The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-31

supposedly innocently ignorant folks.
who are being fed on political slops
ut commandments and picnics, are
laughing i'm their sleeves, at the an
tics of the off-year politicians. Make
a list OF the leading citizens and fav-
orite sons who have made the spring
and summer hideous by their over
production of canned wisdom and
farmers bulletin eloquence and YOU
will have a census OF the fellows who
VIII be trying to save the State and
nation next year by getting elected to
office. These prominent citizens would
not be neglecting their business. If
they have any, and paying .ood mon
ey for railroad fare, unless they be-
lieved. or. at the least hoped, there
would be a substantial comeback
for the bread cast upon the waters.
All this stir among the prospective
candidates pressages a big field and
a hot campaign next year.
The destruction of the American
steamer Leelanaw off the coast of
Scotland by German submarine
cannot reasonably be construed as a
deliberately unfriendly act on the
part of the German government.
The ship was caught carrying q cargo
OF contraband to an enemy and 1t
was sunk by the Germans, after Civ
ing the crew ample time to leave the
ship. Under the terms of the treaty
between this country and Germany
the latter country may be held liable
for an indemnity equivalent to the
value of the ship, but there is moth
ing in the incident to create a FRENZY
OF excitement. The owners of the
Leelanaw gambled on getting through
with a cargo of contraband and lost
that is all there is to it.
The blind tigers of Charleston have
not been put out of business by the
activities of the raiding squads of city
police and dispensary constables un-
der the direction Of Sheriff Martin.
but they have been and are con-
tinuing to be seriously annoyed and
their profits materially reduced, ac-
cording to their own testimony Visi-
tors to Charleston nearly all bring
back reports that the blind tigers are
bitterly angry with Gov. Manning and
are schemins and planning his de-
Feat next year. They are down on all
sincere advocates of the enforcement
OF law, and the man who receives the
support Of the blind tiger element and
Its sympathizers will be marked as q
friend Of criminals and law breakers.
In connection with the report that
transient visitors to Charleston bring
back upstate one ls led 20 marvel
that so many good law-abiding ciu-
zens embrace the opportunity. when
In Charleston, to maze = personal in
vestigation OF blind tiger con litions
and contribute to the prosperity of
the law breakers.
round in the fight with the tax COM
Judge Watts having render
ed a decision that the commission has
no authority to fix or equalize the as
sessments of banks. State or national.
The banks and bankers will make a
mistake IL they celebrate their vic
tory prematurely. for 1t is as certain
as anything could be that the fight is
Just beginning. There is an impor-
tant principle involved in this fight. |
and greater general interest has not
been evinced in the litigation hereto
fore simply because the rank and file
Of the ordinary taxpayers have not
been informed concerning the merits
Of The case and do not know the is
sues at stake. Brought down to the
simplest terms the legal fight between
the tax commission and the banks
amounts to this: The tax commission
was created to prevent tax lodging
by the banks. and the banks are fight
ing the commission to escape pay
ment of taxes that they justly should
pay. 1t was not the object of the tax
commission law to force the banks
to pay more than their just share of
taxes. or to require them to pay more
than other property owners pay. The
real purpose of the law creating the
tax commission was to equalize the
assessments of the banks and to re-
quire them to pay their just share of
taxes. 1t Is authoritatively stated
that there are glaring inequalities in
the assessments of some banks as
with the assessments OF