Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1840-01-25

Q, were 3W,2l8 and 8 cents. The sum G
y c,4i3 and lScents, obtained by the Exc
10 cutive ofthe Mississippi Union Bank, OF
ID account oFnotes taken for town lots, ant
10 discounted Ayeho Bank, Ms well as thc
u ilf.her sum Of Sl40,93l rs cents, Dor
? Tosed by the State Treasurer Of that In
d s'ifUion, IN pursuance ofautherity vested
+ IN hlm by law, are included in the re.
= celpts arising from ordnery sources, the
I sum OF S22S,36i IL cents The sum Of
SSO,07l 81 cents, tas been expended On
The Capitol during that period, and the
further sum Of S55,i08 rs cents, on the
: State Prison. The appropriation made
tor clearing out the Chiulasawhay river,
r is included in the disVurse ments, but has
} not been paid, in consequence Of the ina
bilDty Of the Treasurer to cash he Audi
, tors warrant.
Thrty-three Tax Collectors arc in de-
fault, the sum Of S90bl7 as cents, for
taxes accrulHg prior to the year 1888;
suits have been ordered against them on
) their bonds. Twenty Tax Collectors
arc IN default in the sum Of S26,030 u
cents, Tor taxes assessed in the year 1898
1t Is believed that these sums fall far hort
Of the actual defnlcatious Immense sums
are yearly collected which arc not return
ed on the roll ST the Assessors, and under
the existing laws, it is Improbable to
bring officers thus in default, to account.
The total amount of State Tax ass sssed
during tho present fiscal year, SiJ4, 577
10. The Assessors OF the connties Of Car
roll, De Soto, Holmes, leckson, Jones
Kemper, Leake, Lafayette, NoSubec
Pike, Poaola, Rankin, 'fishamingo, Wash.
ington and Wayne have failed TO return
| the assessment rolls as required by law
. Auditor estimates the state tnX in those
counties at 1927 ,G95 81; suits viii, in due
season, be ordered on the bonds Of said
deiauiters.
ltappears by in exhibit accompanying
: the Auditors report, that many of the
Banks in this State, as well as their Off
ces of discount and opposite, pay no IAN
ON their rea! estate and capital stock -
The Assessors have failed 20 assess the
tax required by the laws the land. No
proposition can be palmer than thai those
who participate in the benefits OF govern
ment should contribute to its support. 1t
is m axiom that, thaxaiion being essen
tiai to the existence of every government,
| the right can never be surrendered. No
prior legislature had right TO dcbar US
| from imposing taxes on every species Of
property in our territory. If the Banks
had have paid an adequate bonus TO the
State, in consideration of being exempt
from taxation, the case would be different
they would thus have paid, IN advance,
an amount equal TO that due annually. In
several af our Bank chartvrs it is provided
that their capital stock shall be exempt
from taxation. Even admitting such a
stipulation to be binding upon us, (Which
am far from ccncdng)lt does exempt
their real and person estnte, ar money
loaned at interest, from taxation. The
annual examination Of the Banks, and the
time spent in legislating on their affairs,
cause a large expenditure of our treasure
and justice, surely requires that the
exclusive privilege of exemption from
taxation should not be conceded. 1t will
be impossible to preserve the public faith
and credit the State, without a revision
Of our revenue laws. The dishonest
usurer, and the fraudulent, banker, are
at present exonerated, and taxes alone
collected from the honest laborer. An
examination Of tho assessment roll will
shew that very small amount is collec-
ted on money loaned Mt into. est. The
law is evaded by shaving paper.
am opposed to the Increas Of taxes,
at the present period. Justice requires
that they should be equalizcd. Not one
third Of the landed estate Of the country,
subjected to taxation, is ever assessed.
Maps containing the dates ofthe entries
ofthe various tracts have been procured
by the Boards ofPolicc in but faw coun-
ties,-to insure tho collection Of the land
tax, provision should be made for making
and furnishing TO each county q Land
Book, containing full description of
every tract, with the date Of the entry,
and specifying the various transfers.
A tax Of one quarter Of one per cent,
on the loans and discounts Of the various
Banks in the State, g. an equal tax on all
paper purchased by individuals, or held
by them for property sold, or money
loaned, would afford large revenue.
This measure, combined with others in
suring the assessment ofail property La
Bile to taxation, and the prompt payment
and collection OF the same into the State
Treasury, would soon place the treasury
in a situation to meet all the demands
upon it
1t will be seen from the report Of
the State Treasury, that the Banks in