The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-01-20
MANNING WANTS REFORMS
(Cor"1ued from page one.)

SSVA IUCO IAOIu pdSO OAC.}
pupils. The State can not have an
educated and efficient citizenship uu-
less it extends help to weak and un-
developed districts.
ANY community voting liberal tax
and enrolling forty or fifty children, |
should be assured Of adequate educa-
tional facilities. It is the duty Of the
State to make up Deficiencies in such
districts. The right-thinking people
OF South Carolina will stand for this
expenditure Of public money, and will
lndorse the position that we can not
spend public money better than in
educating the citizen. The people
realize and demand that the shame
Of illiteracy must be blotted out from
US forever.
Mill Town Schools.
The problem Of public schools IN
manufacturing centres and mill towns
demands attention and study. the
State can not longer overlook the
needs of children in such communi-
ties, and shoul1 encourage the spirit
of self-help and public responsibility
that will bring substantial and mark
growth, and community cooperation
and development. recommend that
the State department Of education be
given such additional help in its
forces that will enable 1t to do In mill
schools what has been done so effec-
lively IN high schools and rural
schools.
Attendance.
As soon as ample school facilities
shall have been provided, the welfare
Of our people demands that our chill
dren shall be required to attend the
schools. The policy Of the State is to
educate all the people at the expense
of all the people for the welfare of all
the people. recommend, therefore
the enactment of a compulsory at
tendance Law with local option fea-
ture. We must strice to bring each
and every community to the point OF
having school facilities; and, wher-
ever thees facilities are acquired, to
REQUIRE school attendance.
Picture to yourselves what it would
mean to South Carolina if all OF her
citizens were educated, and for the
attainment Of this object We give our
best and unfaltering effort.
Child Labor.
I recommend, as q companion act
to the compulsory attendance law
with local option feature, tha1 you
will amend the law on child-labor by
raising the age limit from twelve to
fourteen years.
Taxation and Assessment.
We all agree that change is needed
in our tax laws. We have, IN the past,
given more attention to appropria-
tionS than to revenue. We must in
crease our revenue or decrease our
expenditures in order to stop the
eYer-groWing deficiency. The reports
Of the departments reveal the fact
that there is now large accumulated
deficiency that must be provided for.
Assessments are now unequal and
unjust. Much property escapes taxa
alton; different classes Of property
are assessed at different percentages
Of their value. Increased eXpendl-
lures for educational and charitable
institutions, as well as increased ex-
penses in the judicial department,
necessitate the devising OF progress
siTe and more modern methods OF
raising revenue. would therefore
recommend that tax commission be
created to examine into this subject
and suggest bill embodying plan
OF revision Of our tax laws.
In order to acquaint this commits
sion with existing conditions, the
duties now imposed upon the State
Board Of Equalization and the State
Board Of Assessors, should be devolv-
ed upon It. Supervision Of the en-
Sorcement Of existing tax laws, should
be given, temporarily at least, to this
commission, with power to equalize
the assessed valuation Of property be-
tween county and county and between
tax district and tax district, increas-
Ing or decreasing assessed valuation,
as may be found necessary.
Annual appropriations should be
made by the legislature for State,
county, and school PURPOSES, and the
tax commission should be authorized
to impose such levy upon the assess
ed valuation Of property, when ascer-
tanned by it, as will raise the amount
necessary 70 meet the appropriations
made By the legislature. The method
of taxation, the levying Of the burden
30 as to secure justice between the
taxpayers, is Of as great importance
as the fixing Of the appropriations by
the legislature.
In this connection, as there Is now
IN force a federal tax on income, and
as the operation Of the present State
income tax has been so inefectual in
obtaining true and Just returns, thus
Increasing rather than decreasing the
inequalities Of taxation, recommend
the repeal Of the State law taxing in
comes.
Workmen's Compensation Act.
realize the hardships and delays
and the frequent miscarriage Of JUS
tice in suits for damages for bodily
injury. Damage suits intensity bitter
ness Of feeling between employer and
employee without a satisfying and
Just settlement between them.
Frequently, a hardship is imposed
upon the employer; and Just as fire.
Quently injustice and unnecessary de-
lays in settlement of these cases are
imposed upon the employee. rec
ommend the appointment of a COM
mission to study this question and to
report, by bill or ortherwise, to the
legislature to convene in 1915, a
measure that will bring relief to
plaintiffs and detendents, by work
mems compensation act.
Land Registration.
Tho daIav in coneressional action
on the establishment Of a rural cred
It system, makes it necessary for US
TO look otherwise for help in this
matter. AS the first and necessary
step towards the development of such
q system. Ireccomend the enact
ment Of q land registration act that
win guarantee title and fix boundary
lines. This would enable the land
owner to obtain loans on his real
proDerty with as little trouble and