The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-02-09
GARY HIOTT, Editor and Mgr.
A TAXPAYER SUGGESTS PLAN
FOR CUTTING TAXES
COUNTY SHOULD BE TAX UNIT
INSTEAD OF THE STATE
e lartmcnt and Offices Should be
Reduced and Con:c,jdated.-
The Recall Ec,c:liaended

The Recall Recommended
Mr.. Editor t HAS about reached
;hc point, wEc"c:
When a nan has built barn,
Go and ta& hi:n;
When lie las cl arcd another farm,
Go and tax him!
When he lays another roof,
When he grows another hoof.
Iustlc round and get the proof,
Then go and tax him.
las man pot Of money,
Don't tax him!
Though its sweet like honey,
Dent tax him!
Let him reap what others SOW,
People are rather fools you know;
If they were not, they would go,
And TAX HIM.
In 1905, the assessed value of
property in South Carolina was
1920 100000. The revenue at rate
cf Ia mills was $1,55O,OOO Ten
years later the assessed value was
S310,907.10l. The levy was 7 mills.
So that in ten years the increase in
taxable values was less than 5 per
,ent, and the increase in expenditures
was 100 per cent. In 1921, the as
Sosscd taxation was $6,767, 1876 on q
. mill levy. Assessed values were
S452,490,GO0, but the mills doubled
instead of lcssing, thus doubling the
tax burdens. Can this continue?
During this period there has beer
an increase of about Is per cent il
population. Now all experts in tax
alton agree that when taxes increas,
faster than wealth and population, n,
unbcarablc burden is placed on tn
people. Who is responsible?
No state, county or town officia
will admit that this condition is tn
result of his administration. 1t
,ich pile
which tn
settle. w
tenn froI
>"> n.tsv .o"u ~ .nv .vngrcssions
Pork Barrel, government by bu
reau instead Of Democracy. Th
taxpayers of this state have bee
builied and brow beaten by bunc
of prctentious tin horn politician
until they have got into the habit O
standing in line to have their pocket
picked.
Useless Boards and Commission
are created each year, because of tn,
growing horde of spolsmcn, seekint
a reward for services performed fo
the machine, but this demands
constant extension Of the system.
There has been little q. ort in thi
state for real business administra
ton. Taxes in South Carolina hav,
trebled in 20 years, yet who dare
say in maintenance of law or cffici
ency we have been bcttercd?
This state and every ether stat
in the nation is flooded with politi
cal leeches performing no ossentia
work, but bending their energies t
keep up q machine which will Der
patuate their jobs. Food Inspector:
oil inspectors, Internal rcvcnu
agents, special tax collectors, whis
key constables, charity inspector.
doctors, pcl!agra experts, horse doc
tors, hog bureau agents and hundred
of trustees, all moving up and dow,
the land at heavy expense, cverlast
ingly drawing salaries and pulling u,
expense accounts to the proiit Of .ht
political machine and the impovcr
ishment Of the ordinary citizen. wh,
"pays the freight
venture the assertion, that lcav
ing cut the lately cnfranchiscd wo
men that one voter out Of 20 in tn,
primary is on either state or feder
al pay role in some capacity. Onl
voters are useful to the political
and this means the balance of pow
er is held by the machine.
Where is it to end?
Any man knows that such a cours
would bankrupt any private bushes
within six months, and this govern
ment, state and national is only abl
to survive the increasing drain at tn
expense of the tax payers.
Efficiency is the only basis 70