The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-09-19
BROKE" KNEE
~ DEEP IN WEALTH

~ aooo ehc taAouie Valueb Oh EeOr-
gia amounted to $251, ,051 and the
tax rate was three and half mills. Now
the values are SLOTS 100000 and the
taA ia, : is five mills.
James A. Holloman, Of the staff of
the Atlanta Constitution, writes an in
fofmative article in that newspaper
from which the general conclusion is
apparent that Georgia is in the same
condit .on that South Carolina is. He
quotes from an article in the Phila-
delpha Inquirer:
Georgia is one of the rich COM
L.onwcalths of the country, but the
legislators have hesitated to provide
s,!equate income to meet the expenses
OF the State. Georgia which delights
~ call itself the Empire State of the
South, is potentially rich in many di-
rectIons. Actually it is rich, but it
L,a officially less than one billion dol
lar; subject to taxation. The just
amount must be several times that
Until the Southern States learn
how to levy property taxes there will
continue to be lack of progress
Pennsylvania pays much more taxes
la proportion to it's wealth and popu-
lation than Georgia, but does not tax
land at ali which is the Southern
States chief source of revenue. Geor-
gia must learn that it can not have the
cake and the penny, too. Just now
it may learn that the way to be pros
porous Is to invest money wisely.
"'lhe South is going to get one bill
lion dollars in gold for its cotton crop
alone this fall and winter Why does
it not make some use of this great
asset to raise money for better schools
good roads and general progress?
Georgia is rich enough to spend twice
it's appropriations if it only knew how
to go about it."
The application would not be less
exact to South Carolina.
Mr.. Holloman points out that, al
though the revenues of Georgia will
approximate, for the year 1919, ST.
100000, the excess of appropriations
will then amount to $1,0OO,O0O.
In one respect, at least South Caro-
lima has pursued policy wiser than
that of Georgia-South Carolina does
make the tax levy fit the appropria-
tons and there has been no accumula-
ing deficit. If our tax levy is three
and quarter mills this year higher
than the levy of Georgia, we have per-
manent improvements to show for it
1he State hospital is being rebuilt anG
in the last decade notable additions
to the plants Of public Institutions
have been made and several institu
tons have been established. Besides
direct appropriations for common
public charities have been conider-
ably enlarged.
Nevertheless until the State shal
have the conscience and the courage
to marshal it's assets" by the adopt
ion of a rational and fair assessing
and taxing plan, each session of the
General Assembly will continue tc
witness a dozen groups of excellen:
people pleading for appropriations fol
excellent causes before ways and
n,aape c,p,n,;ttao ha roSoad h1, ,,o;pf,l
sense of poverty and trembling lest.
if it do what is self-evidently expe-
dent proper and just an angered elec.
torate will at the next primary turl
upon and rend it's members.
In Georgia as in South Carolina a
State tax commission has been ere
ated. In this State however substan-
til progress will be limited until the
antiquated provisions that bar it shall
lie exercised from the State constitu-
ton. Nevertheless the South Caro-
Ina commission has, despite the con-
s.itutionai barriers, improved condi-
tons.
Among the people, those who pay
the least taxes are, under the persua-
sion of demagogues, most stubborn in
opposition to tax reform.
Given just laws of levy assessment
and collection together with skilful
and honest administration the prop
ertyless classes have everything to
gain and little to lose by the raising
of revenues to be expended for edu-
cation, highways, health and for chari-
table institutions. Some day, this
truth will seep into the public mind
The State.