The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-02
TAX OFFICERS MEET.
COMMISSION MEET WITH AUD
ITORS AND ASSESSORS.
Governor Shows That State Stands
Lowest I'm Per Capita Payments for
Taxation.

or the State and chairmen of the
county boards Of equalization was held
last night in the court house. ADJ
dresses by Gov. r. 1. Manning. Sena-
tor Alan S. Johnstone of Newberry and
others featured the program. The
meeting is held for the purpose OF
breeding spirit between the tax COM
mission and the auditors and the tax
assessors of the different counties Of
the State and create uniformity in as
sessing property Of the State. The
meeting adjourned at 1890 o'clock to
reconvene today at $40.
After the meeting had been called
to order A. w. Jones of the tax COM
mission, chairman, welcomed the
visitors in an address in which he
set forth the purpose for which the
tax commission was created. He
stressed the wide differences between
the assessments of the various coun-
ties on practically the same property.
and asked that all auditors of the
State cooperate with the commission in
an effort to regulate the irregularities,
reiterating the statement that only in
this way would the State be doing its
greatest service.
Governor Manning in his address
stated that the creation Of the tax
commission was his pet hobby, and
that it was brought into being for
the distinct purpose Of doing away
with the old board Of equalization anu
to eliminate the vast differences in
the tax assessment Of past years The
governor referred to the war as one
for justice, humanity and freedom
and that it would necessitate the rails.
ing Of more money in the future than
ever before. and that the State, were
1t to be a progressive State, would
need more money than ever. and tina,
mo citizen, however poor he might be
suffer his State to go backward in
any respect" He also made mention
OF the statement Of the surveyors who
some time ago offered to make a sur
lvey OF the State and take their salar.'
from the money received for taxes or
lands not now on the books which
the survey would put there.
The governor also stated that IL q
Statewide policy of making all assess
ments on a basis Of SO per cent. were
adopted. only 80 per cent. would fec,
an increase while 60 per cent would
either be lowered or not touched 1 at
all. He called attention to the fac.
that this State stood next to last in
the amount Of revenue that is paid
by the people with $1.S5 per capita
and stood absolutely last in amount
of money spent with $1.94. In the
United States the revenue received per
capita averages $4.67, while the aver
age spent by all States for purposes o.
government was $50. He also stress
ed the need Of lowering the levy and
increasing the assessment by puttinx
land on the tax books that was not re.
turned.
Senator Johnstone of Newberry said
that the principal mistake of the ole
board was that they considered them
selves as county officials while under
the system used they were State
agents. The old plan was that after
the returns had been received from
the several counties the board from
the entire 81 tate met and arranged as
sessmehts. hot taking into considera
ton fact that while an .asaess :
ment was not wanted in one county II
was needed in another, and for this
reason the unequal assessments were
placed. He stated that the harm was
not done when one county accepted
the return Of mules at $2S, but when
another county received them at s97
because by this means the irregulari-
ties were created. In reference to the
State survey which was mentioned by
Governor Manning, the senator stat
ed that the Legislature had not voted
to pass this act because they wanted
more time to think over it and study
1t.
The biggest trouble about the ir-
regular taxation. stated Senator John
stone, was the fact
j. ID. Durham OF the tax commission
spoke at some length Of the great
need of cooperation and the fact that
the board were seldom furnished with
sufficient data from which to make
the returns. u