The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-02-19

l y
argument that there are many
concerns owning large bodies OF
land with the timber on it that
escapes taxation, by having their
timber lands assessed at nomi
nal value will not do. because.
the legislature is not responsible
for this condition, it does not
+assess property. this is the pro
vince Of the assessors and the
county equalization boards, if
there are concerns in any county
owning timbered lands that is
under valued it is purely a mat
ter for the local boards, and If
Senator Denuis huds his county
boards are permitting the tim
bereG land owners to place such
lands on the books at less val
uation than they should he has
the remedy in his own hands bv
appointing boards who will ass
esS the property at q proper val
uatiou, but he should not, in Or
der to save himself the embar-
assment of appointing undertake
to enact into law a measure which
will force those who are paying
an honest tax pay double tax.
Mr.. Dennis, for the purpose OF
his own argument to the senate,
made a severe arralgnment of
the Alderman Sons company in
this county, which in my opinion
would not have been done by
him had be understood that the
Alderman Sons company is not
such au institution as are the
com panies operating in the Ber-
kelly section. I know Senator
Dennis well. he is always fair,
but very Jealous in all he under
takes, a hard fighter, but he
would not knowingly take an un-
due advantage AS is well known
here the Alderman concern is a
family affair, it has no foreign
stock holders, does not belong to
the Trust, if there is a lumber
trust, it is owned and operated
solely by the father and sous.
and they have been largely and
are now greatly interested in the
development of the country they
traverse, they were the develop
ers, had it not been for them l
doubt if certain sections Of Clar.
endon. Florence and Williams
burg would be as prosperous as
they are: true, in the early days
of the development large bodies
of timber separate from the land
was contracted for, the people
made these contracts and recelv'
ed their money, they ewere per-
fectly satisfied with their trade
at the time, and the money at
that. time helped many a farmer
out of tight box when perhaps
his very home was ready for the
sheriff to levy an execution upon
the money for the timber saw
ed his lands and himself from
bankruptcy. Later new growth
came about and values enhanc-
ed, this was not due to any par
ticular foresight of the timber
buyers, but solely due to cendl.
tions which none could foresee,
| had conditions remained dormant
or had values lowered, we would
not now be hearing of these tim
Der contracts; the same might be
said of the lands, it has not been
so many years back when the
best of lands could have been
bought for anouiual price. many
of them we so sold, because the
owners were land poor and there
was no demand, would it be
right now for those who sold
their lands then to come back
now and raise howl because
the present owners are holding
them at the advance value: l
hardly think any one would
agree to this, therefore. l say so
far as the timber contracts OF
years back are concerned the
Legislature can do nothing, but
; in order to reach those who are
severlng the timber and devas-
tatiug our forests, 1 think it
right to convert their product
upon which they are not paying
!: taxes now, into personal proper
ty for taxation so that these peo.
: pie shall pay their just proper
tion of maintaining the govern
ment. If this amendment of mine
is adopted there will be no double
tax, but there will be collected a
tax from a source not paying
now, without any injustice to
either the land or timber owner.
The newspaper bill introduced
; in the House was killed by a
vote of IS to SO. but [ am glad to
say that Notwithstanding tn e
short vote in that body, our rep
, resentatives were at their places
and voted for the bill. 1t was a
just measure and Its effect would
have been only to force newspa-
pers published in this State to
, do the right and fair thing by
: those who are attack in their
columns by permitting the at
tackled party to reply in as con
spicuous place as the rejecting
was published, and I cannot see
any reason for any newspaper
49, =. - 1L;,,ot ~ ..,1,h q Ia Tho