Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-18
CHALMERS AND THE LEVERS.
How the Proposition to Abolish the
First District LeVee Board has been
Received.
The Complications Of a Heavy Debt
Representing NOthing-PrOpOsed
Remedies.

Some days ago we published in the
APPEAL letter from General James
X. Chalmers, calling the attention of
the people of the frat levee district OF
Mississippi to q measure proposed by
him in the Legislature, by which, to use
his own words ...-. ..
The leyee board of the first district will be
abolished because 1t is bankrupt and can
afford no relief to the people. The tax here
totoTe levied will be collected in future by the
sherlns OF the different counties of the dis
trict, and paid into the treasury of the State
Tor the payment of the levee bonds.
The general also invited public meet
ings OF the citizens concerned, through
which he might have some public ex-
preston Of approval or disapprObatiCn.
This letter of General Chalmers was
copied into the Friars Point Delta of the
ghth, snd met with severe criticism
and decided disapproval. The follow
ing, from the article of the Delta, will
Indicate the scope Of that disapprovaI:
This bill will benefit the bondhoIder alone
the Spectator who purchased at O depreciat-
ed value. The district, which is the only
loser In consequence of non-fuifillment-the
non-completion of the Ievee-shouId receive
all the benefit which may arise out OF the de-
probation OF its bonds. Therefore let the
people continue to redeem them as they now
do-redeem the bonds at the depreciation and
pay their taxes dollar for dollar in bands or
coupons. The State and counties like the
landowners, will be important losers by this
bill. Heretofore thousands of acres of rich
land have been thrown up by the people in
consequence of the eDOrmity of taxation
Raise these bonds to their par value and thOu-
sands more Will follow the same tate and
State and counties will lose taxation on that
amount. senator Chalmers says the leVee
board of the first district is bankrupt; so it is
and that "the lands of the district have AL
ready been taxed more than they can pay "
fgarn ind obi gA1-
one million dollars in bonds, which are worth
from about twelve and a half to twenty-five
cents on the dollar, is, in fact, only one hun
dred and twenty five Thousand to two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars. Why, then,
should the legtS allure force us to paw one mill
lion dollars in money for one million dollars
in bonds, while their commercial value is
only one hundred and twenty-five thousaud
to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?
A ban krupt district and an over-taXed people
should not stand it.
In reply to this, to a petition OF citi-
z5rs and to letter from his partner
Judge Reid), General Chalmers senCs
the following letter, which appears in
the Delta Of the fifteenth:
JACKSON, Miss, March 6, 1876.
To Messrs. r. N. Harris, Jackson, Fisher, ]. NJ.
Rochester, and others:
GENTLEMEN-l have lust received a netT-
tion signed by you in reference to the leyee
bill now before the senate, and, from CONVEX
Menu
phis, am satisfied that those signed made a
misapprenensi of the facts. Your petition
states that you do not desire the present leVee
board abolished, because the Ievee would
break and that IL would cost ten times the
amount to rebuild 1t, and necessary to project
1t now; and you ask in vague and general
terms for "Such legislation as will enable the
present board to guard and protect the Ievee
now erected and save us from overflow by the
coming hish water" would be Obliged if
some of you would explain 10 me how the
continuance OF this levee board, who have
no funds to work with, can prevent the
levee from breaking, and If you would sug-
gest what kind of legislation you mean when
you say such as will enable you 10 protect the
levee now erected. Do you want additional
tax on the land? l hope not, for l think the
lands are already taxed as much as they can
bear. Do you mean TO have a cotton tax? If
so, why do on want to keep levee commits
onerS, president, secretary, and tire ,surer
in Office with salaries TO consume your tax
when one commissioner cOulI do the work
OF all OF them? L would he glad if YOU
would show me how the abolition OF this
board and the stopping of their salaries can
by any posi- bility, rs you say, take from you
"the benefit Of the reduced price o levee scrip
of which we will be deprived IL The scrip and
tax are put into the reach of n moneyed
ring" l would be glad ii you would tell me
how the continuance OF the levee beard can
prevent mOneJed men from buying up the
leVee bonds IL tn y wish TO, or how
the abolition OF The board can put the
scrip and tax in the reach OF a money! ring"
HouEay, IN conclusion OF your petiuOI TO the
legislature, We ask that you WI simply exs
act such law as will give US a tax sufficient
to repair and complete cur present Ievee be-
fore the sum r. lost" Now, Z any OF you wilt
prepare the simple bill you speak OF and send
1t to 1G =, will INTRODUCES it Into the senate,
but apprehend you will not find it 50 simple |
a matter as you Intimate. l write this be- |
cause my partner Judge Reid, has written to |
me that L have been misrepresented about |
this oil, and that ii was done by some enemy |
DESTROYS to iLjuIe me. L recognize all OF tho |
signers OF this petition as personal friends |
and feel sure that they have been deceived bV |
some one. Yours respectfully,