The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1871-02-04


be made 10 rest, on the price th
property would bring in cash.
THE IMPRISONMENT CLAUSE.
Section II provides that default
Ing tax payers shall be imprisonc,
until they shall pay their taxes. l.
the case Of those who own property
a sufficient remedy is found in tn,
| power to collect their taxes by til,
sale of their property. So far as I
applies tothem the provision is sclcar,
| " unnecessary. Every article O
property made subject to sale fol
taxes, this extreme remedy Of i'm
prisonhent is not necessary, save il
II few cases amongst even the clas,
of people who pay only the tax on
polls. Waving all considerations OF
the cruelty of the provision, | sub
NIT that, while it is true, good NOR.
al effect may tc obtained by hold
ing the citizen up to his duty to the
State, the maintetcance of Il man
at the public expense during an in
definite period Of time, because OF
his default in the sum Of the poll
tax is a very questionable measure OF
revenue. | recommend the repeal
of this 11th section, and suggest in
view of its penalty that the tax payer
in SO dcfmlting shall be declared in
capable Of sitting on jury, and de-
prived Of other privileges Of citizen
so far as an enactment OF the Legis-
latQrc may constitutionally inhict
that penalty upon one who shall
have failed in his obligation to the
State.
THE FIFTY PER CENT. CLAUSE.
Section Bottle revenue law pro-
vides that the tax collector shall pro-
ceed on his duty Immediately after
the assessment rolls shall have been
placed in his hands. Aud these
rolls are not required to be so placed
before the first Monday in October.
The section then directs that the
lands ofdcfaulting tax payers shall
be advertised for sale on the first
Monday of the following February,
and actually sold on the first Mon
day in March. And il directs that
the fact Of default up to the period OF
sale shall increase the tax liability
of the property to the extent of fifty
per cent. Where lands are dcsigna-
ted by system of changes on few
characters of the alphabet and no
tation as they are in this State, cr-
rors in their designation are occur
rences almost common. Owners of
ten pay taxes in consequence of this
on lands Of others, and find that tile
has resulted in the sale of
their own lands. Absence, sickness
or similar causes may, as the law
now stands, subject good citizen
aud prompt tax payer to an irrecov-
cradle loss OF his landed estate, Tn
der such a state Of things the penalty
Of the sale for taxes ought not to be
made final for the day Of sale. / re
commend that sale be made and the
penalty attached as now, provided,
the land owner ,c allowed an oppor-
Iunity TO redeem the lands, but while
giving him twelve months for tlel
purpose that lie he subjected for the
indulgence to the penal interest Of
i've per cent. per month.
BOARD OF MISUNDERSTANDING
or ExTgAvAlAyT SCHEMES.
The power of taxation in the hands.
Of the Board Of Supervisors is atprcs-
snt virtually unlimited. The prin-
ciple Of the municipal system makes
that power imperative after certain
point, without the special consent Of
the Legislature. The issue OF crta-
It's in the form Of warrants, by the
counties is a crying evil. Complaints
come to me Of extravagant schemes
of improvcmcntby BY Boards Of Super
sisors III several counties; schemes
which contemplate at credit the
of bridges and court
houses, to All extent which threaten
the Taxpayers with grieveas bur-
lcps. II recommend that the Towefl
Of tile Board OF Supervisors be linz
tied to a taxation not cxcecdihgtwo
hundred per cent. on the State tax;
and that its authority to issue war
rants be placed under such rcstric-
tions us shall protect the taxpayers
gainst fraud. / recommend fur
tller that the Board of Supervisors
shall bold one court a year. to be
lcnomiDated a "Court Of Claims
md that no claim against the county
hall be allowed for any purpose at
my other time than that provided
or the term Of that court.
PUBLIC NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
INCREASE OVER FORMER YEARS.
| invite yo,ir attention, gentlemen,
D the question ofthc cxpcnditurcsi
II tlAe State Government. The ad-
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