The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-04-20
The Tax Problem.

Up in North Carolina they are hav-
ing the same clamor for lower taxes
that we had here in South Carolina
prior to the last meeting of the states
general assembly. Under the reval-
cation act passed by the North Caro-
lima assembly property was assess
ed at figure nearer its real value,
and q rate of taxation based upon
the new valuation. About the time
the revaluation act became effective
6efation began, and with property
Il sted on the tax books at its pre-
6elation value, the North Carolina
taxpayer was naturally the bearer
of a greater burden than he would
have been forced to carry had in
fated values continued, and even so
sfter much was done to adjust and
ecualize the burdens. At the next
meeting of the North Carolina as
sembly their appropriations bill car
ried provision for a good roads build
irg program amounting to fifty mil
lin dollars, and an educational pro-
gram amounting to somewhere around
seventeen million dollars. Def1ation,
coupled with this increased eXpendi-
ture by the North Carolina state
government, could step up situa-
ton that would cause great deal
Of objection to the tax burden. And
the taxpayers are bowling. But what
has North Carolina to show for her
public expenditure? For one thing,
good roads, and in building these
roads at this particular time she has
gained the advantage of better sale
of bonds, low price of material and
labor, and the financial effect has
served to keep the state in much
better circumstances than it would
have been had the North Carolina
general assembly considered it advis-
able to put the lid on progressive
ness, and use the knife on its ap-
preparations measure. And now the
North Carolina Department of Edu-
cation plans to provide 43 new high
schools in as many rural communities.
Commenting on this new step in
education on the part of our sister
state, the Greenville News regards
it as "a striking illustration of the
emphasis North Carolina is putting
on education at the time when South
Carolina is cutting down hers" and
the Greenville editor doesn't offer
any excuses for South Cardinals
failure to provide educational facili-
ties when sne says: "North Carolina
is probably in better circumstances
than South Carolina, at least better
than is the lower part OF this state
where the boil weevil has rampaged,
but she is now better off by 43 high
schools. She has been hit hard by
the business depression and could have
manufactured ton of excess to post
pore her educational program until
times get BETTER if she had been
so fallacious." North Carolina, he
says, has made wonderful progress
in recent years-more, we believe,
than any other Southern state. Agri-
culsurally, industriallly snd CONNER
cially she has come to the front. She
has built hundreds of miles of good
roads and unified the countryside with
the cities. But best of all she has
done that which has been at the foun-
dation of her material progress-she
has waged thorough and unrelent-
ing war on illiteracy."
The problem of education in South
Carolina as brought out by the Green
Wilt. News comparison with the ed
ucational activities of the sister state
is vital one, because, reproachfully
states the News editor, "South Caro-
lima has not near enough high schools
in rural communities nor are they
ably equipped and manned. The re-