The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-22
is REAL ESTATE
: FAIRLY ASSESSED?
DO Land Owners Pay More Than
Their Share of Taxes, as Mr..
DabbS Asserts
Editor Sumter Daily Item:

Editor sumter Daily Item:
Judging by letters | have received
and others in the papers, and cii'Ni.
ial warming TO the legislature, tn srI.
ject Of taxation is the biggest question
before the people OF the state today
lTEcr> are not Il few who would 'ay
further burdens ON agriculture 20 na"c
, themselves. There is no question that
there should be equalization as among
the assessment of farm lands: but rs
! Il c,ass of property land is now bear
! iGg nIorV than its just share Of the
! burden uf tGXvs | know property
That ~ WCll-lHIuaDcd on which it will
! t.-,r from - % per cent to 2N per
cent th" gross income to pay tha
state ahD county taxes now. What
will il he when the hard surfaced road
| bonds are sold? What will il be ii
the plans that have been published
to levy slo,o00.000 is put over? The
| last legislature was working on Il Acc
Ia 800 per pound cotton, and a 20r
To $l00 per pound tobacco basis with
the cost of high living in proportion.
For two years prices were advancing.
AS | predicted last January. the pro-
gram OF the federal reserve board
means that the debts of the country:
National, state, county municipal, ana
school district bonds, and all private
debts contracted i'm this era OF cX-
panSion will require to pay them Oft
and 10 pay interest ON them two to
four times as many pounds Of cotton.
wool, beef, pork, tobacco. IRON. steel,
etc. two 10 four times as many bush
IDIe e IL
money which these debts represent
purchased for the government aud the
lpcOplc; that it, would work untold
hardships upon labor ana the produc-
crS OF raw commodities. Whether you
admit that the federal reserve board $
policy, and the league of nations de-
flation policy is responsible, on just
that under the abounding prosperity
of a year aog and the stimulation Of
high prices the people simply pro-
duccd too much, the fact is that it
takes even more than four times the
commodity i'm some lines to procure II
dollar than ii did IL year ago.
In the face Of these facts. that are
so plain that "a wayfaring man al
though II foor' can not help seeing
them, II is seriously proposed by the
heads Of the state government TO levy
40 per cent more taxes in 1921 than
in 1920. Governor Cooper is quoted
al saying that "hc hopes for an in
creased appropriation and will lend
his efforts to this end" / wonder
If Governor Cooper is so blind as to
real conditions among the farmers
and farm tcncntS and laborcrs Of the
~ fh f.,,. inn, If.
that they can stand even the taxes
levied hst March? II he is 50 ignor-
ant of conditions and can not see that
w are confronted by the most drasti ic
cut i'm income ever experienced by any
people, then | am not surprised al the
position he is quoted as taking-but
do say, and say it in sorrow. ne
shows his total untitnCsS for the great
Office which the people paid him the
compliment ur rendering him unani-
mouS!y.
IL there arc conservative men -.
the state who think aS I do about this
crisis that is upon us. and who be-
hcf' rs ] DO that the governor and
the lcgiS,atur" should have the bcnr-
mt of our COUNSEL | trust all such
VII! JON IN" in calling Il taN-paYcr'S
convention to meet in Columbia ON
the day the legislature convenes. and
To- stay in session until we have thor
ouEhly canNaSSCd the needs of the
taxpayers Of the state; and when we
have reached the proper conclusions
To appoint u committee To stay with
the legislature until we get the relief
we need.
I II, " 1ARRS