The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-11-17
The Tax Commission.

against III, the Tax Commission OF
South Carolina, has made a report in
which it is asserted that there has
oeen no effort made to increase the
amount OF taxes paid by banks in this
State. but that the effort has been
made TO equalize the burdens as be-
tween the banks themselves; it be-
ing asserted that some banks are paw
ing n larger percentage of taxes, in
proportion to assets, than others, and
that in many counties of the State
property belonging to banks and as
sessable has been for years -,gally
exempted from the payment Of taxes
we do not doubt but that these as
sertions are true. And in so far as
the banks only are concerned, moth
ing more has been done than should
have been done perhaps.
But that is not the question. The
statement is made and is not disputed
that the banks, cotton mills, and rail-
roads are paying and have been pay
ing more than their share of the
taxes for years. Why hen is it that
the first attempt at equalization is
against the people who all along have
oeen paying the taxes? Who faith
cred the present tax law anyway ?
Does its real author believe in equal
taxation as between all the property
Of the State liable to taxes, or does
he believe that the corporations
should pay all, or greater propor-
ton, of the taxes than the other tax
payers?
1t is no answer to the question and
TO the objections to the present pro-
ceedings to say that real estate cam
not be re-assessed until 1918. Why
wasn't the law SO framed that it
could be so re-assessed. And if the
property Of each class must be first
uniformly assessed, why is it that the
restrictions against re-assessing real
estate are allowed to stand when that
Is the property which most needs re-
assessing?
We are willing to concede that the
tax laws of the State need adjust
ments; We are willing to conceds
that the present. Tax Commission. is
able to do the work of re-assessing
and equalizing the property of the
state for the purpose of having every
species of property bear it's own Just
burdens; but We assert now that un-
I'll a law is passed which will allow
this, that no body Of men should be
allowed to tinker with the assess
ments on one kind Of property while
other property is bearing practically
none Of the burdens of the govern
ment. Why is 1t that the sick man is
not first doctored? ..y
The tax commission may not be
to blame and the blame may be laid
at the door of the legislature. If
the legislature Is responsible, then
repeal the present law, or amend 1t
so as to make the scales balance; and
provide for commission with juris-
diction over all the property Of the
State. No re-adjustments should be
put into effect until the whole field
is readjusted.
If 1t takes this year to equalize the
banks among themselves, we presume
1t will take another year to equalize
the cotton mills among themselves,
and then maybe two years to equal
ize the railroads among themselves,
then we shall have the oil mills, the
building and loan associations, and
other corporations; and after this
we shall be compelled to -qualize
these several classes as classes, so
that we will probably get down to the
people who do not ptay taxes early in
the next century.-Abbeville Press and
Banner.