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Tax Commission's Report to General Assembly Covering Work of Four Years. FORTY-SEVEN MILLION PLACED ON TAX BOOKS Large Part of the Increase is Due to Assessments Being Equalized. ? Columbia, Jan. 27.?The approxi mate increase of assessments on banks, textile industries, railroads, street railways, light, heat and power companies, fertilizer factories, oil mills, insurance and trust companies and telephone and telegraph com panies for the past four-year period is ?26,740,4.79, and, in addition; $47, 087,415 has been added to the real property in South Carolina since 1914, .according to the annual report of the State Tax Commission to the Genera,! Assembly, which is now ready for distribution. The report says it is true that a large part of this increase is due to new or added property, but also a large part is oi? account of assess ments being equalized with such oth er properties, as well as adding prop - erty which has escaped taxation. The i report continues with the statement j that, acting under statute, in 1918,! it went into the equalization of farm lands in the State, and here it was - found that very great inequalities ex isted among the various counties of ' the State. "In some few counties the assessment of lands was fair and rea sonable," said the report, "but in - others?some of the larger and richer counties?it was assessed at a very low percentage of Its real value." The report says that it is the pur pose of the commission to undertake, during the coming year, the equaliza tion of assessments among individ uals, provided adequate facilities are provided. The report of the State Tax Com mission is of interest particularly at this time as there is a concerted fight to be made against it in the general assembly. A bill providing ' for a board of assessors already is under debate in the house of repre sentatives, and it is thought that this legislative "drive" will be a pro longed one as the State Tax Commis sion has-some warm friends in the . lower' body. The following is the main body of the leport: "It is obvious to one who gives die matter passing, thought that it was an Impossibility for the work of assess ing and equalizing all property in the State,to be done in one year, so what has been done towards that end has been by a gradual yearly process as will .appear by our former annual re- i ?ports. This process should be con-j tinued, . and. more extensively and in tensively, in the future, and until there | !may be a reasonable assurance that ?each county is contributing its fair . share to the support of the State -government and that each individual ?taxpayer is contributing to the pub- < lie revenues only that just and fair j amount with which he is chargeable! under an impartial administration oft "the law. ' "This commission has given its spe- ? cial efforts for three years to assess- j ing banks, textile industries, railroads.' street railways, -light, heat and power j companies, fertilizer factories, oil i mills, insurance and trust companies j and telephone and telegraph compa nies. "The approximate increase of as- j sessment on the. above properties for ithe four-year period past is $26,740, '479. And incidentally it may be mentioned here that in addition to the above mentioned amount $47,087, :415 has been added to the assessed value of real property since 1914, in-j \eluding the real estate owned by the :above mentioned corporations, which "is included in the increase first above named. It is true that a considerable ;part of the above increase is due to! I new or added property, but a large! part is on account of assessments be- j -ing equalized with other such prop erties, as well as adding property which had escaped taxation. Having ?to a fairly satisfactory extent succeed ed in equalizing the above classes of "property, which constitute* a jarge portion of the taxable property of the! State, the commission, on account of j :the year 1918 being the period fixed j ? by statute for reassessing real estate,! took up the matter of assessing farm] ;lands as being perhaps the larger inj 'value of any other single class of i property in the State. It was found that very great inequalities existed between the several counties of the State as to farm lands. In some few counties the assessment of lands was fair and reasonable, but in others, ifiome of the larger and richer counties fit was assesed at a very low percent age of its real value. "It was impossible for the commis sion to undertake to equalize land values as between individuals of a county. That matter was left to the county authorities, upon whom was urged the necessity of equalizing be tween individuals, so that each indi vidual would bear his proper propor tion of the tax burden in like man ner as each county, it is the purpose of this commission, however, to un dertake during the coming year the equalization of assessments among in individuals, and it is felt, that much may be accomplished if adequate fa cilities are provided. This commis sion determined what the average assessed value of lands per acre in each county should be. This was done by taking the United States census reports of 191ft as a basis and guide, applying to all counties of the State alike, but in the counties in which protests were made, the commission took into consideration the sales, pub lic and private, of Innds as a further Hundred Thousand Workers Are Idle and Twenty-Six. Trades Affected. BELFAST IS NOW LIKE A DEAD CITY Street Cars Not Running and Social Life Paralyzed?Grave Diggers Join Strike. London, Jan. 2S.?One hundred thousand people are involved in the / Belfast strike and twenty-six trades [are affected, writes the Belfast cor respondent of The . Daily Mail. He says Belfast is like a dead city. Its entire social life is paralyzed, saloons, tram cars, bakeries and laundries are ^rut down, and no afternoon papers were issued Monday. Telegraph and telephone communication with out side districts is seriously handicapped. The city is depending: upon candles for lights. The strikers demand a forty hour week. The grave diggers joined the strike Monday. There has been some disorders. Spartans Resume Fight Government at Wilhelmshaven Overthrown and Traffic Stopped. I Copenhagen, Jan. 2S.?The Spar I tacan forces have overturned the gov nment in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and have occupied the banks and oth er public buildings. They have or dered the court-martial of their op po-" ents. Railway traffic to and from Wilhelmshaven has been stopped. Comnig to Home Port The Thirtieth Division Will Be Landed at Charleston. Washington, Jan. 28.?The 30th di vision (North Carolina. South Caro lina and Tennesee National Guard) now under orders to return home, will be landed at Charleston, if fa cil.ties can be prepared there to re ceive it. The division will probably demobilize at Camp Jackson., High Prices Pass ^resident of Manufacturers As sociation Predicts Drop of Seventy-Five Per Cent. Chicago. Jan. 2S.?The era of high . prices will soon pass and in many cases the drop will be as much as , seventy-five per cent, in his opinion, ', said Albert Levy, president of the J Manufacturers and Importers' Asso ciation of America, who is holding an exhibition here cf more than twenty two thousand manufactured articles, frcm hair pins to seal coats. Famine Bill Safe The House Accepts All Senate Amendments to Appropria tion Measure. Washington, Jan. 28.?The enact- ' ment of the bill appropriating one hundred million dollars for famine relief in Europe was nearly complet ed today by the house adopting the | conference report accepting the sen ate amendments ! substantially un changed. The senate also adopted the con ference report without debate. The bill now goes to the president for ap proval. ? Ban on Immigrants Law Proposed to Close the Doors for Four Years. Washington. Jan. 2S.?Legislation I prohibiting general immigration for a .period of four years after the signing of the peace treaty has been approv ed tentatively by the house immigra tion committee. Maniac Kills Three i - ? i Five Others Wounded by Crazed Man in Philadelphia. Philadelphia. Jan. 27.?With a loaded revolver in each hand, a man j who gave his name as "Omega, son of | Jesus Christ." ran amuck through the! streets near the center of the city to day, shooting in every direction as] a big crowd tried to capture him. Be- \ i for'- he was finally overtaken and ! beaten into insensibility by a motor-! [cycle policeman. h?> had shot and' 'killed three men and wounded five | others, two of them seriously. The j dead are Thomas Holleran. an em- I ployee of the Philadelphia Rapid! [Transit Company and John Knox and; [George Dingall, policemen. _; aid to determine values, or as throw-! ins: light on the general values in a I county. Such sale prices were also taken into consideration where the! commission was able to get them, in some counties which offered no pro test. 'After giving benefit of all reason-1 able deductions in values of lands so as to determine a conservative value! thereof, which almost invariably was] lower than the sale pric.'. as a whole by the county. *he commission then took 4 2 per cent, of that valuation, so as to put lands upon an equality with all other property assessed by this commission. 'OCEAN TONNAGE j FIGHT BEGINS New Cotton Rates to Europe First Move in Commercial War. COTTON TARIFFS ON CARGO RATE BASIS American Shipping Board Meets Reduction on Ocean Rates An nounced in London. Washington. Jan. 28.?New rates; on cotton from Atlantic and Gulfj ports to Europe in American bottoms were drafted today by the division of operation of the shipping board. It is said the new cotton jtariffs fol low the same general basis as the general cargo rates announced last night. Some of the shipping board officials see in the lowering of the rates an nounced here and in London, evidence of the beginning of the after-war fight for ocean tonnage. General Move Up Robert Lee Bullard and Others Promoted. Washington, Jan. 27.?Nominations of Robert Lee Bullard, now holding temporary rank of lieutenant general, to be major general'in the regular army and of eight officers now tem porarily major generals to be perma nent brigadier generals were confirm ed today by the senate. The new brigadiers are George W. Read, Charles H. Muir. Charles T. Menoher, J. W. .McAndrew, William G. Haan, James G. Harbord, John L. Hines and Charles P.^Summerall. Immigration Problem Congress Called on to Act Promptly to Protect Country. Washington, Jan/ 2S.?Prohibition of immigration for four years after the war except from Cuba, Mexico, Canada and Newfoundland was agreed upon unanimously today by the house immigration committee. Chairman {Burnett announced that he would ask for a special rule *to permit early consideration of the measure by the house. "If the bill is not passed by the present congress, its purpose will be partially defeated," Mr. Burnett said. "It is intended to prevent a great flood of immigrants coming here,as soon as peace is signed and driving our own people out of work, and also to keep out the Bolsheviki." A number of amendments adopted permit the admission of relatives of aliens already in this country and of persons skilled in certain occupations! and professions. 1 Paris. Jan. 2S.?The European workers believe labor has the right to go and come freely wherever em ployment is to be found regardless of frontiers, declared George Nicoll Barns, labor representative on the British peace delegation, in discussing the proposal to prohibit immigra tion into the United States for some years after the signing of the peace treaty. European labor, he said, was strongly opposed to such a law al though it was unable to prevent its passage. * The European labor market, Mr. Barnes pointed out, was full while the field for employment in the Unit ed States hardly had been scratched over. Mr. Barnes said he thought a provision should be made, however, for employment of emigrants before they embark for a foreign land. Mr. Barnes was in conference to day with delegates from the British trades unions regarding the draft of a measure for the proposed internation al labor bureau which when complet ed would be submitted to the repre sentatives of British employees. Af ter this has been done the measure will he taken before the peace con ference. Other drafts, it .is expected, will be submitted by other nations. All are to be compared and con solidated into a final project for sub mission to the conference. Bolsheviki in Mexico Strike Called as Protest Against Conviction of Mooney. Mexico City. Jan. 27.?After . the death sentence against Thomas Moon" ey in the San Francisco bomb out rage case had been commuted by the governor of California, protests were j formulated and one strike was under taken in Mexico to protest against the decision of the court in the Mooney case. The Regional Labor Union of the capital and similar bodies in Tamaulipas sent protests to the Cal ifornia, court and. in Tampico. several thousand . members of workers' or- j ganizations that are similar to the 1.1 W. W. went out on a strike for twelve hours as a protest. Mexico <'iiy. .Jan. 27.?The Mexican! government bus accepted an invita tion from France to participate in I the exposition : t Lyons in February, j - Copenhagen, Jan. 28.?A Munich j I dispatch to the Politiken repots that j it has learned from "quite reliable) [sources" that Rosa Luxemburg is j alive at the home of a friend where she is concealed pending an oppor ' turn to escape from Berlin. ? __ Archangel. Monday, Jan. 27.?The! Bolsheviki forces failed "in their at-i ! tempt last midnight to drive the: ! American and British troops from! their positions at Tulgas on the DvinaJ j river, southeast of Archangel. GERMANS SHOW ARROGANCE Campaign Being Organized to Block Plans of the Allies. SOME OF THE LEADERS DO NOT ADMIT DEFEAT j General Von Winterfeldt Re signs From Armistice Com mission as Protest. Pans, Jan. 27 (Havas).?It ap j pears from accounts received here that the resignation of Gen. D. von Winterfeldt as a member of the Ger man armistice commission was hand ed in because the general said, his dignity and that of his country had been offended. Commenting on this, the Paris newspapers characterized the resignation as part of a plan for a reactionary campaign. They point out the German wireless service give what they characterize as an "ex tremely insidious" account of the in cident, indicating the new Berlin government feels itself strengthened since the national assembly election and the crushing of the Spartacans and again feels free to use haughty language. The warm . approval of General Winterfeldt's action, expressed by the Berlin press, is indicated as another of the numerous symptoms of the revival of the German imperialistic spirit which may be found in some degree in everything coming out of Germany, the Paris newspapers con tend. In this connection they allude to the recent declarations of Count von Brockdorff-Rantzau, the foreign secretary, similar in tone to that of General von Winterfeldt. Germany likewise, it is added, is endeavoring to make a point of the slightest sign of discord among the allies, for instance, as regards the league of nations and attempts to represent President Wil son and Premier Clemenceau as op posing each other. All the newspapers declare that the allies will have to watch closely the efforts of conquered Germany to rise again, one of the commentators de claring: "The recently humble are again ready to become arrogant." The Echo de Paris says the German government does not intend to take part at the peace conference as con quered nation but as a veritable pow er, and that it is with this purpose the German government realizing its strong support at home is preparing itself for representation at the Paris conference. Amsterdam, Jan. 27.?General von Winterfeldt in announcing his resig nation from the army commission, according to an official German an nouncement, said Marshal Foch's de mand for an extension of the bridge head six miles east of Strasburg con stituted distrust of the commission's labors. Demand 8 Hour. Day Notice Served on Textile Mills '- Chattanooga by Their Employees. Chattanooga. Jan. 28.?Notice has been served upon textile mills here by employees that beginning next Monday the eight hour day will be made effective and that no member of the union will work over that num ber of hours. While no concerted ac tion has been taken by mill owners, it is understood that some of them have announced their intention of closing down their plants. This move ment by the workers is a part of a nationwide campaign to force an eight hour day in the textile indus try. The Grandmother of Revolution Madam Breshkovskay Welcomed By Great Crowds in New York. New York, Jan. 29.?Hundreds of anti-Bolshevik Russians and a number of Americans greeted Madame Cath erine Breshkovskay, ,:the grandmoth er of the Russian revoiution" upon arrival at the grand central station j this morning on a tour of the coun try- As the elderly woman stepped from the train these assembled to | greet her swept forward and tried to thust bouquets into her hands and to ki " and hug her. Disorder in Belfast Streets in Darkness and Mobs Wreck Store Windows. Belfast, Jan. 20.?There was much rioting in the dark streets here last night. Many plate glass windows of stores on prominent streets were smashed and some of the contents stolen. The polier- frequently charg ed the rioters with clubs. Comptroller of Currency John Skelton Williams Nominat ed for Place. Washington, dan. 20.?.lohn Skel ton Williams, of Richmond, was nom inated today ,'by President Wilson to be comptroller of the curency, Jouo't S. House, of Kinsley. Kansas, wa. ( nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. I Washington. Jan. 28.?The food ad ministration announced today that President Wilson bad signed proc lamation in Paris on January 23rd re. moving restrictions on the manufac ture of so-called near beer, COOPER CALLS COTTON MEETING Cooper Asks Other Governors to Join in Conference at New Orleans. IT IS PLANNED TO HOLD MEETING ON TUESDAY One Farmer and One Banker to Be Sent From Each Congres sional District. Columbia. Jan. 29.?Governor Coop er yesterday urged the governors of all cotton growing States to join him in a call for a cotton convention to be held in New Orleans next Tues day to consider a general' plan to decrease acreage and also unified ef fort to stabilize the market for the crop now selling. Representation is asked for two delegates from each cotton growing congressional district, one of these to be a farmer and the other to be a banker. The telegram was sent by Mr. Cooper to the govern ors of the following States: North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Ala bama, Louisiana, Arkansas. Mississi ppi, Texas*. Oklahoma, Virginia, Flor ida and Missouri. The telegram was sent at the urgent request of dele gations of farmers and business men from several different counties and follows: '?'Under present conditions and such as are likely to obtain in the future the farmers of the cotton States can not produce cotton as cheaply as heretofore. The time has come when cotton must be produced only to meet requirements of consumption,. to the end that we may always have a ready and waiting market. The farmers of my State are of the opinion that the acreage of the 1919 crop should not exceed 25,000,000 acres. They wish to join with representatives from other cotton States in creating a movement to bring about acreage reduction and secure a better price for cotton now on hand. This is one of the most im portant questions before the people of the South and requires prompt and united action on the part of the cot ton growing States. It is sincerely hoped that each of the cotton States will join in this movement whole heartedly. I therefore have decided to ask the governors of each cotton State to appoint two delegates, one farmer and one banker, with alter nates, from each cotton growing Con gr? ssional District to attend a meeting at New Orleans, La., February 4 toj formuk '; and adopt a practical plan j suitable to all the States and that wir bring a satisfactory adjustment! of present conditions. May I ask that] you appoint delegates from your State j and notify me of your action. The Price of Cotton Two Measures Introduced in Congress. Washington, Jan. 28.?Two legisla tive measures designed to affect the market prices of cotton were intro duced in the house today by repre sentatives from cotton growing States. Both were referred to the agiculture committee. Representative Howard of Georgia introduced a bill which he said was intended to place the prices of cot ton futures on parity with spot cot ton. Five grades of cotton would be fixed by his measure as the "official cotton standards of the United States," these being middling, strict; middling, strict low middling, low j middling and good middling. Further, his measure would provide | that "average deliveries shall not j grade below middling." This average j he explained, would be maintained by[ deliveries of equal quantities of cot-j ton of the grades above and below j middling. Representative Hefiin of Alabama j proposed by a resolution "that gam- \ /oling or speculation in cotton as carried on at present at the New; York and New Orleans cotton ex-j changes be prohibited." i "The great difference between the I price of cotton lutures on these ex changes." Mr. Heflin's resolution said, "and the price of spot cotton in the markets of the country, is proof posi tive that these two exchanges have ceased to be places of legitimate spec- j ulation. but have degenerated into, gambling institutions." "Farmers Won't Sell ?.? Cotton Kolding Movement Gain- j ing Ground. Atlanta. Jan. 2v?Such impetus; has been gained Within the last few Ways by the cotton holding move-j ment that it now embraces practical-} ly all the cotton producing States, ac-j cording to J. J. Brown. Georg' com-1 missioner of agriculture, who recent-j lv telegraphed agr ultural commis sioners in all the cotton States asking for the views of farmers in their States. Mr. Brown said today that he had received replies from many of the commissioners. Commissioner M. C. Allgood of Alabama wired him that the Alabama legislature had passed a joint resolution urging holding and i "that the people are backing the; holding movement." Commissioner B. Harris of South Carolina replied that "th< fanners ol ; our State have pledged themselves to hold cotton for cents or they would sell not any this year." Coblenz. Tuesday. Jan. 28.?Sup porting Marshal Foch's opinion th^tl the French should remain on Rhino which is the natural Straten . i barrier between Franco and Germany.; Gen. Gouraud. under whom the American troops fought in the Cham pagne region, made a similar decla-l ration today to American correspond-1 cuts at a luncheon he gave them. i House Goes on Record Against Commission By Vote of 47 to 31. BIG LAND OWNERS DISLIKE PRESENT SYS Members Not Opposed to the Personnel of Commission as Has Been Reported. Columbia, Jan. 28.?With?-some op-; position the bill for the creation of p. Suite board of tax assessors in lieu of .the present State Tax Commission was.; passed from second to third reading; in the house of representatives to-' day. The test vote showedthat there, were thirty-one members friendly to jthe continuation of the present sys-??: item and forty-seven opponents, wit?: forty-six either absent or nat voting. Messrs. Moise and Belser."voted for the tax commission. Mr/: Jaxiksbij voted against the commission. ? It is not absolutely correct to stated that those who voted in favor of the-i? commission are friendly toward its continuation; some of them: have .not fully made up their minds on the matter. The fact is that, many who v voted against the board of assessors* ; bill desired the measure recommitted: ' so that Governor Cooper's idea on taxation might be given a chance to be put in concrete form. When th\e;V: bill was up for discussion January 23 .: in the house Joseph A. Berry of Gr angeburg, made a motion for recom mittal of the bill, for the stated pur^f pose of hearing from the governor. ?-: The test vote today was on the motion of Mr. Berry, the majority of the: . members of the house seeming deter.-, mined that the tax commission must . go. The bill provides for a board of as-r : sessors of 14 members, one from each . judicial circuit, to be appointed by.;- : the governor upon a recommendation of the majority of the members of the legislative delegation from each of the judicial circuits, respectively, ^ The measure provides that "one-half of the members shall serve for a period of two years, the other hilf for four years and thereafter each member for four years. Section 2 of the bill provides that the board, after it qualifies, is to elect a chairman, who may or may not be a, member of the commission. Fre4%; ciuent menings are provided for, upon' the call of the chairman or a majori- v ? ty of the board, the aggregate of such meetings, however, not to ex ceed 30 days during any one year. Twenty-four hours previous notice ofjlYe a meeting is required. The meetings, v investigations, etc., of the board can be held in any part of the State. Pro vision for* the hire of a secretary, stenographer and such other expert* assistance as is necesary is made, f The members of the board are to- re ceive compensation of $5 per day each' while they are actually engaged ire business together with the other ned-^fflH essary expenses. No provision is made for the annual compensation of the chairman, secretary, stenog rapher and other necessary clerical'^ asistance. '-^H Section 4 of the bill reads:. "It shall be the duty of the board, a ad they are hereby given authority^? to authorize and have^and exercise all powers now conferred by the law up> on the State board of equalization and the tax commission, which said taxi commission, created by an act ap-?_' proved on the 20th day February, - IUI.", shall be abolished upon the'ap proval of this act by the governor.** Members of the house, debating in favor of the board of assessors* bill, vigorously a Harmed today that they. ?-, were not opposed to the personnel of the Present State tax commission?*^ as has been stated?but were inimical to the system, which they contended, < was autocratic. They claimed that. .. the men delving into the basic life of the people of the State, that is, the. assessment for taxation, should, be nearer the people. They contend-' ed that the placing of the power in the hands of the governor to select three men to pass on all the wealth/ of the State was wrong in principle. They further argued that the bill for the board of assessors was a demo cratic instrument, in that it provided \; for the nomination of the members > by the direct representatives of the people and their appointment by the governor. The difference between the debate pn the State tax commission in the house this year and last year is that now there is not the acrimony dis played nor the epithets indulged in. Last year there was a running fire of criticism directed at A. W. Jones, wtyi has bee:-, chairman of the commi sia.ee its creation as a Manning ad ministrative measure in 1915. WM1? there have been no personal allusions, . yet there has been plenty of criticism of the methods by which the commis sion arrived at its decisions, and there were claims that many of the counties had been discriminated against in the equalization of assesments. However, the State tax bommissiori has also had its defenders, and its methods of work and its increases in the assessed value of property have received praise. V companion measure to that pass ed *o third reading in the house today is on the senate calendar. ?- . h. Russians Going Home From France Ship Loaded With Fully Equip ped Troops En Route to Reval. Copenhagen. Jan. 29.?The hos pital ship Uns:;, with fully armed and equipped liussian troops, en route to" Beval from the French front, caUed here yesterday. i.^.'rf'