large class Of NAL
contents, but they have not signallzed
their grievances through the the news
papers. The State treasurer is call
ing Justify for money, but it is not
i forthcoming. Do you know why some
who are prepared to pay have not done
so? The reason is not far to seek.
They believe that taxes are too high
and their holding back is in the nature
of kick.
High taxes and big appropriations
may cut some figure in this years
campaign. A political storm is brew
ing and I hope that the legislature will
avert it. No one enjoys a storm ply
sica1 or flgurative 1t is said that the
recent revolution in Mexico was
largely the result of high taxes. OF
course nothing Of the sort will occur
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here; still I believe the British are
wise when they give patient hearing
to the protests Of their subjects. The
strength of government is in the affec-
tions Of its subjects, but high taxes
ALLEVIATE their affections.
In the nature Of things taxes at
present can not be very low, and I
think that taxpayers will, in meas
ure at least, be satisfied if there is a
disposition on the part of the legisla-
ture to cut down expenses.
It goes without saying that five State
colleges are too many for the little
State of South Carolina. What are
you going to do about it? Pull down
a part of them? Oh no! They are
all doing good work. But cut down
appropriations so that the taxpayers
can keep the wolf from their doors.
Most of our best public institutions
are supported by voluntary contribu
I tions. The churches, orphanages and
the denominational colleges are all
kept up by voluntary gifts. The ideal
condition is to maintain the State
colleges in a similar way; but no
body expects this. We do not live in
Utopia. Besides it is no easy matter
to uproot century-old customs. At
the present rate some of the State col
! lege plants are destined t" he enor-
mously rich on the money VI the un-
willing taxpayers. State colleges are
on a level with the established church
of England, which Americans do not
RELISH
! The denominational and undenomi-
national colleges are educating more
young men and young women than the
State colleges and they make no de-
mand upon the public treasury.
i When that awful budget the ap-
preparation bill, was brought into the
senate chamber during the last legls-
lature, a good many senators SHE'D at
it. Indeed, as I remember, it passed
by the narrow margin Of one vote.
One senator, who was neither a1 ig-
noramus, crank nor alarmist, declared
that big appropriations for State col
leges would make them enemies. This
! is only natural, but unfortunate.
! I should like to see some effort to
protect our citizens from rabid dogs,
and the sheep and poultry industries
from CANNES in general. The fifty
cents capitation tax looks like sheer
perfunctoriness.
think that State scholarships ought
to be abolished. But We must not ex-
pect too many reforms at once. We
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