The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, January 31, 1919, Page FOUR, Image 4
. ESTABLISHED 1844
The Press and Banne
ABBEVILLE, S. C.
.___ ,
Wm. P. GREENE, Editor.
The Press and Banner Cc
Published Every Tuesday and Fridi
Telephone No. 10.
Entered as second-class mail ma
' ' ter at post office in Abbeville, S. J
Terms of Subscription:
One year $2.1
sm f
Six months l.<
Three montns .?
Payable invariably in advance.
, FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1919.
. '
THE TAX COMMISSION.
The Tax Commission it seems
not* in good standing in the Sou1
Carolina House of Representative
y
A bill has just passed third readii
providing for a new board of tf
assessors in the state consisting <
one member from each judicial ci
cuit, which'bill, if concurred in 1
the senate, will have the effect <
lulling the present law' providing f<
the Tax Commission.
i
N The Tax Commission has nev<
been popular With the people. Tl
chief objection to it, however, v
* " 5- ai?l ?x i:j a
oeiigve, is uiai it utu uut smu?. ui
right. The law looked to a busines
like1 assessment of the property
the state, by a systematic investig.
tion as to the values of propert;
*nd by means removed entirely froi
politics. Instead of getting this, v
had a number of politicians appoin
ed to the positions on this commi
won when the positions should ha^
been filled by business men, who *ha
' >
> no interest in polities. For this GO1
ernor Manning is plainly blamabl
v Tre result was that from the sta:
taxpayers, business* people, and pol
ticians themselves, looked upon tt
work of the commission with di
rCf;>V J v - /
j Awil A ?/! A MaVtAWfl /oitA 4>A V
u uou auu xx iuc papci o aic iu v.
> . belieted this is still the trouble wit
the Tax Commission. The whole e
fort is to get rid of A. W. Jones,
' ?re told.
But there should be some way 1
'' get rid of A. W. Jones, if he is n<
properly performing his duties* witl
out taking a step backwards. Ft
/ v . '' a year or t^ro th^Te was just con
plaint that the Tax Commissioi
instead of correcting the inequality
existing in the assessment of pre
perty, was making matters worst
but in the last year or two there ha
1 ' been improvement m this directioi
farm lands~have not been beai
Bg their Jlltf proportion of the ta
v burdens of the state in years part
.but this year the Tax Commission ha
undertaken to cure this complain!
/ -- There are thousands end thousand
?v' - : *
of dollars worth of personal propei
?V ' V in the state which is bearing non
> ~ of the hardens of te^tion. - Inclad
ed in I this personal property ia ever;
kind of chattels, choses in actior
dotes, mortgages and other thing
which should be taxed. Manifestl
' fell these things cannot be taken car
>
pi at once, but when an effort is be
$?' ' ing m?de to do so nothing should b
Sgi- doneto^cripple the officers of th
t|| law jT cioing the ri&ht thing; no
thotnd a law which affords the pre
pier remedy be repealed without pre
^ Tiding something equally effective'.
We do not believe.that the pre
v./;,., posed law will have this effect, J
few men in the state, who are calle
together fpr a day or two at a time
cannot investigate these matters a
they should he investigated. In 01
der to get all the property of th
state on the tax books somebod
must be constantly interested in th
matter. That will not be done i
this proposed law is adopted.
We-believe, as we have said be
fore, that the best way to get all thi
property on the tax books is to hav
some commission divide the state bui
_ dens amongst the several countie
according to some just standarc
Every man will then be interested i
seeing, not only that he does nc
pay more than his proportion of th
taxes, but in seeing that his neigt
bor pays his proper proportion. I
that way there will be an incentiv
for every citizen of $*e communit
to get thi6 property,^ the tax book:
: and to see that it is properly assess
ed. Bnt in order to dQ _thi4-r som?
/ body must make a propfe'r mvestigj
/ tion every two or four years to fi
> these proportions. We can betU
offord to have the state pay two o
V-f ' . -A
5
three good capable men a few thousand
dollars for-doing this, than we
can afford to pay several thousand
dollars more than our just propor?
tion of the taxes.
. We are not interested just now in
"* keeping anyone in office nor in turning
anyone out of office. We be*y
lieve, however, that some central
permanent authority must^ exist for
the assessment of property, and that
it- if the Tax Commission as it exists
C. at present is abolished, some equally
? efficient, or more efficient way of getting
the property of the state pro)0
perly assessed should be provided.
)q The bill now proposed will not do the
.. work without radical amendment.
>0
* %
We do- not suppose that there is
any claim that real estate is assessed
? for more than it is worth, nor that
the recent orders of the Tax Comis
mission have anything to do with the
th present fight on that body.
is. , The Tax Commission in the early
ig part of the year required that all
tx real estate be returned for its full
if value and that the county authori*
* * * * * ?* A m ii
r- j ties taKe iorcy-rwo per cent 01 tnese
>y I returns as the taxable value of all
jf property. In some cases* this , was
>r done, in others it was not done. In
Abbeville ctfunty, the average tax?r
able value is fixed at six and oneie
half dollars per acre, or about that
7e figure./ On a basis of forty two per
it cent, this would represent an" actual
s_ value of about sixteen dollars per
^ acre. We dare say that the Ihnds in
a_ Abbeville County are worth twice
this amount.
m In Anderson County the value for^
re taxation waa^ fixed at about twelve ^
dollars per acre. Our information is,
a, that not one acre of land in ten in J
re Anderson Coujity pan be bought for!
l(j thirty dollars per acre, and that the(
7_ actual value would be above sixty
dollars oer acre.
e. ? - ?
^ Ther6 can he no just ground then]
_ for fighting the Tax Commission on
ia this ground. The landowners at
g_ least have no cause for complaint.
>e .. *
i
:h What the members of the legisf
lature should do\is to require those (
r? people who are loaning money at in- j.
terest to Teturn their property for 1
;o taxation. They should require that >t
the silverware, jewelry, fine house-j]
l- furnishings, automobiles, mules, wa-j 1
ir gons, carriages, and other property |j
l- be properly assessed. Thousands of, j
l, dollars worth of property of this' ^
>s kind is going tax-free every year and \
>- has been for years. , j
?, The members of the legislature (
is will make a mistake to $rink that <
i. matters may be remedied by loosen- j
v ing the reins of authority,They
x must make something better than a"
t, political board of assessors. This ]
s matter of the Assessment of proper- c
t, ty must De maae a Dusiness iu?ner,
3 and it must be handled by business'
men in whom the people have con-'
e fidence. Any other solution of the
l_ matter will be a backward step.
t =======
COTTON ED. DID IT.
8
y In our Tuesday's paper we had the
e following to say on the * subject of
cotton:
e "We knew when cotton jventdo\?n^
e last week that Qpiton Ed was out
r of commission 'Jprtiewlii^e. ft ap-^j
h. ,pears now that-he has b*en ill with
the prevailing epidemic for Iseveral a
days. As soon as he gets out he will t
( fix things." t
^ Verifying this, we noticed in the i
d morning papers of 28th. that Cotton g
TP rl llA/1 n A WAAAtTAtlA/] AM ^A V* A T
i uu. iiou ou ia; icuuvacu as iu uci }
s able to talk cotton again, and that t
.. he had the following to say: t
p "The part embargo on cotton to, 1
y .neutral countries, the embargo to i
e enemy countries, the demoralization] J
jp in ^hipping and in shipping rates,! i
the conditions necessarily attendant's
upon the transition from war to g
. peace, the pending peace negotia- I
IS *
. tions?all these are elements being I
used by the bears to depress the <
!S market. The fact remains that the (
? naor^o ovorv' nf Ampripfln
1. ~ 1
n cofcton and more and will take it atji
the price we are standing for and <
e higher if we will just be patient and hold
what we have and cut the acre- 1
n age, cut it severely. Every patriotic ?
e business man is our friend. I
y "I am doing all I can with the
aid of our friends in the senate and <
house to get relief along the lines of i
shipping and the embargo. I hope]
t- for relief along these lines. Success 1
x is ours if we hold fast." 1
>r No sooner has this gotten into the r
^ newspapers, than cotton began to 1
jump, and it did not stop until t\ie p
two cent limit for one day had been I
reached. - G
We noticed too that immediately 4
other persons began to claim credit p
for the increased price. Senator S
Pollock and other senators and rep- c
resentatives, as well as some of thoap h
who have been telling the people .'to o
sit "stiddy" although the boat has is
been approaching the breakers began C
to assume airs of having had some- h
thing to do with the good work. a
Just to show them that they didn't,
Cotton Ed. loosened his grip a little
on Wednesday and cotton went down d
again. . *1
If the farmers expect cotton to h
go up they had better line up behind c
bur champion and pull for one eigh- h
ty-nine. ?
When Cotton Ed. talks cotton S
jumps. , n
/ v
SOUTH IS NEARLY ?
GROWING OWN FOOD Q
War Makes Changes in Production
' j 6
Work?Importations Decrease. , ^
-
The agriculture South of today is ^
as different from the Dixieland of
1910 as the industrious and expert-,
enced hands of skilled agriculture .
workers .can make it. A near miracle
has been performed. Thousands of
acres that were running wild in ?
weeds and filth are now productive
of profitable crops of corn, wheat,
oats, hay, cotton, tobacco, potatoes, ?
vegetables, and truck crops. Sections 0
that formerly had never exported a c
carload of cattle, hogs, or sheep are
now extensively producers of mut- e
ton, beef, pork, wool, and dairy pro-j ^
ducts. Families which formerly ^
lived a drear life of meager exist-, v
ence are now not only enjoying '1
plenty of the staples, but also many g
of the luxuries of country life. j ^
How was that revolution effected?! ^
How was a mirage transformed intoc'
-- -~x?I:*? to.-' 2
an tiw+iniiiy 111 txic ouuuuauu* xiic
l
was presented the opportunity *or,?
reformation along agricultural lines ^
due to the unlimited demand' on the
1 i Vt
American food storehouse. The sec-|sj
ond reason is because the United,
* m C3
States department of agriculture and
the State agricultural colleges, thru
the medium of 1,539 county agent?, '
located,in the 15 States from Texas
to Oklahoma and from Florida to
Maryland, have been steadily urging ^
farmers to increase crop production, a
:o practice better farming methods, C(
;o maintain more live stock, and to
produce in the South the majority S?
>f what food the South annually tr
>An OHtwna Pftf+An o a 4-Via
^vuoum^oj w? vtttwtitg vvvvvu oo WHOeading
surplus cash crop.
Olr Practices Changed.
-. / m'
Heretofore the South has been the;
Sden of the one-mule, one-Negro p
:otton-farming corporation. The Nep-o
farmers haveraised cotton large- e?
y to the exclusion of all other mousy
crops. Then they have "about e>
?aced" and converted their cotton in
^ w
noneyinto imported beans, bacon,.
J ' cf"
ind bread at the local supply .stores.
p Gg
n view of this prevalent and tradiional
practice of buying instead of a
aising the bulk of food, the United a
States Department of Agriculture ar
>perated under severe handicap when .
t began food work south of the in
tfason and Dixon line.
> Great credit is given to the coun
;y agents, who have not only showil j ^
louthern farmers in 15 States howj 1
o raise and produce vegetables,- ?
ruck crops, field crops, and meat m
>roducts, but have been successful in
retting the farmers to raise such
>roducts on a large scale. Despite
he fact that the record price of cot-j
;on has operated against the popu-:
arity of other crops, the average far
ner backed up the food program, j
Southern farmers and townsmen
aised plenty of potatoes, as well as
lorghum for syrup, in their home I
gardens. The farmers increased their j
iroduction of small grains, corn, hay
>eanuts, velvet beans, soy beans,
:owpeas, as wel las meat, milk, and
Jggs.'
For example, during 1918 Alabama
ncreased its production of potatoes
58 per cent, cotton 30 per cent, hay
12 per cent, oats 8 per cent, hogs 21
jer cent,- sheep 19 per cent, and
;weet potatoes 7 per cent over the
fields of 1917.
The South has been a heavy buyer
>f hay, the majority of her yearly
?orage coming - from the Western
States. The services of the Sonth;y
agents have increased the local
!iay production to the extent that
\labama produced 1,293,000 tons of
hay during the year 1918 as com
ared with 166,000 tons in 1909. ly
hiring the period from 1909 to 1918 m;
reorgia increased hay production of
26 per cent; North Carolina, 133 of
er cent.; Florida, 362 per cent,, and ail
outh Carolina, 253 per cent. Ac- gc
ording to recent crop estimates the oi
ypothetical value of the farm crops as
f Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miss- ar
jsippi, North Carolina and South
larolina amounted tb $839,213,000 sa
i 1909 and $2,106,396,000 in 1917, lo
n increase of 250 per cent. dj
Gains in Live Stock al
It is only logical that as the pro- T]
uction of corn and hay increases in ex
lie Southern States, the number of
ogs and cattle raised and kept show sh
orresponding gains. The razor-back ti]
og has been . traditional of ' the ca
iouth since the War Between the cc
lections, biit of late years these e\
ative rustlers have been replaced by fr
rell-finished porkers of desirable n<
onformation and breeding which are If
lore economical .in the manufacture te
f pork under Souther? conditions d?
ban are the grain-fed hogs of the ot
orn belt in that Middle "Western b(
jrritory. \ " If
The hog supply has developed with in
tie increase in corn production. "In ar
909 North Carolina raised 34,000r ly
00 bushels of corn, while in 1918 al
\
; harvested 64,365,000 bushels and w:
attened 1,599,000 hogs. Georgia in
roduced approximately '29,475,000 he
ushels more corn in 1918 than in er
909, and during 1918 handled 2,- in
07,000 hogs. Similarly in the case bi
f the other Southern States, in- be
reased yields of corn and pork have in
een intimately related, while the al
xigencies of war time production th
ave speedel up the farmer s and, va
irgely in acCord with high market th
alues, have expedited pork manu- sh
acture. Similarly, as a resule of?hs
reater hay production, more cattle a.f
ave been kept in the South. In ljfl4; be
[ississippi farketed only 86,229 fat ga
attle, while in 1916 it'shipped 156,- fo
37 animals t.n the St. Lnuia mar- isl
et, an increase of 181 per cent. I
uring 1915 Mississippi farmers sold
,850 head of sheep in St. Louis, J
rhile in 1917 they shipped 15,917 (
jeep to the same market, an inrease
of 232 per cent.?The State. V1<
mi
' . wi
HOT-BEDS AND COLD-FRAMES. fo
Clemson College, S. C., Jan. 29.?
0 have an early garden it is almost!
necessity to have a hot-bed and a
>ld-frame. In these the plants can
a started out of their natural sea>n
of growth and be ready for
ansplanting to the open garden as on
>on as danger from frost is over, ca:
hey are very easy to construct and Ro
rery gardened should have them, mc
he hot bed is used for starting the ed
ants and the cold-frame for hardling
them before being transplant1
to the open field.
In making a hot-bed the soil is fn
ccavated to a depth of eighteen on
ches and the frame built six feet de
ide and as .long as you need. The ho
andard greenhouse or forceing j.
,sh is three feet by. six feet altho fa]
six by twelve is much better, as it ve;
lows room for plants to be thinned ho
id transplanted. The frame is fitd
over the trench whciji should be g
a sunny place, sloping to the east
admit the sunlight. > &
Fermenting stable manure is plac- ,-pn
I in the bottom of the bed to "ft IjJu
;pth of twelve inches, packed tight- W
ONE ]
Positively
Sale Wit
SATURDAY f
We still
Clothing, ?
Overcoats,
and in facl
-to-date fir
predates g
D. P C
niHHBBHHHB
%
, and then watred freely. This
anure* furnishes the heat. On top
' the manure is placed six inches
! rich garden soil, thoroughly
fted to remove roots and trash. A
tod plan is to place on top this soil
le inch of finely sifted woods earth
this is usually free from grass
id weed seeds.
After the bed is" completed, the
sh are placed on and the frame alwed
to stand for three or foiii
tys before planting the seed. Thu
lows the bed to become warm.
he seed may then be planted, wated
slightly and the sash replaced.
After the plants come up, the bed
iould *be ventilated. Improper venlation
and watering are often the
luses of failures with hot-beds and
ild-frames. In very cold weather
'en when the temperature is neai
eezing, it will be warm enough bj
>on to ventilate for a few hours,
not ventilated, the plants have a
nuency w> grow too tail ana ten:r
to withstand transplanting withit
injury. Grea care should alsc
; exercised in watering the plants
they are watered too freely durg
warm Nweather they 'will be tall
id spindly, and if watered too freeduring
cold weather they are li>le
to be injured. They should be
atered just enough _ to keep them
a good growing condition. One
>t bed may be used for the differit
vegetables, the hardy plants beg
started first. -The cold-frame is
lilt in the same manner as the hoi
id but no manure is used for heatg.
The sash should be highei
>ove the soil than is necessary fox
e hot bed. Sometimes heavy cants
is used for the cold frame in
e place of the sash. A cold-frame
ould accompany each hot-bed,- to
irden og the more tender plants
ter removing them from the hotid
and before setting them in the
irden. It'can and should be used
i* the growing of lettuce and radles
thruout the winter.
3SOCIATE REFORMED CHURCH
Tfte Associate Keformed Presbyrian
Church will be open for series
of public worship next Sabbath
wiring at 11 o'clock. Bible classes
11 be held at 10 o'clock. The hour
r the evening service la 7:30. You
e very cordially invited to attend
! these services.Rev.
//M. R. Plaxco, Pastor.
ARTHUR P. ROSENBERG.
Sergt. Arthur P. Rosenberg was
the Wednesday's casualty list as
rried in the daily papers. Sergt.
senberg was wounded two or three
>tfths ago in the hand, has recover
and has forgotten about it.
BUYS HOME.
Mr. I. E. Culbreath has purchased
>m Julius M. Visanska the cottage
Magazine Street next to the resince
of James R. Thornton. The
use is now occupied by Mr. Chas.
Bruce. Mr. Culbreath and his
mily will move to their new home
ry shortly. The price paid for the
use and lot was $2000.
ALE OF HORSES AND MULES.
r'"jl . '
O y
Washington;* Jan. 28.?Horses and
n gt d '
lies ito longer required for tailitary
rjstffees will be sold at once, the
ar Department announces.
DAY R
i Our Great C\
I Be Discontinu
IICHT, FEBR1
have on hand many ba
>hoes, Hats, Underwec
Ladies'" Coats, Dresi
t, everything carried b
m catering to the trade
ood merchandise.
) L1A K
"STOP! LOOK! LISTEN"
J i .
How about yotir subscription tv.
The Atlanta Georgian today? Deeide
I today. See J. R. WILSON, or pfcona
, No. 22, and he will begin immfediat#r
ly to deliver your paper early in the
mornings, promptly. Dailies an4
! iSundayF, 20c. per week.
J. R. WILSON",
' Gen. Agt. Atlanta Georgian,
t 59 Church Street N i
, 1-22-StPd.
i .
WANTS '
' f I
. * V,
, AUTOMOBILE DEALER WANTED:
r The Overland-Piedmont Company
r is the distributor for the entire
Overland and Willys-Knight line
i in upper SoutHh,Carolina. We wish;;;/ *
a live, energetic, hustling dealer
' for Abbeville County. Address
uveriand-necimont uo., spananburg,
S. C. l-31-4td
STRAYED?From pasture ? LiW.
Mountain section, about a week
' ago;, one dark ash-colored mare '
. fwbv OOaU in size. Notify ALBERT
BELCHER, Abbeville, B.
P. D. 4. l-28-8t.P<Lv
- . , : : , ;
- ^ y{-.k
FOR SALE:?Dodge Touring Cpr,
unusual bargain. See E.VF. ARNOLD,
at J. I. Chipley's, Greenwood,
S. C. ' 1-24 4i Pd.'
' , ' y
NOTICE TO ALL MASONS:?I
am agent for Masonic Protective
Assn. Health and Accident Insur- '
ance. Have something nice to offer
Masons in good standing. Call me
up, will be glad to call and explain.' ,,r
jruune too or or. w. JSi. XUUJEiJtU
l-24-3t.P<L
' . v "
FOR SALE, REAL ESTATE:?81#
acres in McConnick county, . 12
miles from Abbeville. This fan*
can be divided into three tracts i
of about 100 acres. Will sell all;
or?part. $15.00 per acres for tW $
' whole tract or $17.50 if divided.
S. II. ROSENBERG. 144-tf.
FOl( SALE:?Cottage on Magacinr -v
street, now occupied by C. J Bruce
Large level lot. Wide frontage^
" 1'!
TV- ' - - AA AA'
r IUC go.ruen apwu xticb 94j.uu.vv~ . .>
This is cheaper /than renting.
S. H. ROSENBERG, l-24-tf?
FOR SALE:?Vacant lot on Maga- .
zine Btreet, opposite Richard Sondv
ley, between Flynn's and McDonald's.
This lot is a beauty^ 100 by,
250 feet. Price, $1000.00.
S. H. ROSENBERG. 1-24-tf
V. - . V -v"; *>
, .. j ;. - ' r:
FOR SALE:?Millions hardy frost*
proof Cabbage Plants, nowytill May
any variety, $2.00 per 1,000; 10,000
and over $1.50. Prompt delivery.
Enterprise Truck Farnu
Georgetown. S. C.
1-21-till April lv '
FOR RENT:?Three unfurnished upstairs
rooms. Apply, to No. 3f>
Magazine street . . lt.C
? [:,' 'i
FOR SALE:?House and. Ipt near the
square. Apply to T. G. or W. HumTTi?
10 01 *~t
VT1XAAX4.
40RE
' 1
learance ' . !
ed..... I
JARY FIRST
V
rgains in
if, Men's
i Goods,
y an ups
that apOFF
' V
x I
i
X