The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-29
TAX COMMISSION REPORT.
STATE BOARD URGES MODERN
TAX SYSTEM.
Constitutional Change Gives Increased
Power to LcgislaturVH-Bank Assess
mcnts Present Observation-Disclosures
and Abolition of Three school
Tax.

Columbia. Dec. 27.-The State tax
commission created by an act of the
last general assembly to equalize the
tax system Of South Carolina has
completed its first annual report
which is being mailed out to the mem
bers Of the general assembly.
"A letter from a. w. Jones, chair
man OF the commission, accompany
ing the report is in part as follows:
'In handing YOU COPY Of our first
annual report, we would call your
attention especially to the necessity
for amending the constitution, SO as
to remove the restrictions on the gen.
eral assembly with reference to the
taxing power, in order that the legis-
lature may be free to adopt from time
to time such system as to it may
seem best, and to our recommends
tions for the classification of property,
for purposes of taxation, instead Of
the present uniform system of taxa
1T has been utterly impossible to
enforce the general property tax with
uniformity, equity or efficiency against
the modern forms of wealth known
as intangible property. and even as
to tangible property, the values of
which can be more definitely detcr-
mined. The amendments to the con-
stitution recommended by us would
not in themselves effect u change
in taxation. as the tax laws would
have to be changed by the legisla-
| ture.
1--WE do not wish to impose our
judgment in these matters on the
people. What we wish is that the
bonds which prevent the legislature
from substituting modern and equita-
bic methods of taxation which has
been found advantageous in other
States, or which in it's wisdom may
devise, for the unsatisfactory meth
DDS to which the present constitu-
ton binds u.s."
The commission also calls especial
attention to the recommendations as
to taxation OF mortgages and q sur
vey Of the State. "Such survey Is an
absolute necessity in order to place
au lands on the tax books says the
commission.
The report says that the commission
did not realize the serious difficult
ties (which might he thrown in the
way to block the reforms in assess
ments until they attempted 10 gather
Information from the banking cor
poratons to show the actual true
value of the banks and bank stocks"
The incidental effect of the plan of
the commission, the report says, was
TO reduce eKe amount of taxes to be
paid by some banks ana increase the
amount to be paid by others.
The abolition Of an arbitrary CON
stltutional tbree-mill school tax, and
the authorization of a flexible levy
to meet the amount of appropriations
by the general assembly, for State.
county and school purposes is essen
tlal TO satisfactory readjustment
and reform OF present taxing methods
In this State, and to an equitable
assessment and taxation Of property
for the purpose of meeting the an
nual appropriations, and the avoid
ance of inequalities and unnecessary
taxation" says the commission.
The commission states that it had
no right under the law to assess ro,l
estate. 1t can only review the assess
ments.
The assessments Of textile propertv
by tfe commission shows an increase
Of Sl,S01,027 as compared with last
year. The increase in the value oS
railroad property for taxation as fixed
by the commission was $939,1G1. The
value for steel railways, light, heat
AID power companies as assessed for
taxation was $4,4S2,3S6 over tho val
uation as fixed Ivy the county boards
i'm 1914.
The commission states that through
Investigations, in checking uD the
duplicates and statements prepared
by the county auditors with the pub
lished reports made by certain local
corporations, other than banks, il was
discovered that taxable property TO
the amount of s471,12O. belonging to
such corporations, had been, and was
escaping taxation.
The commission recommends q
strict enforcement of the State income
tax law. The amount derived nv tho