Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-16

dRG ana at 9t0ouloJU Dotco
compared with 4.767,S79. as ?.
Cotton spindles active during No
vember numbered 15,499,127 compared
with 17,033,9S0 in November last year
q 81 ~
NUNEouAI. TAX BURDENS -
State Wide Meeting Wresties With, Age
1ioId 'ProbIert, elf71f.p' 4ll.'1
II the principles endorsed at aeon.
| ference of taxpayers that was held in
the supreme court library, In Columbia
last Wednesday are Indicative of the
common sentiment, the general as.
sembly at its next session will begin
to institute; tax reform in the direction
of placing the burdens Of government
expenditures upon the shoulders of
those best able to bear the same. Also
there will be, some radical changes in
the presents system under which
large part Of the revenue that Is now
derived from visible property will be
procured through painless extraction
methods. lis - VI
The conference was made up or
about forty delegates assembled from
different parts of the state in response
to invitation sent. out by B. F. Mcleod,
D. R. Coker, r. 4. Manning, ]. d. Pro-
tkro, August Kohn and several other
4 citizens of different parts of the state.
T.. The conference was called to order
by Mr.. August Kohh and the keynote
speech wasa delivered by DIR. Reed
Smith of the South Carolina univer1
sity. 'pi''t
In his preliminary remarks Mr..
Kohn undertook to make it very clear
that there was positively no politics in
the underlying motives Of calling the
conference; no desire to criticize any
body; no intention of trying to legis-
late, but what might be considered as
the best thought of the state, how
ever, seems TO be crystalizing; In the
conviction that our tax machinery Is
antiquated and inadequate, especially
in that ninety per cent Of the taxes are
C ')ected from visible property, while
many other kinds OF property that
should bear n larger portion of the
burden escapes entirely; that there
was no desire or the part OF those re-
sponsible for the conference to raise
additional taxes; but rcther- to sug-
i gest means for such redistribution OF
the burdens of taxation. as would re-
lieve visible property Of its dispropor-
Tomato load.
DR.. Reed Smith, who has beon n
.loLg time student of the taxation
I question, approached the subject,
| from the standpoint of the Individual
owner of visible property who is stag
Ccring, under. the load he is now hay-
| ing to bear and the necessity of MAIN
tcining the progressive stride the state
has attained in educational work. road.
work, conservation OF health, care. of
the insane and feeble minded, and va
I riolis humanitarian activities. He
pointed out that while South Carolina
ranks high In aggregate wealth end
Pre- sperity as, compared with the PAL
OF &C of the country, and while It's tax
.rrte is the highest, its actual revenue
/ In proportion 10 ability to pay is far
down toward the, bottom of the list.
The great trouble Is that we try to
1 collect our revenue almost entirely
from visible property and leave un-
lIouched sourcesTof revenue that are
now practically exempt,
Mr.. Kohn annouced as the pro-
gramme of the meeting the adoption
OF platform of principles, after which
the conference would organize by the
election of a Chairman, vice chair-
man, and an executive committee con-
sisting Of one member from each con-
gressional district. -
The platform was introduced by III.
IC. Harvcley, mayor of Greenville, and
! "A embra ced the following: f'>
Il Whereas the tax situation In South
! Carolina is, acute, both because OF the
economic condition of the people and
the Inadequate tax laws OF the state,
we, q group:bf tax payers, In order 10
pace the fiscal system Of the state on
! a proper basis, and to enlarge our pup.
| lie resources and to set the Durden OF
| financing the government where II
would be less grievously borne, do
agree to the following measurers lor
| fundamental changes in our tax laws
! and for Immediate relief:
| Cd That The passage of constitution
| changes proposed at the last ses-,
sion OF the legislature.
(2) For the placing Of
( (a) A gasoline tax :
(b) An occupation tax
| (c) An Inheritance tax
Id An n.dncrease in the corporation
license tax
(e) An income tax based on the
Federal Income Tax Law not
to exceed 10 per cent. or the
total Federal tax assessed
against each tax payer.
() A luxury tax
(3) To eliminate as far as possible
all taxes on tangible and visible
property for the support OF the
state government, these taxes 10
be absorbed by other sources or
revenue, such as listed in Sec
tion 2, of this resolution.
A motion was. adopted recommend
ing a reduction in taxation as far as
possible, andsr rigid economy in eX-
penses Of the. state government.
c. w. Coker of Hartsville, was
unanimously elected chairman Of the
organization, and z. w. Dabbs or
Mayesville, declined the vice-chair-
manship in favor of Mrs. +. S. Num-
cell of Columbia, insisting on her nom-
ination and election. The following
were chosen as the executive commit
tee; p. +. Mcleod, First district; D.
d. Prothro, Second; G. C. Wharton:
Third; Mayor H. c. Harveles Fourth:
w. Il. deI4oach, Fifth; G. p. Hodges
sixth. F. w Dabbs, Seventh. 10 '.s' 20