The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-02-12
Resolutions Adopted by Tax
payers Delegates Demanding
Heavy Cut in Finance Bill
MEETING WAS HELD
AT STATE HOUSE
Want Twenty Per Cent. Taken
Off of Appropriations as For
Last Year

td resolution asking that a cut of
20 per cent. in appropriations as
made In 1920 be made in the appro-
priation bill for 1921 and a committee
from the various counties was APP
pointed to confer with the ways and
means committee Of the house and
with the finance committee of the SEN
ate to decide where the cuts may be
applied. The resolution as adopted
was offered by j. A. Banks OF St.
Matthews.
Another resolution which was
adopted with hardly word of de-
bate was one which called upon the
senate and house to appoint COM
mittee to investigate the alleged
movement to force the sale of cot
ton with the request that this COM
mittee report its findings to the gem
eral assembly. This resolution was
offered by T.. w. Dabbs, of Mayes-
vile. Taxpayers. II will be remem-
bered. held a meeting in January to
discuss. the tax situation in the state
and the meeting yesterday was of
delegates appointed at meetings held
In the various county seats last
Monday. The committee claimed
conspiracy among business men to
force the sale of cotton within 80
and 60 days, and il is this alleged
conspiracy that the joint committee
is to investigate.
After Mr.. Dabbs had called the
meeting to order yesterday, j. A.
Banks OF st. Matthews offered his
resolution favoring the cut of 20 per
cent. in the 1920 appropriations for
1921. ID. l.. McLaurin of Marlboro. in
speaking on the resolutions said
conditions were not improving and
people were at loss as to know
what to do.
j. H. Rainey. president Of a bank
at Sharon, York county, said the
people were being taxed out OF
mouse and home. w. III. Garfield of
Anderson and c. G. Rowland, banker
or sumter, also spoke on the resolu-
ton.
w. III. Muller of Dillon sounded a
new note when he offered a rcsolu-
ton commencing the ways and
means committee for the splendid
work it had done. When put to a
vote his> resolution was showed un-
der heavily.
j. Swinton Whaley OF Charleston
didn't think cut OF 20 per cent
would cripple state institutions and
was much interested in the emerg-
ency tariff bill before the United
states senate. j. B. Morrison of
Charleston, from the South Carolina
Agriculture society, discussed oys-
ters and terrapins and fisheries gem
orally and wanted conservation.
During the meeting a petition, said
by Mr.. Dabbs to have been circulated
by j. n. McElveen Of Sumter, and
signed by 149 names, was read. 1t
called on the Sumter delegation to
use its influence to abolish the high
way commission and the tax commits
sion. to cut salaries of state officials
to 1918 figures and to cut one third
appropriation for colleges and state
scohols. An excerpt from York
county paper was also read i'm which
various cuts i'm appropriations were
sugges' ed. w. A. Strom read reso-
lutions from Edgcield i'm which va
rious abolitions We're suggested and
w. E. BOdie of Saluda read a resolu-
tion from his county asking for q 20
per cent. cut. BENJAMIN Sellers of
Marion alao favored the 20 per cent.
cut and w. a. Prince Of Horny in
dorscd the resolution and praised the
ways and means committee for the
work done
G. y. Sapp OF Richland and T.. r.
Hughes of Marion, both members of
the house. and also of the ways and
means committee. made two addresses
N hn tax
them into their confidence. told them
OF the nara work the ways and means
committee did on the appropriation
biil ana invited the taxpayers to make
any suggestion for further cuts that
they thought safe and wise. Chair
man Hughes of the ways and means
committee. laboring under consider.
able emotion, said he had no resent
mcnt against the men attending the
convention. said the committee had
pruned where pruning could be done
but thai the ways and means COM
mittee had not tried to destroy any
thing. The only fear he entertained
with regard To the appropriation bin
he said was that ID had been cut too
much. X. IL. Bclser. representative
from sumter. also outlined the work
of the ways and means committee.
After IL. Il. Kennedy of York COun-
~ had spoken i'm favor of the Banks
resolution. q vote was called for and
the resolution adopted.
George w Wannamakcr. Jr., OF st.
Matthews, secretary of the Conven-
tiOn, vO'cd against the resolution.
saying that il IT affected the public
schools of the state he was against
IL. lie said N" would not he affected
personally by a cut but was speak
| ing for the schools
The meeting adjourned after Chair