The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-08-03


mills and the county taxes by 35 per
cent. The new tax sources only af-
feet people able to pay, and seek to
relieve the tremendous burden on
visible property. Bamberg's taxes
are lower than surrounding counties
and 80 per cent. lower than an aver
age of the state. Federal aid money
has been matched dollar for dollar
without appropriating single extra
dollar by bonds, etc. He believes in
paying as we go, and will never stand
for bond issues.
But our taxes are not lower enough
yet, he said, we must reduce more.
Will continue to fight to cut off USE
less offices and commissions, and will
fight the efforts to centralize power
in Columbia. Again pays his re-
spects to the tax commission and the
welfare board, the former of which
he said was powerful and dangerous,
welding more power than the assem-
bly,, which worked for weeks to re-
duce taxes, and the commission in
creased them with one sweep of the
hand, although the commission had
been forced to take water and put
Bamberg county back where it was.
The welfare board, he said, has no
excuse for existence. He discussed
briefly proposed Tightening up of the
labor laws; favors liberal treatment
of the Confederate veterans, and lib
eral appropriations for common
schools, though he favors economical
management of school funds.
Riley for the House.
Representative Riley has served
eight years in the house, and is vice
chairman of the ways and means
committee, which gives him prestige
in the house, ana fits him for better
service in the future than ever be-
fore. He said he woull decline to
discuss himself, and confi1e his re-
marks to the issues. The tax matter
took most of his time, and he said he
would like to make it plain that he
does not defend high taxes, but ex-
planned to the people why their taxes
are high, saying that during prosper
Gus time appropriations went the
highest in history, but he wants to
see them just as low as possible, but
no one wants to close down the
schools and colleges or cripple the
other state institutions, and he hopes
he will never see the day when this
is necessary.
He explained how taxes might be
lowered by perfecting the tax re-
forms inaugurated at the last general
assembly, though he reminded the
people that Is per cent. of all tax
money is spent here in Bamberg
county for schools, roads, and salar-
les of county officials. The road tax
has already been reduced from IS to
SO, and the special road levy can be
taken off when the present road work
is completed, if the people wish it,
and then confine road work to chain
gang construction. He favors re-
duced appropriations for all state
institutions, but he does not want to
see any of them crippled.
The principle relief, as he sees it,
rests in carrying out the tax reforms;
present tax sources are too sorely
burdened. In order to show just
what he meant, he exhibited chart
showing comparative figures Of tax
sources in the past and tax sources
advocated in the tax reform bills,
some of which have already been en-
acted. The chart showed tax sources
as follows under the old system:
Visible property .--- .--- ---s5,500,0OO
Corporation licenses fees 475,0O0
Department fees.,. .. ... 175,0O0
The tax reform bills would dis
tributes the taxes as follows:
Visible property tax. 81, 100000
Corporation license fees :. 650,000
Department fees.... .... .--. $4,000
Income tax -... 100000
Inheritance Il AK. 49,. 800. 100000
Luxury tax. --.- 49,. 800. ---- 100000
Water power tax .--- .--- 10000
Gasoline tax --.- 4oO,OOO
Thus the levy would be reduced to
three mills on visible property and
afford property owners much needed
relief. He did not claim response
hi1itv for what has been accOmDlish-