The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-01-29

v
- Certificates of indebtedness 294 40 9
3. Insurance companies, deposits 280,U00 9
. Warrants outstanding --...----- S03,6S2 .
Total .-.-. ..---.. Sl,794,332 8
1t is apparent from the foregoing txhibit
that the total demands upon the Treasur
now outstanding. scarcely amount to til
. dignity of a State debt. Small As il is. how
ever it i annually increa sing, and provision
, should be made TO canoe IL before il shall
swell To greater proportions. and becom
burten-ome. = a public debt is publ
blessing only TO lobbyists, spectators ano
. I such mOneVed CORPORATIONS aS want pubii,
aid II il Is blessing t. those who directly
/ receive its benefits it l. a public calamity
upon the tax payer. | trust that no suci
blessing in disguise is in store tor the peo-
pie OF Mississippi.
In order that our present liabilities may
be properly met and future wants provided
for. II il necessary to curtail expenditure
and Increase the revenue. \ good beginning
Na~ made Ia 1872 - hen the expenditures al
| III" Government were reduced $l32 20 20
| as com pared with those of the previous year:
| and ir WAS follow I'd laSU y.ar by still
further reduction of $l46.l9 81, and is not
withsfauding the expense incident To a
| called session OF the Legislature.
| 1.-THE recommendations of my ANNA! mes
/ sagrs of 1872 and % shall be carried out.
| and the trans actions of the Government con-
! Quoted upon Il currency basis instead OF upon
I the fictitious speculative basis OF State war
| rants, there is 10 reason why "A still further
reduction OF four hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars may not be made. One million
dollars in currency is ample to meet the an
nual expenses of the State Government. and
whatever amount more than this i assessed
upon the Taxpayers, Is margin given to
spectators. The revenue may be increased
and the rate of taxation ut the same time
diminished by more thorough assess
nenC ahd equalization OF property Valua-
lions.
With the present year, the law exempting
railroads from taxation expires by limira-
ton, and hereafter the State is entitled to
receive a revenue of not less than one hun
dred thousand dollars from This source Il il
to be hoped that no more Liberty ard Wood
willie railroad schemes will be- interpoSed %
detraud the Treasury out OF what i justly
due from railroad compa lies that have been
for the past twenty years beneficiaries ofthe
State.
Aside from having been exempt from tax
alton. thu Sc companies, with one exception.
are now indebted TO the State for moneys
loaned (Chlckasaw and international I'm
proVement fund.- on which they have for
he past eight years been paving No interest
While ii should be The policy OF fhe state ~
throw no unnecessary obstacles ia the way
of railroad corporations, which assist III d.
VelOping the resources OF the country and
afford indispensable accommodations t. the
people, they should nevertheless bear their
full proportion of the burdens o. Govern
ment.
The Western Union Telegraph Company
pays an annual state tax Of one thou-and /
dollars. and no county tax. The President /
OF the company, before the Postal Telegraph /
Committee of Congress, May !, 1870, swofe !
that every mile Of single wire telegraph /
cost, tven when the railroads haul the poles I
without chargS. $4,000. Estimated upon .
this basis, the company must have at least
100000 worth of property within this State. /
The iGadpQuacT of the present assessment l.
therefore apparent.
The amount OF revenue realized from In
Surance Companies and banking and broker
age INSTITUTIONS is also much less than il
should be.
when these and other subjects OF indirect
taxation are made IL bear their full proper
ion of the public burdens, the lew upon
and> may be lessened, and part OF the in
;umbrance now resting upon the great para
mount agricultural interests OF the State tie
hereby removed. This consideration Is the
more important because capitol invested in
Wild and unculrivated lands, and even in
hose moderately productive, unlike capital
lctiVely Employed in business. Yields no in
ONE, and it is therefore doomed to melt
way under the blighting touch of the tax
,athprer.
'rATE PENIrENTIARY AND CHARITABLE INsTI-
TUTIONS-
For fun information as to the dOinos con-
ijrOn and wants of the Penitentiary and
charitable Institutions of the State refer
on to the several reports of their respect
We officers herewith transmitted. Ii appears
rom these reports that all our public insti-
utipuS are overcrOWded. There is Il general
rlnaHd for more room and increased taclli-
les. The Peuitentiary is not sufficient to
ccommodate one half the present number
{ conVictS. As matter OF necessity, there
ore, large portion OF them are worked
Inside of the walls. notwithstanding the
bstacles which have mrerpoSed to bar lts
col