American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-31
REDUCE THE TAXES.

and must. 1t must be that the
poverty OF the country will arouse
enough sympathy for the tax-rld =
den people of Mississippi to push
through the Legislature every
| measure that tends To liSh'en We
/ burden. Two months aud taii
more and the Legislature coHe-
together again. What for? If for
nothing else to reduce expenses III
all quarters. That old rench
ment and reform committee with
| Iayies. of Bolivar, Chairman is
! stiil intact, and although it has
been peiubored well already, tho
blows, like those on hot iron or
Steel, only give i, a good temper.
! 4 good start was made with the
States affairs last winter. The
counties need special attention this
coming session. Some very whole
some and stringent enactments
are necessary to restrict supervi-
sor> i'll III their duties and their
powers. We are prepared to make
decidedly ourselves unpopular with
all reckless legislators this next
session. We like TO get along
smoothly in life if we can and
carry cur point, if it comes to that
as well as anybody. We like fair
winds and smooth sailing as well
AS the next one, especially with our
political friends but we have
found in sailing over the States
financial waters, the winds little
contrary, and the breakers a little
severe, but they are nothing to Us
compared with the distress, and
despair pictured upon faces of the
hard pressed planter or laborer:
who with his short crops, finds it
impossible to make ends meet
when shown the statements of tax
es by the collector-Or what IS
worse see the poor widow and
orphan sold out of house and home
for taxes. Want and starvation
stare he people of East Mississippi,
in the face. There is no margin
tor reckless or lavish Legislation
this coming year. Our counsel,
vote and advice has ever been
against it, and now that tnis dire
necessity is upon the whole people
OF Mississippi, black, white. rich
and poor, it beLooves those that
are i'll favor of plain g"vernmen;
and simple honesty to step to the
front, and assert and contend for
the rights OF the people, overwnelm
ed as they are by financial distress.
We are glad to know that hi>
Excel!ency, Gov. Ames, is foremost
i'll bis ideas Of economy. While
noticing with pride his aversion To
in LegIatlve action, AS Il
rule, we have seen HIM before the
on retrenchment, urging
lower figures aud calculations than
the committee thought possible 10
get through the Legislatures. We
know that Governor Ames POS
sesses Old Fashioned primitive IDEAS
OF governmental economy, and
while the Conservative, as u rule,
are abusive toward him. he Is do
lug and will Continue to- do more
than any other man in the STATE
toward reducing taxation, and an
economical administration. One
fact Conservatives would do well
bear in MUD, Gov. Ames is the
only Governor Mississippi has had
since reconstruction, that has had
enough to approve
carried through the
Legislature by tine combined efforts
of the Conservatives and the con
sentative Republicans. While for
mer Governors have made it obliga
tory upon the conservative Repub-
Leans TO carry the entire party
with them teicre their acts receive
their approval, Gov. Ames cheer
fully and unhesitatingly placed his
to any good measure
that passed the Legislature, wheth-
er the Republicans were united or
not.
The Republicans of the East have
alwave been considered as the con-
sentative element in the RepubII-
eau party, and we believe we speak
the entlments of every Republican
from the counties of ChIckasaw,
Monroe, CoIfax, Lauderdale, Octlb
beha and Noxubee when We say
that the taxes snail be reduced Or
they will go down in the attempt.
Are We not right gentlemen =
rrue Republican,.