The Macon telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 188?-1905, February 21, 1897, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text\ I . THE MACON TELE GRAPH. ESTABLISHED IN 1826. 16 PAGa£J—PAGES 1 TO 8. MACON, GA., SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 21, 1897. Georgia Tax Betm-ns Indicate Many Empty Pockets. CASH AND GOOD DEBTS. All Sort* or Queer Capers of the Figures 'Which Show Our Wealth In hlonej and Collectible Accounts. Th# Telegraph has directed attention bo the astonishingly economical habits o£ the citizens of Georgia In the matter ol trading, of house furnishing and of Jewelry, as shown by the tax returns. It now prpooses 'to present some facts, which may explain, in part at least, these habits. (People witbout money or credit must cultivate economical habits. They can- . raot do any groat amount of trading. ' They must live In plainly furnished houses, and must eschew Jewelry. According to the tax returns under the head of money and solvent debts the gerat majority of the people of Georgia have little money and less credit. It has long been a mystery os to Where our "calam ity-howling" friends have gotten the information upon which they based theilr Jeremiads on the slbjeot poverty of the common pdople. In the light of the figures herewith presented, which are taken from the official records, this is a mystery no longer. The "calamity* ites" draw- thair inspiration from the Georgia tax returns, ami it must be . admitted that these Justify the gravest •of apprehensions. The amount of money in circulation In the United States tn 1896 was *21.10 per capita. The amount of money and solvent ddbts of all hinds ’in Georgia in 1896 was approximately *16.09. What proportion of t his was money and what debt can only be surmised fnom the face of the returns as given tn the comptroller general's report, for the Items are not separated. What is included under the head of solvent debts can fee seen by the fol lowing abstract of the law on the sub ject: All notes, acoounts, judgments .and other liens Solvent (or partially solvent, held by the tax payer in Georgia, or: held by some other pernon for him, rather in or out of this state, 18 sub ject to taxation fey the state and coun ty. 1AU money. United States treasury notes, gold and silver certificates, and other money, whether held by the tax paver or for him, must, und'er the law, be returned. Notes, bonds and similar collateral security for borrowed .money are legally subject to taxation: so nre notes given In exchange for .bond for title of land. That's the law. Hero arc (the questions covering these points which the tax payer is required to answer under oath: "Hoiw much money on band?” <* "What la the gross value of your notes! accounts and other obligations for money and the market value there of, whether solvent or partially sol vent: whether the same are iwltihln or without the state?" “What amount of money, bonds, notes, accounts, choses In action of ev ery kind, did you own on Starch 1? > Value?" ''Whether solvfnt or partially solvent, give the value of your bonds, stocks of non-resident companies or corporations in this state whose capttat stock Is not returned fey the presidents of such com panies ,or corporation: all notes, ac counts. J udgments, mortgages, liens and other choses In action of every kind, whether such (bonds, stocks, notes, etc., arc held by the tax payer In Georgia or held by some other per son for him. dither In or out (of this state. There shall bo no deduction from the value of property returned for faxes on account of any Indebtedness of such tax payers.” The oath under whloh these ques tions must be answered has been al ready printed in The Telegraph. It Is ‘Worth printing again, however, and is as follows i •’I do solemnly swear that I have carefully read (or have heard read) and have duty considered the questions pro pounded In the foregoing tax list, and that.the value placed by me on the prop erty returned, as shown by the said list, is at the true market value thereof; and I further swear that I returned for the purpese of being (taxed thereon ev ery species of property that 1 own In my own -right, or have corttrol of, either as agent, executor, and administrator, or othenwise, and that In making said return for :ths purpose of feeing taxed thereon, I have not attempted, either by ttranarcntng ,my property to another or by other means sought to ovade tho laws governing (taxation In this state. I do further swear (that tn making said returns, d have done so by estimating the true worth and value of every ape. cies bf property contained therein." This oath, so the lew provides, "shall be subsenibed ,by She person maklni the return, and the administration am. taking of the oath shall be attested fey the receiver of tax (returns, but the oath of oon-resldents, females nnd sick persons may Ibe talkon and subscribed before any person authorized (to admin ister an oath, and forwarded to the re ceiver. The returns from the various counties made In SKCond with the law os stated and under the oath pointed out' above show not only that as a whole Georgia Is way behind In the possession of her share of the circulating medium, but that what she has Is distributed be tween the citizens of the different counties (with a shameless disregard of Justice nr propriety. For example, note the differences In the hollowing table, which shows the per capita of money and solvent ac counts returned fey twenty counties, ten showing tho highest (per capita and ten the lowest: was. required for the beer. This, of courts--, presumes that the statement in the comptroller general's report that Qtolntoeh returned only 3.371 in money and solvent ddbts. Other returns are bard to understand also. (For instance, Fulton county lias fey far the largest population of any county In tho state. In fact, the city of Atlanta alone hae a population greater than any other Georgia county. It would naturally be concluded that the average Fulton county man wae bet ter off than the average citizen of any other county, to far as money or good accounts is concerned. This conclusion, however, is not borne out by the tax re turns. Three counties—Muscogee. Tat- nail and Clarke—return a higher per capita than Fulton. Chatham county has been generally regarded as the next richest county in Georgia, but the average wealth of its citizens in money and solvent accounts, according to tax returns is exceeded by. eight other counties, the four above named and Dougherty, DeKnlb, Irwin and Lowndes. Richmond connty, No. 3 on the list of Georgia counties in popu lation and in rise of its principal city, is No. 10 in its per capita wealth In money and solvent accounts. Bibb county, with the fourth largest population and city, is No. 65 in the average possessions of Its citizens lu money and solvent accounts, as shown by the returns. .The following tabic will show the pe culiar mauner in fvhlcli the money and solvent accouuts'are distributed In tho state. The counties comprise the twenty- fire having the largest population iu 1896. Tho second column given the amount re- turned; the third tho per capita, and the Sis fourth the relative position la the list of silr 137 counties according to per capita re turned. Gounty. Per Capita. (Muscogee. . Licit38 Melon Tattnall. . . . 5r..«t Clarke. •. . . 4H.7P Fulton. . . . 41.71 flouzherty. . . 40.08 DeKalb. . . . SM.42 Irwin. . . . 32.no l-owmio. ... 31.33 Rurke. Connty.- Per Capita. Melntosb. . • Columbia. . . Halter. . . . JODM. • • • i' p« mrfn pd lint .in.i . MB • l!.:i8 . 2.00 • 8.33 u€i» I i • • • Fay»Ue. • . . There is ;i mple material in the abov figures upon wfrteh students of econom ics may wortc. -For example, It would be interesttoif to ternw -why it is that fiiolntoflh. which Includes the flourish* Jnr erty of Darien, with a!! Its varied business 1 merest*, having a population in 1880 at 1,300 people, should have, tigf- urin* on the returns Cor 1888 and pop ulation of 1880, only 62 cents in money and solvent debts combined for «u*h of its €.470 In him; t ants, while Tattnall a few diIVm a^y. with no town more than a third the «!x* df Darien, -return** an averas* in money and solvent ac counts to the value of €53*4 for each of its 1aha»unts. With solvent accounts eliminated, i* doubtful If'ft would be possible BjH •CTIfton and Dick Grubb th «tr*at wtch other to a glass of beer la Durien, .if the eaaVSn tho cdumjr was evenly divided among its dozens *n^ caeh Pulton. •• • Chatham. , Richmond* Blbli. . . Hurko. , . Floyd. T. Muscogee. Coweta. . Carroll. • Cobb. . , Bumtef. • Houston. . Meriwether Troup. . . nartow. • Decatur.. • QWMltt. Jackson. . Monroe* • Dooley. . Wilkes. . I Popln | Returned | R 84,655 .37.710 f-V’.TO •js.r.Mt •jc., ir.i .\V-'::7 :;r.l 22,301 21,01”. hi rjj.iM 700,177 1,565,807 282,204 fb-S7i:. 868,777 133.606 132,438 202,360 253,752 267,576 :: w.I'n* -••Mi.r.n; ) 117 ■ l • • 1 • *'- * Sm 10,176 - 10,137 564,001 18,140 800,052 18.081 864,510 18,047 383.002 Dalton. . . . . 17,467 823,807 18.53 . With eudf figures *aa those, no further evidence is needed to demonstrate the need of a board df equalisers. There is no right or justice in taxing a citizen of Mnscogeo on €56.38 worth of money and solvent accounts, while a citizen of Bibb jays on only €14 worth, of Richmond on v28.24 or of Chatham on €30.27. It is not right that the average man in Burke should ho permitted to escape with taxes on only €4.30 worth of this class of prop erty while his neglhbor In Washington pays on €15.15 and the man In Wilkes is assessed €20.16. If the average posses sions of the man in Dooly nre €16.58, it is unreasonable to believe that bin neighbor lu Houston has only €6.18. No apparent reason can be shown why tho averago in money and accounts should be €25.02 in. Coweta and €14.11 in Troup. If the Cobb county man returns €25.06, there is some- thing wrong when the Bartow man gives in only €12.30, Then, compare these figures ana evolve a reasonable theory by -which they cnrt be reconciled, if it be possible: "Berrien. Colquitt. Irwin. . Lowndes. Macon. , l’lorco. .€23.82 27.08 82.00 81*80 •J] :.7 . _ . 24,01 Dougherty. . . 40.08 Barly 20.00 Terrell. . . . 20.14 Ware 27.GU Brooks. . • . 20.71 Tattnall. . . . 55.64 Coffee. . • . 20.61 Lee. . . Baker. . Pulaski, i Thomas. , Houston. Clinch. • Sumter. • Clay. . . Randolph. Glynn. • Decatur. « . . Liberty. • . • 8.70 Echols. 5.70 .€20.03 . 13.28 , 28.88 . 46.70 . 13.80 . 20.16 . 25.00 . 27.74 . 14.58 . 10.24 • 10.40 . 22.48 . 25.85 ■ 56.38 17.36 4 4.3? It strains one’s confidence In the ac- curacy of the official tax returns to ac- ccpt the abovo figures ns truly represent ing the relative wealth of tho citizens of tho various counties in this class property. Tho tension is Increased when the following figures are also taken idto consideration: J_ jiitiiij. . . ■ Campbell . Clark®. . , Forsyth. • Wilkes. . Newton. • Hockdala • Upson. • , Walker. . Wdyno. • Putnam. . Whitfield. Muscogee . Laurens. Burke. . . . . T „„ Jones 2.00 Fayette. . . . 4.15 Columbia < Douglas. , (’layton. , Crawford Paulding. Pulaski. Grceue. Bartow. Bibb. . . Baldwin. ■A clearer idea of the manner id Which tho returns of money and solvent debts I utterly Ignore ell regularity and set at nought preconceived and generally ac cepted ideas as to the distribution of wealth may perhaps bo gained from the following table, which gives the relative position* of the counties covered, in popd ulatlon, total returns under this heading, 1 and standing per capita of money and good accounts returned: BOounty— | Pop,"| Rein j I'rcp Baldwin Bartow Berrien Bibb Brooks Burke Chatham Clarke Colquitt Columbia Coweta DeKalb Dougherty Floyd Fulton Glynn Hall Irwin Jones Ixowmles v.. Jlulntosh Muscogee Pierce Richmond Rockrial® ^IMldlng 130 138 Sumter Talbot . TattixiH Tyrrell . Ware ... Whitfield Baker .. Fayette Pike ... Hancock Lauretta Lee .... Doom* . Pulsekl . Podge Putnam Stewart Troup .. Warren .J|| It wilKbe seen by the above that the iliTlelon of wealtli a, indicted lij the tax diffMtK bear little relation either in fron amount returned or per capita of po.nM.ion,, to population, biiMoM* or •nr other known rule of economic. 4* the average returned ■ for Titn.il eohntr. which fa not a rich county, had held throughout-'the -tale. there would ?l WITH THREE BUYERS IN THE EASTERN MARKETS And every train and express bringing us the newest styles and the greatest values that Brains and Cash can command wo are having A BOOMING SPRING BUSINESS IN FEBRUARY Retailing is not regulated by the calendar. Were that tho case we would llow ho in the midst of selling Furs ana Wraps and heavy Dress Goods instead of lovely, light stuffs tnatgive life charm, grace and color to Spring and Summer! These days of sunshine and halm are peer less with promise. Already vast quantities of radiant merchandise have arrived and the store is rich with sumptuous arrays that are ns beautiful and tempting as they are price cheap. Read what follows. Every item is vital and valuable hue keen returned for lixatfon money and •'/.t'cnt debt, to the amount of more than tl00.000.069 inriead of le«» than *32,000,009. On the other hand, if the average had been that f.ir McIntosh the total wouldhat. reached barely 11.000.000. Had the areraxe fallen to that .hewn h> Kith the iolal would hare been le*» thau *26,400,004. And Bibb is a rich count/. $1.00 KIDS at 39 cents. $1.00 Shirt Waists at 49 cents. $1.00 Umbrellas at 59 cents. $1.50 -Gossamers at 99 cents. 10-4 Sheeting at 10 cents'. $150 White Kids at 99 cents. 25 cent . French Ginghams • at 8 cents. $1.00 Bed Spread 79 cents. f~.'90 Mar saillcs Bed Spreads at $1.59. 15 cent Silkalino at 10 cents. $2.5o Brocatells at $1.39. 18 yds Fruit of the Loom for $1.00. SWELL SCARRINGS. • A. pronounced success is the- general verdict passed upon our now line of Spring Neckwear —Bows, Clubs, Tecks and 4-in-Htinds—in tho latest and most startling designs of the best of tie-makers, Arid at prices which defy competition. Neiv Embroidery. , fnO pieces New Embroidery added to our retail stock for Myati'.iy; hore you find 25o goods for 80; 40o goods for llle; 8 and 10c goods for 3, 4 and 60. No such values ever offered boforo. ' 5,000 yds long fold Dimities (slightly imperfect) worth 20o for.. ., 10c 3,000 yds French Loppet Lawns, very new, tho 30 cent quality . 20o 6,000 yds 36-inch Marsaliaat.. ■ 12Jc 3,000 yds Imported Dimities, 35o kind, “Monday Special” ,20c Black Goods. For Monday, wo will put on sale one lot Brocade arid Figured Royal Serges worth in a regular way 65c, novor mincl tho “why” or “wliereforo,” for Monday theyaro 49o. 48-inch Black Mohair and Moholia Cloths, oxtra heavy. The regular $1.00 number, special sale price, 59c. Laces and White Goods. , ■ t You know our policy—ceaseless aotivity, grand tactics —all advantages secured are for tho bonefit of tho retail buyor. Prudent woinen wanting Lacos and White Goods now, or forecasting next season, will find on our countors fresh effects and riovelties in confusing varieties. And the prices are sensibly adjusted as to make overy piece dear to tho economic lioart. It is a carnival of beau tiful bargains. Berkloy Long Cloth, 12 yard lengths. ." .$1.20 Fine Piaicl Lawns for Aprons 1 8c Satin Striped Lawns .' 7c Pique Brilliants for Undewear 6c 250 romnants of White Goods, plain chocks, stripes and every material gleaned from our immenso stocks marked 25c on tho dollar. Buying Out of Season. Seeking tho host goods at tho lowest prices, deter mined not to rest till wo found them, that is how wo came by these Linens. ' It is tho only way undortho snn that they could bo had at the price. A glanco at those figures will provo that wo havo not labored in vain. Thoro is money’s worth hero in Linons you liavo not mot before. 65- inch Cream Table Damask was 65c at 40io 66- inch Cream Tahlo Damask was 76o at 50c 66-inch Bleached Table Damask was 85o at .09 72-inch Bleached Tablo Damask was $1.00 at 89o 72-inch Bleached Tablo Damask was $1.25 at 98c Extra Heavy Huck Towols, 20x40, only 15c Extra Heavy Huck Towols, 27x45, only 21o Full Bleached Huck Towols, 22x40, only 25c 98 Cents a Yard. 36 pieces Irish Satin Damask, 72 inches wide, in tho newest designs, Pure Flax. Doubio Satin, including Roso Leaf, Clover Leaf, Geometrical Fig, Thistle, Shamrock and Blossoms. They are worth $1.60, Not This Year. A special purchaso of fine Curtains puts us in posi tion to savo you one-half the ordinary prico for like qualities 100 pairs Lace Curtains, Monday’s Special 46c 50 pairs Laco Curtains, 3£ yds long, worth $3.60 at...$2.25 100 pairs Lace Curtains 3| yds long, worth $5.00 at.. .$3.62 Our New Silks. Changeable Taffetas, in over twonty-fivo now and hand some combinations, per yard All Silk Striped Taffetas, in the nowost combinations to bo placod on salo noxt week at All Silk Black Satin Brocades, elaborato deigns, extraordinary valuo, 75c, 85c, $1.25 and All Silk Gros Grain Brocades, choice dosigns, big gest bargains over offeied ; 75c, 85c, $1.25; $1.50 and Black, Crystal Cords, Frosted Gros do Loud re, Satin Duchess, Satin Pompadour, Sapanoso Habutai. Grand Assortment; popular prices. $1.00 F. N. Corsets 10 cent Percales at 7 cents. 75 cent Corduroy €3 at 50 cents, i.OO Skirts at $2.98. Hemmed 11c at 10 cents. S Pillow Slips Hemmed Sheets at 50c each. $1.00 Pel-slan Silks at 69 cents. $1.00 Black Brocaded Silks at 65 cents. 40 cent Surah Silks 19 cents. 50'ccnt Phi Id Silks at 23 cents. 25 cent Ladies’ Hose at 15 cents. 3fi! 75 cent @ Ladies’ Vest tT; at 39 cents. ZIU $12.50 Dress Patterns at $5.00. 59c—Shirts—59c. ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW—We aro constantly replenishing our Shirt line* with new and effect ivo designs, 500 dozen now patterns just opened ; they are worth $1.00 yours for 59 cents. * $1 YOUNG- HATS, $3. Spring styles now ready for your inspec- {R tion. The exclusive hat-, m ter tacks on $! and $2 ( when he tacks on his * lable—vou pay tho tan The Young 1 Lit is th 1 equal of an v Hat out I market. Two quail I —all Colors.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Macon telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 188?-1905, February 21, 1897, Image 1