The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1874-12-12
EDIToRs GREENvrlhs TIMss:


Board Of Supervisors, or oi ycer
City Coauoil, itenliziug, for in
stance, the repairs of u bridge or
street lamp, while the space usual-
~ allotted to the proceedings OF
the Board of Levee Commissioners
might be covered with the four
fingers. Yet the latter Board arc
the depository of--appropriate and
cxs xsend--hundred thousands OF
dollars of the public money, and
we have 10 exhibit ofreeeipts aud
expenditures aud dates. or what
bonds, if any, are destroyed, &e.
II was believed when ono or two
OF the present commissioners took
their seats there would be some
satisfactory expose OF lcvec affairs
and some protection OF the inter-
csts OF the tax payers; but these
officials seem 10 be without back.
bone. We can discove. 10 earacst
intcnt to subscrye the tax payers,
no rigid inspection OF accounts,
no signs Of retrenchment and
economy ia Office expenses, no dc.
sire 10 remedy the dcfaication OF
funds, or to cntrust to men Of
thorough integrity. Gentlemen
say I've can do" so and so--fore-
stall and detect frauds; Of course
they can--cven possible u thor
oughly honest administration OF
our levees--but sciu they 40 It!
That Is the question. We may as
well use plain English there Is a
widespread belief that the levee
funds have been diverted to pri-
vate use and profit. When wo sec
the salaried clerks Of this ccrpo.
ration SPECTATORS in real estate,
and levee scrip, and steamboats,
and banks, money lenders and
brokers, while the tax payers axe
bankrupting--t this belief, as hu-
man nature is constituted, viii moi
admit Of Argument. In other
words, the people have como to re-
gard the Levce Board as part end
parcel Of that pernicious system
Of government through the South
which is organized for the sole
aim Of Selling the public treasure,
For men who had any regard for
their honor would put themselves
to some pains to disabuse the pub.
lie mind and clcar up the fog tina,
enyirons them.
The writer had occasion to make
some structures on this Board III
one or two former communica.
lions which were regarded as
anonymous 1t is enough to
know he spoke, and now speaks
The sentiments Of ninety-ninc Out
of every hundred Of the tax pay
ers. Had they been needed, these
hard words would have beer
avoided, confidence might have
been restored, and The levcc tax
at least, paid, instead OF going ovcl
board with the rest amidst the in.
dlgnation Of ong-snffering peo.
pie. In the language Of an able
commentator upon the times
The plain matter Of the fact is, Il
superficial men and men without
spines cannot be ousted from tho
control of the public money, tht
very foundations Of cur institn.
tions will in time be undermined
One grand object of government
is the protection OF property. but
every dollar paid in taxes is sub.
tractcd from somobody's property
and the evil is doubled whom thai
dollar, instead Of being honestly
and jediciously expended, goes
into tho pocket Of some one whc
has no right TO it. The people dc,
nland reform. not mystitlcation,
allow me q word with the tax
payers. fear the resolutions ol
their late meeting may sprcad
alarm among the contractors, who
are now rebuilding the broken
levees. The State and county can
take care Of themselves, but The
lcvees are peculiarly "our own
affair."" and too important to us to
: ~ 90 '"...n0.a' an ~ a''nos1 any cost,
.. Gun see NJ practical manner Of
.Vs''''us ~, 'n' o'her taxes and at
ny 'a'lo '',ne paying the ieveo