Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PACK FOUB. THE BARNWELL PEOPLE-SENTINEL, BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH. 1M7. ThBBarnwII People-Sentinel JOHN W. HOLMES B. P. DAVIES, Editor and Proprtotor. Entorad at tha post offica at Barnwail, S. C., as aocond-class matter. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One Year $1.60 Six Months JO Three Months - JO (Strictly In Ad ranee.) THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 1937. Tax-Dodging? learn from the Scriptures. Peter had my idea when he brandished his sword and cut off the man’s ear. But a greater than Peter rebuked the im petuous act. Some of the Disciples saw a man doing good, but forbade him because he didn’t belong to the recognised Inner Circle. Jesus re buked them for that. It is peculiarly true of us Ameri cans that we must be doing some thing all the time. 'Keep busy” is the watchword ‘‘If you don’t know what to do, do something, anyhow,” is another. In the construction of a train or an automobile, we think first of speed and pulling power; but the brakes are important, sometimes more important than any other part of the mechanism. We don’t boast much about the brakes, however; speed is what en trances us. Our Congress has served usefully as good! brakes in the Court program of the President. Congress could increase its usefulness, 1 think, by adjourning at once. The various measures pending beford Congreu to day, are, I think, the greatest draw back to recovery. A very fine and high-spirited friend resents the action of the United Mrs. Ashley Stansell. dent’s plan to reorganize the Supreme ! property and Court, insisting that it was an act of, other States. ‘‘Spectator,” who ‘‘Comments on Men and News” each week for The People-Sentinel and other newspapers in the State, calls attention this week to some figures sent out by the Char- leson Chamber of Commerce whicl^ he says, ‘‘shows that not all owners of automobiles pay property taxes on their cars. . . . Some escape be cause their cars were bought after first of January and are not included in the yearly return of personal prop erty.” We believe that most of the cars listed by the Charleston Chamber of Commerce as ‘‘escaping taxation” come within this class and that their owners are not ‘‘taxdodgers” nor that the various county auditors in the State are, as a rule, derelict in the performance of their duty. Let’s take, for example, Mr. A, who owned in 1936 a car that he had purchased or traded for in 1934. On the first of January, 1936, the 1934 car was returned with the county audi tor for taxation. On the first of Feb ruary of that year, Mr. A traded in his old car on a new 1936 model, which would not be returned for taxation until the following January, Mr. A paying taxes in the fall of 1936 on the car that he had traded-in the previous February. The 1934 car is later sold by the dealer to Mr. B, who does not return it for taxation until January, 1937. For some reason, however, the transfer of the used car from Mr. A to Mr. B, through the automobile dealer, is not properly recorded at the State highway department and 1 rejoice that both House and Sen- when the time for buying new license overrode th^ President’s veto of plates rolls around, Mr. A receives 1 the bill to continue low interest on registration cards for both the 1934 | farm mortgages. I cannot understand car that he traded-in and the 1936 j the President’s reasoning. He op car that he now owns, while Mr. B, poses continuing low interest on farm alao receives a registration card for mortagages because “the emergency not all bad, but some wereHiarsh and inconsiderate. There was a sent! ment in favor of making these mort-1 Williston, July 30.—Funeral ser- gagees pay a tax on the interest re • vices for Mrs. Ashley Stansell, 79, ceived. True the ortgagor had to widow of the late Ashley Stansell, of pay the taxes on his property, but it Elko, who died at the home of her was thought proper to compel the daughter, Mrs. George E. Crouch, mortgagee {o pay, too. The same were held Wednesday morning at 11 property, then, paid twice, but two o’clock at the Crouch home here with (Afferent men did the paying. . In the the Rev. B. H. Duncan and Dr. W. M. case of dividends the same men pay Jones officiating. Interment follow- both the property taxes and the taxes ed in the Elko cemetery on their dividends from the same Mrs. Stansell, who passed away Tues property. Each one can reason this day after an illnes of several weeks, out for himself. was one of the most highly esteemed Up to date about the only articles women of this community and was escaping taxation in South Carolina admired by all with whom she came in are chewing gum and “nipples” or contact. She had been a member of “baby pacifiers”—they serve the same the Elko Baptist Church for more than purpose and are entitled to the same 40 years, consideration—one keeps the babies She is survived by one daughter, quiet and the other “pacifies” the Mrs. G. E. Crouch, of Williston; one older ones. son, L. E. Stansell, of Elko; two Some one has suggested that al- grandchildren, G. E. Crouch, Jr., and though the Intangibles tax may be Margaret Ashley Stansell; and one double taxation, as it clearly is, it sister, Mrs. Rosa Matthews, of Wil- would be lc(ss objectionable if the | listen, dividends received from South Caro lina corporations were exempted, the | Celebrates 71st Birthday, idea being to encourage investment in South Carolina, while requiring the L. B. Creech, of Barnwell route 1, tax on dividends from corporations celebrated his 71st birthday yesterday States Senate in rejecting the Presi- outside the State, since they pay their (Wednesday) with a family reunion corporation taxes to I home near this city. The ,j^! ^ editor of The People-Sentinel regrets ' very much that he could not accept It is an idea and worth considers-1 an l nv ^ti on to the celebration and ingratitude and forgetful of the President’s great services to the na tion. Surely that'is not the correct interpretation. We have not so com pletely degenerated as to be unable to think for ourselves on every measure; nor are we so bereft of brains, charac ter and patriotism that there is only one man among us. Granted that we looked so small in 1932 and 1933 that the President appeared as Golitha, it still may be said that we are regain ing a bit of our fighting spirit. I think it distinctly wholesome that Congress has emerged from its trance and is showing enough independence to perform its duty. No one man knows it all; and no one brain and experience can compass the great nation in all the variety of its interests. I have a warm regard for the President, but I want all ex perimenting to cease until we can “catch up.” tion. There may be constitutional ob- w ' s ^ es Mr. Creech, who is one of jections. The National and State Barnwel l County’s most substantial governments have cut so deeply into h ,tlzens ’ many happy returns of the big incomes that nobody can get away | ay ’ with much unless he has enough to the 1934 used car formerly owned by Mr. A. Thus, according to the rec ords of the State highway depart ment, there are three cars owned by Mr. A and Mr. B, whereas the county auditor’s books show thst only two cars are listed for taxation—and the latter's records are correct. We know of at least two Barnwell automobile owners who have had the above experience with the past year, and no doubt there are others. From all of which it will be seen that quite often capable and efficient public servants are unjustly criticised by persona who accept statements as facta and have neither the time nor the inclination to ascertain whether or not the statements are true. We think that the county auditors of the State, as a whole, owe it to them selves and to the general public to show to just what extent, if any, au tomobile owners are dodging the property tax on their cars. Comments... Om Men and News By Spectator. is past” and yet insists on a billion and a half to give away because the emegency is still with us. Then we have all sorts of things being carried on in the name of emergency, but to help the fanner with a bit of inter est—no, sir; the emergency is past. So where are we? In order “to bal ance the budget” we must increase the interest rate on farm mortgages, yet it wasn't thought desirable to re duce the billion and a half for hand outs. Of all the people of this nation the farmer gets the least; the little seed- loan—which serves such a useful pur pose—is not in favor. $200 is not thought much of, even though with it a man operates a farm, feeds his family, works usefully for society, helps support every local effort—yet $1,000 per man in a CCC camp is es teemed a great social benefit and a transforming influence in our national life. EMERGING FROM A TRANCE. HELPING THE FARMER. EXCESSIVE TAXATION. TAX DODGERS. Something may be said in favor of just doing nothing, sometimes. It may not seem an admirable philoso phy, yet not every busy man really advances the welfare of the world. Years ago I was attracted by a bit of Scripture: “Be still and know that I am God.” Be still? When I feel so competent to solve all the problems which confront us? Be still? When all the nervous energy within me cries out for a channel of service? Be still? When overnight it seems that by a statute or a decree so many age- old wrongs might be righted and human progress given a new chart? The world would never go forward if everybody stood still; we must work and push and pull and drive; but not all our pushing and striving are help ful. There come times when we be- The fight against excessive taxa tion should be open and above board; it should be a citizen, in the name of his citizenship, demanding considera tion; it should not take the form of a failure to pay his taxes, unless he deliberately inrites legal action to test the validity of the tax. Years ago, when I thought I knew some thing about legal principles, I should have thought that the Intangibles tax was contrary to sound legal thinking. Here it is: If John Doe and 11 friends buy a farm for twelve thous and dbllars and take out a charter as a farming corporation, each holding one thousand dollars stock, they be come a corporation. They return the land, etc., for taxation at five thous and dollars. (Bear with me; I know better.) The place, then, pays taxes; everything they buy has already been taxed. Now if the farm should yield a profit of six thousand dollars it would pay a lot of corporation taxes, in addition to the usual property taxes. After paying property taxes (land, buildings, implements, machin ery, mules) and corporation taxes each partner (stockholder) takes his profit (divided). He must pay to the State a special tax on that dividend (over $300), »otwi«hB*anding his farm corporation has already paid every imaginable sort of tax. New, do a little thinking: U that a fair tax? This same tax applies to retain tax specialists who can lead him into green pastures; the little fellow gets it in the neck. It must be remembered that a man’s income pays an income tax over and above the limit allowed. If a man lose $10,000 in his farming operations and receive $1,000 in dividends, he will not be allowed 1 to show a loss of $10,- ] 000 less $1,000. He must pay the In tangibles tax'on his dividends (above $300) whatever may be his actual con dition. If he have a large income from many sources he must pay an income tax on the whole (over the ex emption) and the Intangibles as well. Now it is undoubtedly the right course to collect from those who have, but there should be some justice. Now what is the effect of this? It dis tinctly discourages investments and loans. Well, of course w’e don’t need any loans, but we surely need invest ments. If investments are discourag ed our State will “dry up”—that’s all. ADVERTISE IN The People- Sentinel. ROUND-TRIP* 1 tickets rood in _ A i3_£OND!TlONED_COA£M£ 5 ° AV B *TWE C ALL A TL ANTIC COAST l.NC STATIONS WITHIN 12s MlLrc ^ s CLL(ng sta ” 0 M n ,l / t * ^ deduced f* R i £ ^UNUMO MCTUftN eo»4*ON^ 5 "COCCM «■{.( «»K TM« T,C*|1 aocnt A study of the Charleston Chamber | of Commerce shows that not all own- Let Us Frame THAT PICTURE We are well prepared to FRAME ers of automobiles pay property taxes I PIUTLRES, DIPLOMAS, Ete. Our on their cars. That should be the •»»ortment of Frames and Framing easiest tax to collect, of all our taxes. Material .ia the best that can be Some escape because their cars were ^ught, and our work is done by ex bought after the first of January and • j . ... . , ... . ' penenced workmen. We can frame ye not included in the yearly return j of personal property. Not all of any ,ix€ »malleat them were bought after January 1st, t° the largest—and our prices are however. When it comes to paying | MOST REASONABLE, taxes, the man who owna a home is caught aa surely as a bear in a trap; but the citizen without a home or I without land frequently escapes as | blithely as you please and wonders why the rest of us "kick” about our taxea. In many towna and cities men are constantly coming in who never] get on the books at sll;nver pay poll tax; never contribute directly to sup port the city, county and State gov ernments. There is no check up, no investigation. If a man doesn’t go to the Court House he usually escapes paying personal property taxes. SEE OUR MR. BOYLES Reid’s Fumitur Store BARNWELL. 8. C. Mrs. T. N. Baker. THE RITZ THEATRE :: Mrs. Julia Aldrich Baker, 77, widow of Thomas Nelson Baker, died at the home of her niece, Mrs. Huger T. Hall, j of Aiken, Friday afternoon. Funeral services were conducted at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Barnwell Sun- BARNWELL. S. C. Monday and Tuesday AUGUST 9-10 ROBERT MONTGOMERY and ROSALIND RUSSELL in “Nite Must Fall” ALSO SELECTED SHORTS 6(6 checks MALARIA in 3 d.yi COLDS Liquit Tablets first day Salve, Noae Drops Headaches, 30 mins. Try *«ub-My-Ti8m”-W©rld , s Best Linimsnt. DR. HENRY J. GODIN Sight Specialist Jffices 956 Broad St AUGUSTA, GA. , TRY A BUSINESS BUILDER FOR SATISFACTORY RESULTS. INSURANCE FIRE WINDSTORM PUBLIC LIABILITY ACCIDENT - HEALTH SURETY BONDS v AUTOMOBILE THEFT Calhoun and Co. P, A. PRICE. Maasrer. ADVERTISE IN The People- Sentinel. i A. A. A, A. Jh. A. A. A. A. A. | Southern Welding Co. A V Auto Axles and Wheels Alligned ACCURATELY ^ >♦ with Bear System. Electric and Acetylene V Welding. * J. A. OUTZ, Prop. f _ «♦ 623 Ellis Street Augnsta, Ga. HALL & COLE, Inc. 94-102 FANEUIL HALL MARKET, BOSTON, MASS Commission Merchants and Distributors of ASPARAGUS One of the Oldest Commission Houses in the Trade. SEND FOR SHIPPING STAMP. We Are Offering very attractive prices in all our BEAUTY WORK Tested methods only are used in our shop. Nothing is left to chance. We use only the best. For Appointment Phone 43 Barnwell Beauty Shop <“:~:-X"X“X~x-:~:*<~x«x-<~:~x~>-x**x-:-x*-:*-x~x-x~x-x*< k *x-x«'X~:~:~:~> PROPER FOREST MANAGEMENT AND UTILIZATION IS A CHAL LENGE TO EVERY LANDOWNER <► IN SOUTH CAROLINA. REDDY KILOWATT - Your Electrical Servant day afternoon at 4:30 o’clock by the Rev. William Johnson, of Aiken. In-1 Matinees Tuesday 4 D. m. terment was in the church cemetery. Mrs. Baker was the sister of the late Judge James Alrdlich and the late Mrs. C. B. Addison, of Philadel phia. She was a member of the Episcopal Church and an active church worker. She was a woman of unusual culture and her many articles and stories enjoyed a wide popularity, as did two books of verse, “Gleams of Truth” and “In Mellow Light.” Mrs. Baker of survived by two sons, Chas. M. Baker, of Williston, and Hastings Wyman Baker, of New York and Dallas; two sisters, Mrs. W. A. Holman, of Anniston, Ala., and Mrs. W. H. Wyman, of Aiken; nine grandchildren and one great-grand child. Wednesday Only AUGUST 12-13 Bargain Day Mat. 10c t Night 10-15c LEW AYERS and AN ALL STAR CAST —IN— ‘The Crime Nobody Saw” come so absorbed in our plans that we overlook those whose co-operation all money received aa intowt we need but whose enthusiasm at the notea, mortgages, bonds, etc. moment does not equal that which When conditions A*vee oar spirit bad there was a . 3Wn if p m* fe* n ftifht men who held asongages, they Ladies Guild Meets. Mrs. B. P. Davies, Jr., was hostess to the members of the Ladies Guild of the Barnwell Episcopal Church at her home on Washington street on Tuesday afternoon. Several matters of importance to theh Guild were taken op and passed on before the study of the lesson was held. After toe Thur*day-F riday Bette Davis —IN— “Marked Woman” ALSO NEWS Matinee at 4:00 p. m. SATURDAY Only MATINEE «W NIGHT “Nite Of Mystery” We Have Moved WE HAVE MOVED INTO NEW QUARTERS IN THE BUILDING FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY GEO. PEEPLES, OPPOSITE THE BAP TIST CHURCH, WHERE WE ARE BETTER PREPARED THAN EVER TO SERVE OUR MANY FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS. WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT US IN OUR NEW HOME AND, IN THE MEANTIME— “LET TED DO IT’ Plexico’s Dry Cleaners Barnwell, - - S. C.