The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-10

preparations cannot be kept
down at the expense of suffering
humanity. and when Governor
Manning secured the services OF
a disinterested expert to examine
Into this institution he did a wise
and a humane act for which he
will have the approval of all
right minded people.
There is before the senate a
tax commission bill which has
the approval of the Governor
and the Comptroller General,
and it has received the favor.
able report of the finance COM
mittee, with the sole exception
| of myself, and I signed a minor
| ity report, not with a view of op-
posing the measure, but simply
because I was not willing to give
such a weighty matter my en-
dorsement and thereby have my
self committed to it upon a su
per6cial examination. I wanted
the committee to place the bill
upon the Calendar without rec
ommendation with the under
standing that it be recommitted
| to the committee without losing
| its place on the Calendar, tl.en
have it considered by sections
and passed upon, the committee
thought otherwise, hence my
report without recommendation.
ISince then our committee has
Ihad the bill under considerable n
as I suggested at first, by sec.
tions, and I am quite certain we
will be able to have it in work
able shape. favor the theory of
the measure; a nd in converse.
tiou with Governor Manning in
his Office today I explained my
attitude towards the measure,
and my purpose to give him full
support in any of his recommen-
dations that appeal to my judg-
ment, and when in doubt, 1 shall
confer with him before Offering
opposition. 1 am certain the gov
ernor understands me and re-
spects my stand.
This tax commission bill pro
poses to revolusionize the fiscal
system in this State, and right
here I will say, our taxing and
assessment scheme is very IN.
satisfactory, unjust and discrim-
iitory, those of us who have an
opportunity to look at the work
ing of the present method must
know the inequality in assessing
the property. works a hardship
upon the smaller taxpayer, and
plays into the hands of those 10
position to pay just proportion
jof taxes from which they are
escaping now. This measure
seeks to remedy this crying evil.
The comptroller general stated
to the finance committee that
there are many corporations in
the State whose capital stock
has never been returned for tax
alton, he told me one concern in
1Columbia with a capital of $780,
loco that has never paid one cent
on It's capital stock. I asked him
lif he knew of any farmer who
has been able to evade having
his property put on the books?
To which he replied no. This
tax commission, bill, if enacted
Into law, will abolish the state
board of equalization. which Mr..
Jones characterizes a farce, and
it will have agents of the COM
mission to go into the several
counties to find property which
lis and should be subject to taxa
ltion, and it is claimed that it will
Iadd millions OF dollars on the
books, pay for the expense in.
lcurred, and reduce the levy con-
|siderably. If this is true, then it
fought to be enacted into law. It
lis another one of the features of
Governor Msuning's positions
that he advocated on the hust
lings, and which, by their act,
was endorsed by the people.
Talk about your referendum,
the primary of last summer
was a referendum on a good
number of important questions
of state policy, and I am anxious
to aid in giving a trial to those
matters endorsed by the people
when they had a full and unre.
stricted opportunity to express
themselves.