Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-07-26
SCOUNTY CAMPAIGN.
First OF Series County Campaign
Meetings Held at Johnston
Saturday. Small At
tendance.

tendance.
The first county campaign meet
ings arranged by the Democratic
executive committee was called to
order by County Chairman B. E.
Nicholson in the opera house at
Johnston Saturday morning at
1850, there being about 100 voters
present. Mr.. Nicholson read the
names of all candidates for office
who have qualified under the rules
oftae party, and after performing
this official duty he turned the
meeving over to the local chairman,
MEW. Lee Coleman.
Previous to the meeting the can
didates held conference and de-
cider upon the order in which they
would speak and also what time
would be allotted to the candidates
for Che several offices. 1t was
agreed that the candidates for the
senate were to have 80 minutes
each, the candidates FOR the house
90 minutes ard the other candi-
dates who desired to speak l5
minutes.
The first speaker presented by
Mr.. Coleman was Mr.. NJ. P. Wells,
candidate for the State senate. He
stated that the public record of
every servant of the people was
matter of public interest and could
be discussed. He discussed the
Laney- -Odom insurance law at some
length, stating that whatever their
intentions were, the legislationithat
gave us the law made mistake. He
stated that if he is elected he will
vote for its repeal and will make it
possible for insurance companies to
doEbesiness in South Carolina.
Mrs Wells favors reducing the
legalTate of interest to per cent.
HeEnext attacked the tax commits
sion, Stating that it was more ex-
pensiVe than the former system and
less satisfactory. He stated that it
had lowered the assessed valuation
of property Sl4O,O0O in EdgeGeld
con:s This decrease. had beer.
madeFSin corporations while land
remained the same. He called at
tention to the lowering of the as.
sessments of the banks while they
were making 25 and 80 per cent
He said the tax commission had
decreased the amount for which
Charleston banks were taxed but
had raised the assessed valuation,
which had been of no real benefit
to the people. Mr.. Wells read a
list of the amount of taxes paid By
the banks of Edgefield county for
1914 and 1915, before and after the
reduction of assessments by the tax
commission, the amount in the ag-
gregate for 1915 being about ST.
200 less than 1914. He stated that
during the past 20 years the rate of
increase of property has been about
seven and one-half million dollars a
year, while under the tax commits
sioa the increase has been only three
and one.half million dollars each
year.
Mr.. Wells referred to measure
introduced by Mr.. Nicholson 10
amend the law relative to public cot
ton weigher, stating that while a
member of the house he had this
amendment repealed.
Hon. B. Z. Nicholson was next
presented and thanked God that he
could say that all of his acts as leg
islator have been in accord with his
best Judgment and that he had moth
ing to conceal, stating that if the
criticisms of Mr. Wells were for the
public good he was doing his duty,
but If for the purpose of elevatlng
himself to the senate then his were
unworthy motives. He stated with
emphasis that he would vote to re-
tain the tax commission and give
it chance to work out the tax situa-
ton. He gave the figures to show
that by reducing the banks of Edge
field county the commission was
merely equalizing the tax burden.
The banks of Edgefeld county had
hitherto been paying on basis OF
GO per cent. of their capital and
surplus, while the banks of Marl-
boro county had been paying only
90 per cent. and banks in Charles
ton had been paying less than 30
per cent. The Edgefeld banks
were lowered and the other banks
raised. Concerning the assessments