The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-08-10
COUNTY CAMPAIGN MEETING
HELD AT OLAR FRIDAY.
(Continued from page /, column g.

since they were given it. He had
served in the house for eight years
and felt that this experience made
him better fitted to represent the peo-
pie now than ever before. This
county had been represented there
by good men in the past, but the
trouble was they did not stay long
enough. When you get good man
in the house you should keep him
there as long as possible. Most i'm
portant matter before the people was
taxation, and would devote most of
his remarks to that question. Want
ed lower taxes but did not believe the
people wanted to cripple their schools
and colleges, the asylum for the in
sane, nor take from the old Con-
federate soldier the small pension
he was now receiving. While times
were hard now he was glad that there
were no such scenes as immediately
after the civil war. In prosperous
times the people wanted better roads
and schools and had voted for these
things, now hard times had come
and taxes were hard to pay. Seventy
five per cent. of the taxes collected
were spent in the county, but two
mill road tax could be taken off as
soon as present road construction
was finished and favored no more
road building except what could be
done by the chain gang. Appropria-
ton bill was three-fourths of mill
ion dollars less this year than last.
Would make state departments econ
omize by cutting their appropria-
tions. Advocated one board of trus-
tees for all state institutions Of learn
ing so as to do away with rivalry in
the matter of seeking appropriations.
Our tax system was out of date and
should be changed. Other states had
done so. There should not be a dol
lar tax levied on general property.
Explained his tax chart, which Illus
trated the new sources of revenue ad-
vocated by the ways and means COM
mittee (of which he is vice-chair-
MANI by which the state levy had
been reduced from twelve to seven
mills. One million dollars worth of
property which had hitherto escaped
taxation was put on the tax books
last year, but it was estimated THAT
there was three hundred millions now
escaping taxation. General property
tax should be wiped out. All relief
bills introduced last session origi-
mated with the ways and means COM
mittee and he felt he should have
some credit as he was vice chairman
of that committee. Had heard all
over the county that he had voted for
the tax commission, which was not
true. He had never voted for any OF
the commissions created in the past
several years. The tax commission
was created in 1915 when he was not
in the house, and there had. never
been bill introduced to abolish the
tax commission. Two bills had
been introduced, one in 1919 and one
in 1920, but they only changed the
name and one increased the number
from three to fourteen. The 1919
bill gave the same powers but pro-
vided fourteen members, one from
each judicial district, and called it
state board of assessors. Was op-
posed to more expense and voted
against it, would do it again, and be-
lieved every man in the sound of his
voice would have voted as he did.
The other bill provided that the three
tax commissioners should be elected
by the general assembly instead of
being appointed by the governor as
at present, and as he was opposed to
members of the general assembly be-
ing elected to an Office by that body,
he voted against that. He appreciat-
ed the honors conferred upon him by
his people and would be grateful for
an endorsement.
J. C. Kearse, also candidate for
the only place in the house of repre-
sentatives since this county has lost
representative by reason of the
census figures, was the next and last
speaker. Mr.. Kearse has been a
member of the house for the past two
years. He began by paying his re-
spects to the ladies', congratulating
them on the fact that there were
more of the fair sex present than at
any previous meeting, discussing
briefly the importance of women
keeping Informed on public affairs
now that they were given the fran
chise. Spoke of this being his home
l. -