The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-01-21
Extension of Time
For Paying Taxes
Citizens of Williamsburg
County Adopt Resolutions

The taxpayers Of Williamsburg
county have in common with the
taxpayers of other counties peti-
toned the general assembly to
give more time in which to pay
state and county taxes as evidenced
by the resolutions adopted at a
mass meeting OF the citizens of
Williamsburg at Kingstree on
January 18th.
Sumter county is in about the
same fix financially insofar as the
average citizen being short Of
money. and Sumter county. like
Williamsburg county has also been
dependent mainly on tobacco and
cotton as cash crops. Everybody
knows what the tobacco trust did
for the tobacco growers Of this
state. the trust having taken about
as much tobacco without paying
for it as the boil weevils di0 IN TAX
ing cotton WITHOUT handing cut any
checks for same. 1t is a tie be-
tween the boil weevil and the to-
bacco companies as TO which can
trim the farmer the most. but the
boil weevils having no overhead eX-
penses. no taxes, no licenses, or in
come tax to pay may make a little
more profit out Of cotton than the
tobacco trust does in taking the to-
Ibacco away from the farmers. In
taking something for nothing how
eyer the tobacco trust and the boil
weeyils will have to draw straws to
see which is the champ How
ever it goes without saving that the
extension of the time for paying
taxes without penalty is needed as
much in this and other Pee Dee
counties as in williamsburg coun-
ty. Citizers of this county favor
ing the extension Of time for pay
ing state and county taxes should
either petition the Sumter county
delegation or write the members of
/ the Sumter delegation requesting
them to support the resolutions OF
the Williamsburg citizens published
below.
Resolution adopted at Mass Meet
inc of Citizens of Kingstree.
January 18th. 1922.
Whereas. the people Of Williams
burg county are dependent almost
entirely upon cotton and tobacco
as their source of revenue, and
Whereas the tobacco crop in said
county in 1921 was sold for prac-
tically nothing. and
Whereas by reason Of the raw
ages of the boil weevil, there was.
in 1927. not more than twenty per
cent of a crop of cotton made in
said county. and
Whereas. as a result Of the con-
ditions above stated, about eighty
per cent of the people in said coun-
ty have not the money with which
TO pay their taxes and cannot OBJ
tain any funds for that purpose un-
til the 1922 crop of tobacco IS
made and marketed. and
Whereas, after suffering the dis
trcssing losses which they have
sustained. and enduring the hard
ships which they have borne. all
of which resulted from conditions
and circumstances beyond their
control and for which they We're
not in anywise responsible, it
would be rather unfair and uncon-
scionable fer them to be penalized
for their failure TO pay their taxes
within the time now prescribed by
statute when, on account OF such
conditions and circumstances. 1t
is absolutely impossible for them
TO do so.
Now. therefore, be it resolved.
that the general assembly Of South
Carolina. be requested TO extend the
time of paying taxes without penal
" in williamsburg County until
September 1st, 1922.
A. c.. Kinds,
Chairman