Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-30
A STATE TAX ON COTTON

Hhis bNNbNbNNo ~ ONAAE '''ht'h A"Nf
and goes on at some length to
show in what manner it can he col
lected.
This letter is admitted to the
columns Of the Pilot without com
mcnt, and is therefore presumed
to receive its endorsement, and
as the Pilot represents to a great
extent the Radical policy in this
State, we imagine ''Scnex' simply
expresses the sentiment of the
Radical party upon this subject.
That we will be taxed to our
hearts content none deny. The
Radical members of our Legisla-
turc are men who possess, with
few exceptions, nothing but their
carpet-bags in the matter Of prop
erty ; and hence they have moth
ing to fear from the burdens of
taxation. The Radical party,
since its birth in this State, has
made a great hue and cry over the
manner in which taxation has
heretofore been managed. AS Il
popular measure with the negroes,
vino owned no lands, the promise
was made to them that land should
be so heavily taxed that the own
ers of it would he compelled to
sell, and then the negroes could
purchase. This was exceedingly
pleasing in the credulous ear Of
the negro, who never thought that
If the tax was 50 great upon land
that white people could not
own it, it would equally be
prohibitory with the negro. But
while the Radical party made
these representations to the ne.
yrocs, it sings another song to the
whites. To this latter class il
promises that all species Of prop.
crty should bear its proportionatC
share of taxation. And such VT
thought was the meaning Of the
Goth section of General Provisions
Of the Constitution, which says
Taxation shall be- equal and uni
form throughout the State. III,
property shall bc taxed in proper
tiOn to lis value, to be asccrtuinct
rs directed by law The genera
opinion is that this is mandatory
and carries with it direct com
mand to the Legislature to impos,
tax upon "H property in tn,
State. There is. however, anothe
meaning which may he attached t.
it. and from Il close Observance o
Radical plans, we are inclined tC
think that party is desirous .
putting that construction upon it
1t may be possible that the frames
Of the constitution intended til,
clause which reads " All propert,
shall be taxed in proportion to it
value shall mean that "Oa al
property taxed, the taxation shal
be in proportion to its value,
This construction OF the law vii
give that body an opportunity t
tax only that property in the hand
of the white man, or whereby til
white man will be required to bea
the entire burden of taxation. Thi
isolation OF cotton from the agr
cultural products looks somewhG
in that light. 1t is true that by tn
present system of labor in til
State large portion Oft will b
paid by the negroes, but by far tn
greater portion will come from til
whites.
Now, then, us to the cotton ia
as proposed by "SencX." If til
tax is sought to he imposed i
: obedience to the Constitution
constituting it to mean that a
property shall be- taxed, then vii
isolate cotton. Under the san
! law, 50 construed, there is adirc
command to tax every agricu
mral, horticultural, and horicu
> tural product. Everything repr
ssnting value shall bear its propo
I tionate share Of taxation, wcariu
c apparel, jewelry, household furn
= turc, everything produced by Il
, earth for consumption, sale or o
/. namcnt. This is the literal accep
= ance of the law. But in the fa
9 of it we ask where has there ey
before been such general asses
ment Of taxation? Where befo
has there been n tax upon cor