The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-02-04
FRAUDS PRACTICED on THE TAX.
PAYERS.


CoAHoMA Co, MISS. Jan. %, 1875.
EDITORS CLARION: My attention has
been called to the report eff the Auditor
of Public Accounts, dated January lst,
and published in your valuable paper
of the 18th inst. The Auditor, in bis re-
mort. submits many useful suggestions,
but the working results of some OF then,
if carried out, will have most pornl-
eious effect. 1 beg to call your attention
for ANALYSIS and reflection to n single
paragraph. quote:
The State now holds not less than
SOC. 900 acres of land forfeited Tor
taxes. In addition to this, the several
Levee Boards in the Levee District
hold l 500. 900 acres more, on which the
state tax is suspended. This makes an
aggregate of 6, 900, 900 acres, or one-hfIh
of the entire area of the State. These
figures are so appalling in their magni-
| tude as to occasion serious concern for
the future. The Legislature, at the last
regular session, passed an Act abating
| all taxes on lands forfeited and sold prior
to 1866. This, in my judgment, was
wise and proper as far MS it went; but /
am now of opinion that the provisions
of this Act should be so extended rs to
embrace all taxes and costs on all lands
forfeited and sold prior 10 1879. The
titles are so imperfect, in many instances,
and records so confused, rs TO deter any
one from purchasing these lands, and
especially is this true of the lands held
in the counties embraced in the Levee
Districts. AL tare5, State, County and
Levee, should be released, and the original
o,Uners aLIol0ed TO redeem such lands by pay
mo the tdres nol0 due for the fiscal year 1874.
Coupled with this, should be "A change in
the law in reference to sales by and to
the several Levee Boards, that may
hereafter be nude of lands delinquent.
As the law now stands, the sales are
made by and TO the Levee Boards for
taxes due them, and the State and coun-
ty taxes are held suspended, until such
time as the lands may be purchased or
redeemed from said Boards, when the
State gets her taxes, if at all, through
the Levee officials. If the rule should
be reversed, and all sales be required TO
be made to the State, | am convinced it
would inure greatly to her advantage,
and work no injury to the Levee Boards,
as the State would become responsible
for the collection of the Levee tax on
sale or redemption of the lands. The
estimated value of the lands Nv forfeited
to the State and Levee Boards is about
$50, 000,00
/ have italicized that portion of the
paragraph to which call especial atten-
ton, viz: "aH tares, State, County and
" LeUee, should be released, and the original
3" O,Cners dHO,Oed TO redeem such lands BIZ |
+" paying the td1es nOtU due for He fiscal |
g year, 1874" / object as n taxpayer |
to this proposition on general grounds,
and | object on grounds special.
The law Of the Legislature suspending |
the State and county taxes on lands for |
feted or sold to the various Levee Boards |
has been used as a means for perpetra-
ting the most stupeHdous frauds upon the |
State Treasury, and as a means of robbing |
bodily, the county Treasures Of the levee |
Long before the war, as well |
as since its close, large areas Of land
have been sold to the various Levee |
Boards, sometimes corruptly, sometimes
by mistake, often by collision and
frequently az consequence of inability
on the part of the owners to lay. Upon
a. large portion Of these, the original
owners in ignorance of the law, have,
from year to year, continued regularly to
pay their taxes. There is, perhaps, no
case to be found, in which the Sheriff of
he county has been rendered the money
where he refused to receive and receipt
or the same. venture to affirm, as my
belief, that upon fully one-third of the !
ands held by the Leveo Boards, the State ,
md county taxes are regularly paid, and
ret not one dollar of this money ever
inds its way into the State or county
Treasury. Under this most palpable /
windle, the Sherifs of the alluvial
ounties have grown, at the expense !
{ the State, sometimes within two or
hree years time, to be men of fortune.
In proof Of my statement as to the 4
normity of the swindle, / offer in evil
ence a statement Of the official settle
rents of the Sheriff of Coahoma county, /
) Tax Collector, with the Auditor Of !
ublic Accounts, for the tax of 1873. r.