CAPITAL BY A. RA1 The taxable property of Lexington County ia 17,848,822 for . 1919, as i compared with $7,360,218 for the preceding year, according to figures by Rut 1* Osborno, comptroller general. This is ar. increase of $488,614 over < the previous year. By far the greater ' part of this increase came as a result of tho efforts of the tax commission < to get stocks of merchandise assess- i ed upon the same basis as banks and < other corporations?that is at 42 per fl cent, of actual value. For tho State < as a wno'.e me increase ior i9iv was $26,681,448, of which practically $20,, 000,000 was added by increased assessments of merchants. It was by reason of this increased assessment that the comptroller general was enabled to reduce the levy 'for State purposes from 9 1-2 mills, as fixed by the legislature, to 9 mills. i " In connection with the matter o? ' assessments it is interesting to Speculate whether the annual fight to abolish the tax commission will bo made in the general assembly thi3 year. "It is worth noting,'' said a person well informed recently, "to recall that when the fight to abolish the tax commission had been lost in the senate, it was a strong opponent " of the commission who proposed to give that body $25,000 with which to go out and get the invisible property 3 on the tax books. To Senator Banks ( t of Calhoun belongs the credit for this 3 ntl.lnh . I f ? iuuvui vt:i;uii icsuucu i?i me iiigum | assessments . for the current year. As M ^ a matter of fact while the $25,000 |f appropriation p:issed the fenatc it J was scaled in the committee of free conference to $15,000, und it is un- j p derstood that not nearly all of this t was used." s ^According to figures furnished by the State treasurer's office Liexington |l county stands well up toward the list in the amount of hack taxes owed to the State government. There remains on tho books an unsettled balance for 1017 taxes of $100.67, while for 1918 the amount is only $638.28, which will doubtless be further reduced when the settlement is made with tho sheriff for executions in his hands. There are only two counties la the State which have imadc full r.nd complete settlement for all taxes due. Lancaster and Pickens ( hold -this distinction. Comparisons are sometimes ocyous, but in order to realize how well Lexington has done in this respect it may be of interest I to note that Richland county is due to the State for 1917 taxes $8,879.63 and for 191 S $9,884.56. The total due the State for 1918 by Richland was 519&.S03.43 while that for Lexington waH $60,721.80. In other Words Lexington is still due on 1918 taxes only a little over 1 per cent, of the total, \ while Richland is due slightly in ex- " cess of 5 per cent. Among 1 lie industrial concerns ] chartered by the Secretary of State Saturday was the Swansea Gas and Oil Company, with a capital of $15,000. B. K. Craft and T. O. Setzler are | petitioner.". j Lexington farmers who daily come c to Columbia to sell produce will be interested to know that efforts are still being made by tho city authorities of Columbia to dispose of the present city hall property and erect h a modern market on Assembly street ; equipped with every convenience for both buyer and seller. Mayor Bla1 lock is authority for the statement that a large syndicate is now dickerjV ering with council for the purchase of the city hall with good prospects H of council being ablo to receive a H sum which would warrant the sale. S Mr. Blalock would not say who thfc parties were, but it is surmised that V it is the company which has in conH templation the erection of a twentystory hote' building. This would H" certainly be an ideal site for a good ^1, hotel, of which Columbia is badly in need. Au article published in The I Record lately says that plans have already been drawn for such a building. IAn interesting: discussion has been ( going: on Jntely between the Columbia city board of health and a local J creamery concern, which of course is of little mere than local interest except that it draws attention to tho j fact that Columbia is only partly supplied with fresh milk, and this train of thought leads up to something that The Dispatch-News has already pointed out before that as a sido issue on Lexington farms and as a weapon to fight the boll weevil an increase in the supply of milk could bo made valuable, Bi.t in order to make this Profitable there must be community cooperation. A gentleman recently returned from Maryland tells of a friend in that State who receives a JGOSSIP MBLER I Very tidy income from, several Cows and a good number of chickens. It is not necessary for him to take the produce to town, hut each morning he places his milk \cans and egg crates on the side of the road, from whence they are picked up by a community truck and carried to the city of Washington. And the beauty about an inrnm a from fvilo c^nr^n in that it is constant, being received weekly or monthly, as arrangements tor marketing have provided. The Gpportunity for establishing a profitable industry lies at the door of Lexington county. According to J. K. Breer.in. State chairman ol* the Anti-Saloon league t will prooably take a court decision ;o clarify the situation with regard to he regulations for obtaining liquor ifter the federal ' amendment goes nto effect January 16. The federal aw provides that a pint every ten lays may be purchased from drug itores for medicinal purposes. Mr. ^reedin believes th^it the State law illowlng not more than a quart a nonth will take pro:? over the 'cderal law. He nlvo thinks that so nany restrictions will be thrown Do You Enjoy Your Meals} If you do not enjoy your meals four digestion is faulty. Eeat mod jiuicij, cB.ueumiiy 01 meats, masticate e more generally accepted I that hy far the greater majority of . the women of South Carolina are en**1' itirely apathetic as regards the rlgtyt ' to vote. * \ ' | Senator Dial the other day called : attention to the fact that .Repuhli* cans in congress have again introduced a bill reducing Southern representation in congress to a basis in agreement with the vote in the general election. Our people ought to take a larger interest and vote more generally in general elections, but It will take a good scare to make them do so. j Tit The Dispatch-News' advertis- . . ins columns ior results. i * fflBBBBBBBHOSQBBnB Liberty .Loan Bond PLAN OF THE Homestead Bank. i * The Government,wants YOU to hold your Bonds. You can save money by doing so. Example: ^ John Smith has $50.00 Bond which he desires to sell or otherwise realise money on. At the market price he can sell tc reliable broker for around $47.00. He can bring it to the Homestead Bank and secure a loan of $50.00 less one year's interest which would net $46.00. He agrees to liquidate the bond at the rate of $1.00 per week for 50 weeks, and at the end of the period he has saved $50.00 without missing it, because he gets his Ecnd back, and he has also accumulated over $2.00 interest on the Bond which of itself is a Better price than he could have obtained for the Bond at the present time. It is conceded that Bonds will go up In value, and if such is the case he will a'so get the benefit of this' increase In the market price. Larger loans, of course made on this basi;;. The Homestead Bank , ^ l#0Tajlor St^ - * COLUMBIA, - S. C. * it 1 Our Depositors ink is in Richmond, Va., >anks, of which we are h with the farming and eserve district whir.h in- J I Lexington county. I onfidently to supply the immunity requires but for steadier credit conig methods which will l and let us discuss how m helps us meet your r needs. ational Bank i, S. C. Does it Benefit Me?" rirv SPECIAL DEALERS IN i w ^ ^ gar Rice and Grits. of Coffe. Kennys special ir coffee to suit you; also ?. Drop in to see us. Wholesale and Retail Phone 154-153 EET, COLUMBIA way wmj wi?wiff? ww w principle* ft SUI)R0 ittftiit, g the financial strength and growth ol the business interest ?f this | coaamanity. Come h ujkt fi get together?we are something | sore than Bankers?we are a very human lot of individual*, and " 1 it is a matter of pride with us, that aside from the responsibilities | we have developed in our business, we have cultivated the friendship of those whom we serve. | Fiwyiily la reflected to this Bank fron?the increased pros- p perity el fair patrons. | The Bank of Columbia 1 Columbia, S. C. 1 Lifetime Furniture Had your grand father or mother not used excellent judgement in the selection of their furniture wnnlH vmi ViQtro tlinaa onfinnn nin i# -? persistently rare. Same rate of interest (4 per cent.) paid on both Inrge end smell accounts. ^ THE OLD RELIABLE The Carolina National Bank of Columbia Y ' ' - 333 w. A. Clerk, President. J'7 ' . vvA't