The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-04-28

The Radical leaders who live, move
and have their wretched beings IN 10
menting strife, have had much to say ON
the subject of the land tax in this state.
They have charged that it was fixed Dy
the law makers at rate intended to dis
criminate in favor of the owners, ana
that the latter have been in the habit OF
making false returns of Its value. The IN
justice and falsity of these representations
are so clearly set forth in the following ar
ticle from the Washington County Times,
that We have given it a conspicuous place
in our columns:
THAT fair minded people may not be mis-
led by this Misrepresentation we will enter
somewhat into an explanation of the falla-
cy, palpable as it is. The tax upon land was
fixed at a time when land did not constitute
the principal wealth of Mississippi; this
very land tax is the most convincing fact of
the harmony existing within our social
structure when the war began. The slave
population of our State was mainly con-
fined 10 much less than one-half of our
counties; the larger portion of the state
was populated by "A class of small farmers,
whose representatives were in the majority
in the Legislature; IL was in the interest Of
this class, that the tax was mainly fixed
upon the slave property, and land virtually
exempted. Refer back TO any one years
report of the State Treasurer and it will be
found that more revenue was derived from
about ten counties, containing not more
fet, Of no
than the balance of the State. So much for
class legislation under ante-bellum control.
The acts of the Legislature of 1867,
which elected Gov. Alcorn to the Senate, we
do not generally vindicate. Though so far
as any modification of the former tax as
sessment is concerned. limited as is our re-
collections, we think them also free from
this imputation. 1t was absolutely neces-
sary to raise revenue; there was no prop
erty yielding income to be taxed; land was
held at merely nominal rates and land hold
ers large and small, were particularly OPP
pressed under the crop failures of '6G-'7, sue
ceeding so closely, the losses incident upon
the war; and right here we win vindicate
the planter from the fling of giving in false
assessments as to the value of land; had the
editor of the O. j. been in search of lands
at the time our present land assessment was
made out, he could have bought it at the
rates which to-day do look out of proper
ton TO the value thereof; (as is known to
all, our land is only assessed every fourth
year; and at the last assessment, all will up
hold Us in the reminder that land could
have and was bought any where in the State
generally at prices approXimating the value
given in to the assessors.) And in this, the
richest section of the State, when it was pro-
posed to provide for the heavy expense in
cident upon the building of our levees, the
tax was put upon land and cotton solely"
In reply to the clamor Of the Radical
demagogues on the subject Of the poll tax,
the Times makes this sensible observa-
ton
As to the protest against the iniquitous
poll-tax, we have yet to learn that such is
confined to Southern localities. The argu-
ments used here in arragnment of it, would
as well apply to the injustice of poor man
having to pay as much as a rich, for any
other benefit; meat, coal, clothing, &c. As
a further indication from this accusation,we
refer to the various acts of exemption con-
tanned in our former laws. From these will
be found proof of as great liberaity toward
the working class as is afforded by any State
administration.