The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-03-30
enough to enforce it, Rather than

off the statute books. An inheritance
tax has been proposed from, time to
line in the legislature and would De
The means OF bringing US IN consider
able money. Kentucky received five
million dollars the first year 1t was
out in operation there. North Caro-
lima secured seven hundred thousand
dollars the first year it was operated
under state control. Utah completed
a magnificent statehouse out of its in
heritance tax receipts for one year.
The other day wealthy man died IN
New York, who would have paid
South Carolina several hundred
thousand dollars under reasonable
inheritance tax law, and in one OF our
up-country cities the estate of
wealthy citizen would be paying US
eighty thousand dollars this year II
this statute had been put on the tax
books in 1919.
We should have an occupatlonai
tax to secure revenues from many
who are now paying little or no taxes.
Virginia collects 81, 100000 annually
from this source.
Let me ask merchants of this state
whose assessments on merchandise
were raised twenty million dollars
last year, why let these "other fell
lows go scot-free?" Why should they
pay the taxes of these other fellows,
who are their competitors?
There is brokerage firm in the
state doing a business of FIVE million
dollars that pays taxes on one hum
dred and twenty dollars worth OF Of
fee furniture; there is another doing
a business of six hundred thousand
dollars that pays on four hundred dol
lars worth of Office furniture. Why
do you merchants stand for this stu
alton? Under the law nothing can be
done about it. Will you not see to
it that the next legislature changes
the law and reaches these other fell
lows through an occupation tax?
How can we get action by the
legislature? Four years ago Cover
nor Manning, the State Treasurer,
Comptroller General, the Tax Com
mission, and Representatives of the
Ways and Means committee after
several consultations drew up group
of four or five bills designed to
remedy our tax defects. Not one of
them has been passed by the legisla-
ture. 1t has been practically impos-
sible to secure any serious considera
ton of them.
The cause Of this Indifference is
the lack of any demand by the people
of the state for remedy. We should
not expect, and we certainly are not
going to get, any response on mat
ter so near to every citizen until there
shall be worked up strong popular
demand for change.
Once let the people know what the
conditions are, and what remedies are
needed, and they will see that the
remedies are applied.
AS we see it this situation affords
opportunity for service to the South
Carolina Development Board and its
affiliated organizations. Here we are
at the threshold of a campaign year,
a year in which partisan and factional
policies will play a small part unless
all signs fail. The legislature has
provided for an investigation and in
vited all interested to cooperate and
has thus afforded the opportunity to
present this matter to the voters of
he state before the primary campaign
meeting has been held, so that they
will have the information upon which
to instruct their representatives.
Here is a field for the American
Legion, and we urge upon members OF
its executive committee, who are pres
ent here today, to assist US in getting
the active support of it's membership
in this non-partisan, non-factional,
patriotic move to remedy a fundamen-
tai defect in our public affairs.
Agitate, agitate, agitate this ques-
ton until the people are aroused and
the legislature acts.
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