Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-09-30
DOESN'T LIKE GRUBER PLAN.
Oconee Correspondent Thinks II I'm
Just to Small Farmer.


in your issue Of the 10th from the
pen of w. b. Gruber, Esq, GARNER.
tOoD Of WATERFORD, under the head
ing Tax on Cotton Acreage to Re
ducc Production"
To the casual observer Mr.. Cru
ber's plan appears feasible, but will
it be possible to adjust a measure
like the one suggested by him to
suit, or deal justly, with even a small
portion of the cotton producers Of the
State?
l have the following objections to
Mr.. Gruber's proposed legislation:
/. Will it be a good law for the
moneyed landlord? Yes. The rich
landowner can build up his eight
acres (the low-taX acreage suggested)
so that it will produce 8, 16, "a, or
even 30 bales. (The latter was pro-
duccd in Spartanburg county a few
years ago.
9. win it hurt the tenant and
small landowner? Certainly. He
is not able to cope with men like Mr..
Gruber, and thousands Of other far
mers in the State like him, who are
farming for money and not for a liv-
ing, like the small landowner and
tenant. On the proposed eight
acres the average tenant could pos
sibly make as high as eight bales,
but in 95 per cent Of the cases he
would make only four bales. Why?
The tenant-farmer has no particular
interest in the farm he is running,
and he will make no special effort to
build up the same, for he knows he
will be there but a year or two, and
further, he has not the means, and
the fertilizer dealer will not let him
have a great amount of fertilizer to
use on so small an acreage. The
small farm owner Is not able to buy
heavily in fertilizers to use in build
ing up his farm and make it produce
(per acre. what the merchant, law
yer or doctor can make his produce.
We have in mind at present
banker, who has a farm and has
brought it up to a high state Of cul-
tivation by the use of the cash"
which, unfortunately, the great ma
jority Of farmers have not. This
landlord this year has furnished his
tenant with an average of about
1900 pounds of fertilizer to the
. I.I. ir.
expects to make at least . 0 bales. On
the-ad ioining farm there 'i"ss;- s-vsc1aG
landowner Cana he Va hustler,
too,J and Ay NIN not make over
three-fourths Of a bale to the acre.
His land, in original forest. was just
as good as the bankers, but it has
not been fed" like the bankers.
Would there be any business in
taxing the farmer" farmer on his
eight acres Of poor land the same as
the "banker" farmer on his fertile
acres? think not, and do not be-
licve there is a majority OF the mcm-
bers Of the General Assembly who
will think as Mr. Gruber
We would suggest (Mr. Gruber
cOnCurring as to its constitutionality)
that law be passed placing a heavy
tax on all cotton produced above
four bales to the plow. BY doing
this the law will reach all. If man
makes a failure with his cotton crop
he will not have to pay a tax. If he
makes a good crop he will pay a pro-
portioDately increased tax. This will
also reach the rich farmer, (who
produces so much more to the plowD
and who would, in a way, become Il
'taX-dodger" under Mr. Gruber's
proposed plan Of acreage taxation.
For the purpose Of carrying out the
provisions of such a law we would
suggest tax of 10 cents per 100
pounds Of lint cotton on the first
four bales 600 pounds each) and
after that about SO per 100 pounds
or lint cotton. And, further, that
cotton weighers be elected for every
cotton market in the State; that
said cotton weigher be bonded, and
mat the owner Of the cotton pay the
over-production tax TO the cotton
weigher, who shall in course turn the
money over to the county treasurer,
CATER deducting his commissions
to be paid out on order of the county
supervisor or county superintendent
OF education, as the law ma" require
think the over-production tax is
tln 0ulN q lnnl L.. .I.;t IL