The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-01-02
NO.. /
1918 TAX ASSESSMENT
GIVEN OUT BY JONES
INSTRUCTIONS FROM TAX COM
MISSION TO AUDITORS COW
ER ALL TAXABLE PROP
ERTY.
Chairman Jones Shows the Great
Injustice of Inequalities Now
Existing.

Existing.
Columbia, Dec. 28.-Instructions
were issued today by the South Caro-
lima tax commission to the auditors
of the several counties of the State
and the chairmcn Of the boards of as
SCISSORS throughout South Carolina to
assess SO per Centum of the real val
ue Of all the taxable property in
South Carolina in 1918. The instruc-
tlons were the result of the confer
encc held by the tax commissioners
with the auditors and tax assessors
OF the various counties, who were in
session here last night and TODAY dis
casslng the various phases of the tax
situation in this State.
Adopting the recommendation of
Governor Manning, made in the
course of his speech before the tax
officials last night, the commission
also decided to memoralizc the leg
islaturc to fix Il "ncxible levy" in the
next appropriation bill. Should the
assessment of SO per ccntum raise
more money than appropriated for
the needs Of the State by the next
general assembly, then the officer
designated by the legislature can re-
ducc but not increase the levy, if
the "flcxible levy" recommendation is
adopted.
John p. Dcrham, a member of the
f,,I
county auditors and tax assessors of
the State to edo their bit" by en-
deavorlng to secure true and honest
valuation of the taxable property of
the State and thereby make the
plan instructed by the commission a
success. Out Of the various discus
sions entered into was CLEANED the
TACT that there was nothing like an
equality Of assessment throughout the
State, particularly on real estate; and
that thousands Of acres oare not re-
turned at all.
Some plan of equalization was ask
ed for by Auditors w. Y. Smith. of
Anderson; J. S. Mckenzie, of Flor
cnce, and B. N. Richardson, of An
derson, for their respective counties,
in speeches depicting the tax prob
lens they had to confront.
Describing the realtion of the coun-
ty auditor to the tax, commission, e.
L. Wilson, secretary of the commits
sion, asked for the cooperation of
the county officials.
Various phases of the law bearing
on the tax commission and the act
creating that body were dealt with by
w. II. Townsend, an attorney Of the
Columbia bar, who assisted the Office
of the attorney general in litigation
against the tax commission. That
South Carolina should not fall into
the condition Of Kentucky, where so
much trouble has been experienced in
tax matters, Mr.. Townsend urged the
adoption of some uniform plan of
equalization for this State.
Junius II. Lilies, of Orangeburg.
chairman Of the ways and means
! committee Of the house, urged upon
the county auditors and assessors
present here today to devise some
method of equalization to lift the "tax
burden" as it is so frequently called
He pledged his support as a member
OF the general assembly to anything
which could be done to remedy con-
ditions in South Carolina
Various other members of the con-
ference expressed themselves on the
70 ct{ m
opinion seemed to be that the method
instructed by the tax commission was
the most feasible that could be de-
viscd at this time. The gathering be-
fore adjourning this afternoon pledg-
ed its cooperation in the carrying out
of the Instructions
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