The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-01-18

The People and fIle LesisIafare-
The Legislature has been in session
two weeks, and the Conservative mem
bers have indicated a determined purpose
to use all their efforts TO carry out the re-
forms TO which they are committed in the
administration of the State Government.
They are in a minority, however, and
unless they have the sincere and Prac-
teal co operation of the majority
they viii be able to accomplish nothing
Meantime, the overburdened people are
looking on MISUNDERSTANDING prompt
action for their relief.
The whole work of reform hangs upon
two points. They are, the passage OF
laws reducing tares, and reducing salaries
in al the branches Of the State Government.
This is the law and the prophets. Unless
it is done, everything else in the way of
reform, will be as tinkling cymbal and
sounding brass. The people will not be
content with little soothing plaster here
and patchwork there. The money which
is wrung from them in their restitution
and poverty to the denial to their wives
and children of the very necessaries of
life, instead of being applied to the le-
gitimate uses of government, is pouring
through a wide-gaping crevasse into the
pockets of the adventures and spend
thrifts who have been employing their
ill-gotten power for self-enrichment.
The whole intention and scope Of
Mongrel Legislation in 1901, was the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of its authors. No meas
ure was conceived and carried out, but
with this object in view Consequently
the taxes were fixed at rates equivalent
to coniscation, Offices were multiplied
without number, and salaries were in
creased without conscience. Legislators
will trife with the people if they do not
drive the axe home to the very root of
| this Ubiquitous system.
| The tax upon lands under the laws OF
1857 was sixteen cents on every hundred
dollars worth and twenty cents on money,
notes, or other securities.
The law of 1871 imposes Il tax of fortg
cents on the hundred dollars worth OF
real and personal property, money etc
thirty cents for general purposes and ten
cents payable in greenbacks on account
of the bogus issues known as certificates
of Indebtedness. The existing law ought
to be modified as to fix the tax at from
20 to p cents on the hundred dollars
worth.
The poll-tax is oppressively high
The Law of 1857 fixes it at 40 cents on
leach free white male person" By the
present law, the poll-tax is 81 'on each
and every male inhabitant, etc- The
tax-gatherers surely would not feel thai
they had been hardly dealt with, if the
taxpayers were released of one-half Oh
even more, of this unconscionable bur
den which falls for the most part on the
property owners as there is no adequate
means of collecting it from the others
And so a corresponding reduction
should be made in the privilege taz
which operates as grieyous oppression
But to reduce the tax without reduc
ing salaries-and eurtailing expenditures
generally, will only aggravate the evil
The effect will be to increase the issue
and to diminish the value Of State war
rants and thus to increase the indebted
ness of the State Let the two measure.
Of reducing taxes, and diminishing sala
ries and abolishing sinecures, go hand il
hand. The people are earnestly awaiting
the action of the Legislature.