Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-20

",
ed to washington from Ohio, in 1894,
died in Washington, Friday. .Chas.
r, Pendleton, editor Of the Macon, Ga,
Telegraph, died Friday.
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
washington special Of January II,
to the Columbia State: Representa-
tive Thomas F. Byrncs today came out
strongly In a speech on the floor OF the
house in favor of better treatment Tor
the rural mail carriers Of the country.
When the postoffice appropriation Dill
was under consideration he referred 10
a statement which he had received
from the postmaster general In which
the latter stated that while the BILL os-
tensibly provided for an increase OF
salaries for all carriers, as matter OF
fact the salaries Of all tri-weelxly car
rjers would be reduced and there
would be great discrimination in the
increase of salaries Of daily carriers.
Mr.. Byrnes stated that under the pro-
visions of the bill the increase on q 23
mile route would be SIS year; on
25 mile route $3.50, and on "a mile
route $50. He asked for an increase
from s1,1o0 to $1,000 for the STANDARD
routes, adding $50 for every mile
above and deducting $50 for every mile
below. He also said that II the. bill
went through with the increases now
provided for the total amount In the
bill would have to be similarly In
creased or else there would be O. deficit
in the rural delivery service.
-Gaffney special Of January II, TO
the Spartanburg Herald: More than
200 Gaffney citizens attended the mass
meeting held in the court house last
evening for the purpose OF ratifytng
the action of the municipal executive
committee in ordering the election Tor
the first Tuesday in February, and 10
adopt rules and regulations governing
the primary election. A ripple OF ex-
citement swept over the house when {.
speaker advocated allowing Thomas
Hester, who was the Republican post
master of Gaffney under the Taft adj
ministration, to run for mayor in the
primary. Mr.. Hester made the state
ment that a majority Of the members
Of the executive committee had assur-
ed him that he could run In the pri-
mary as a candidate for mayor. Two
Of the members who were present de-
MED this, but stated that they had told
Mr.. Hester that he could run in the
general election, and that against
certain other candidate they would
chairman ruled that no one but q
bona flda Democrat (whatever that is)
could run as a candidate in the pri-
mary. Since then Mr.. Hester has an
nounced that he will run, and the out
come Is awaited with much interest by
the people Of Gaffney. The only other
candidate who has been announced 50
far Is Mr.. N. H Lttlejohn, who was
formerly mayor Of Gaffney. Much
pressure Is being brought to bear on
Mr.. ]. Q. Little to offer as a candidate,
and it is thought that he will an
nounce shortly for the position.
Captain A. w. Jones in his annual
report to the general assembly, after
discussing the tax system, urges that
tax commission be created to take
the place Of the state board Of equah-
Zation and state board Of assessors.
The work of assessing all property in
the state would come under this COM
mission. The comptroller general also
asks that the general assembly pro-
vide for submission to the people OF an
amendment to the Constitution pro-
viding for the repeal Of the constitu-
tional school tax so as to leave the
amount to be appropriated for school
purposes to the discretion Of the leg
islature, "as the value Of the taxable
vary from time to time. would again
urge upon your consideration the ne
cessity Of the revision Of the system
for taxation and raising the moneys
necessary for the support Of the gov
ernments The increase in the public
needs for revenue and the inequality
existing in the present system for
meeting them is very evident. After
discussing the increased expenditures
necessary because Of the growth OF
the various institutions supported by
the state and the increase in other
expenses, he says: Now these annual
expenses are not going to be reduced,
and they must continue to increase
with the growth Of the state. These
figures show the necessity Of your de-
vising a practical system by which
this necessary revenue can be equally
raised so that each taxpayer and each
dollar Of property shall bear its just
share Of the burden and no more. The
inequalities Of the present system are
so well established and known that
it Is unnecessary to detail them. No
equitable system can be devised un-
less you ascertain the actual value Of
all property to be taxed. 1t Is impos-
sible to secure an assessment Of the
exact value, but 1t can be secured ap-
proximately. The people dread an as
sessment at true value for fear that IL
they let the lawmakers know the real
value Of their property, and such
value should be at once placed on the
tax books, your honorable body would
be led to make appropriations that
would tax them to the limit Of their
capacity, or not reduce the present
rate Of levy. They also fear that they
would be taxed more for educational
purposes than necessary on account Of
the arbitrary constitutional mill
school tax which now raises $8SS, 200.
For II property were assessed at its
actual value this constitutional levy
would treble, or raise more than So
100000. and they are unwilling to risk
being forced to pay an unjust and un-
necessary amount Of taxes. I, there
fore, renew my recommendations
heretofore made that you provide for
the submission to the people Of an
amendment to the constitution proyid-
ing. for q repeal Of the constitutional
school tax, so as to leave the amount
to be appropriated for school purposes
to the discretion Of the legislature, as
the value Of the taxable property and
the school needs both vary from time
to time. The constitutional restric-
tions on the exercise Of the taxing
powers Of the legislature should be
removed, and the legislature left free
to adopt such laws as may from time
to time seem best. I renew my recon-
mendation made to former general as
semblies that a single and permanent
tax commission, or board be created
and vested with the power to super
wise the work Of assessment Of prop
erty for purposes Of taxation"