The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-06-02

Mccormick and Dillon. Our neighbor-
ing county, Marlboro. ranks 43rd
with SEAS for each hundred dollars
worth of property.
/ The present tax system is the only
one that can be used under the con-
,stltution of 1895, and, though only
twenty five years old, has already
proven itself inadequate to provide
for the needs of a fast growing So
clety. The law requires that all
property. real. personal and possess
scry. be listed and returned, assessed
and taxed at its actual value. That
this provision is not practiced is we'll
known by everybody in the state in
cluding- State Tax officials so that
the State Commission in 1915 found
IL necessary to recognize this fact
officially and openly proceed with
the equalization of assessments on
the percentage basis of AZ per cent.
The taxation is a statewide prob
lem and its solution will be state
wide. but it will be interesting TO
mention some of the conditions that
nave arisen in our county by reason
OF the general property tax. The as
sessed valuation of the 246,5O4 acres
$2,591.465. making the assessed val
ue of an acre of land only $1O.5O.
This is an absurdIty when land in
Dillon county sells for from two hun
dred to four hundred dollars per
acre and yet we wonder why we have
such high tax rates and still not
raise sufficient revenue to meet the
increasing demands of government
In addition to this, most of the per-
sonal property, both tangible and in
tangible, which constitutes large
part of our wealth and from which
large part of our taxes should be
derived. does not find place upon
our tax books. The land owners and
corporations bear the burden of
taxation simply because men whose
wealth is composed of personal prop
erty can keep it off the tax books
land landown ,rS and corporations
cannot. The present tax laws in the
state make such a state of affairs
possible. The tax system in South
Carolina must be rebuilt from the
foundation up and must provide sep
arate systems for the taxation of tan
Sible and intangible property.
Facts About Wealth AMI Taxation in
Dillon County.
Ranks 13-Total farm wealth 18th
census. s1O,333.O5O.
Ranks 3 Per capita country
wealth 1910, sass.
Ranks 27-Total wealth 1920,
4,17S.126
Ranks S-Increase in taxable prop
erty from 191O-192O, per cent 10.
Ranks 26-Per capita wealth 1920
$3.50.
Ranks flax rate per s1O0 assess
ed valuation for the tax year 1920
$3.50.
Ranks Average property tax
rate 1920 mills 49 IA.
Ranks per capita crop values
based on eleven leading crops 1920
$219.95.
Ranks 32-Total number of farms
1920 3.44O.
Ranks 15-Farm land improved
18th census, per cent 51.7.
Ranks -2-Average improved acres
per farm, per cent 34.1-
18th Census.
Ranks 13-Farms operated by
tenants 18Th census, per cent 72.7.
Ranks 5-Percentage OF mortgag-
ed farms all of total number of
farms 1910. 4.
Number of farms 1853;
Number mortgaged 100.
Ranks 4-Percentage of mortgage
ed farms are OF total farms owned by
whites 80
Number white owned farms
2.543; mortgaged 90.
Ranked 13-Percentage of mort
gagged farms are of total farms owned
by negroes 1874.
Number negro owned farms
116; mortgaged 10.
Ranks 19-Number of automobiles
1920. 1879.
Ranked 9-Number inhabitants per
automobile ISL.
Ranks 13-Number inhabitants
per bank 1920. 3,135.
Number of banks Z; popula-
ton 25,27S.
Ranks 27-Per capita bank re-
sources 1919, $122.
Ranks 11-Per capita bank cap
ital 1919, 5000.
Ranks 30-Per capita loans and
discounts 1919, s66.