The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-03-22

EDITORS CLARION: | am pleased to see |
you c, me so nobly to the front in advocacy |
of the reminding scheme proposed by Gen.
Chalmers in the Senate. | have been aston |
ished that plan SO full of sound sense, and
tending so clearly to the relief OF the taXpay
ers, had not been taken hold Of at an earlier
date, instead Of hanging fire in the Finance
Committee of the Senate for so long time.
Do the members of the Legislature think
the people are prepared for a continuation
of high taxes? 1t was for RELIEF that they
rose in their might in November and elect
ed a new class Of men to the offices of the
State and counties. What does it amount
to, if the Legislature has reduced few
pages, and few salaries of Clerks and
Judges, if the rate of taxation is continued
While the Legislature no doubt, means
well, it has not yet risen to that position or
evidenced that ability to grapple with the
great measures of reform needed, that its
friends had right to expect. While there
is individual capacity enough to meet any
emergency. it is swallowed up in diversity
of opinion and argument, which retards and
often defeats the best measures. The people
w dut fftCo tIOIu anu nom mo
short OF a reduction of taxes will meet the
necessities of the people, or come up to their
wishes and deter mination i'm the premises
Now, how is this to be done? 1t is patent
fact that State values have decreased $4O.-
100000, since 1874, the date of The last fund
ing bill. The levy for general purposes
cannot be reduced below four mills this wear
All the reductions that have been made
are largely overcome by the decreased value
of property-a decreased value amounting
to 100000 of revenue for 1876 that was
available for current expenditures in 1874.
1t is calculation that is easily made, and
capable of<the strcttst proof, that State
expenditures this year cannot be reduced
to an extent sufficient to allow a less levy
than four mills, and at the same time protect
the value of warrants Or the credit of the
state. The income must at least be equal
TO the expenditures, or warrants depreciate
below the value of money payable i'm a
given time. This proportion runs through
the entire State finances, as well as indiyid.
1al transactions. The value of the warrant
increases as the certainty of its payment or
redemption is fixed with this view of sus-
tanning the value of State paper, the levy
for 1876 cannot be less than four mills.
The present levy for bonds and interest
dor 1875 is now fixed at three mills, and in
what condition do we find ourselves? We
have either to increase the tax or make a
default OF nearly sixty thousand dollars in
January, 1877, in the payment of the bonds
and interest then falling due. The people
are in no condition to stand Increased taxa
ton, and yet to protect the bonds and in
terest from protest in January, 1877, it will
be necessary to make the levy 331 mills for
1876. This states clearly the dilemma in
which the Legislature is placed. 1t is to he
held responsible for this default, and var II
grows out OF no fault of theirs. They can
not increase taxation. Reduction Is what
the people clamor for, and what they mnst
ana oag1 to have. This can only be dona
oy Iostponement OF the bonded indebted
ness. ten. Chalmers struck the chord that
leads TO relief sure and certain. and no a;s-
nonor or Reputation can justly be charged.
IL is plain, manly suggestion, and sbonld
be adopted without hesitancy tv all So
who believe the people are oyerhu ,aanad
with taxation. and that their comnlain,s
are real and Just. There is no dishonor in
stating to your creditors that Won canno,