The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-02-04
letter From Another Citizen On
the Other Side.

EDS. CLARION In your Daily of the 23d
inst, you have a leader advocating the
policy of exempting factories from taxa
ton in which you instance the success of
that policy in Georgia and give several
acts passed in that State to illustrate the
point. [ presume the Georgia acts were
not prohibited by her constitution-such
acts are prohibited by the constitution of
this State. Section Is article II provides
"The property of all CORPORATIONS for pecu-
MARY profits shall be subject to taxation the
same as that OF Individuals and section
20 article IL provides, as TO property OF in
dividuals, "Taxation shall be equal and
uniform throughout the State. All prop
erty shall be taxed in proportion to its value
to be ascertained by law" 1t puzzles a
plain man like me to see how our Legisla-
ture can exempt the property of factories
from taxation, unless the fact was these
factories are built and run for buncombe
and not for pecuniary profits. If it is good
policy to exempt them, it seems to me the
first step to inaugurate that policy is to
amend the constitution, since, while the
constitution remains as it is, such exemn-
ton cannot be granted, unless the Leoisla-
ture 1orgets that it is sworn to support the
constitution. This exemption policy has
been attempted by that party, which Won
frequently denominate ''the wreckers.H in
certain acts which | suspect were bouoht
and paid for. The first act approved 6ril
Isl, Gall fools day. 1872, will be found on
pages 30, DO and 81, of the sheet acts of that
year-tnls ACT ana not venture to take the
bull OF violation squarely by the horns
put sneaked around the constitution nrohi
oitlon, by allowing, after the property
had been assessed at the expense ~
the State and the counties. the taxes to ha
paid with twO-bit affidavit, upon which
Tue c0lieceor receives the same commissions
as III ne mad collected the taxes In money
thus not only exempting the property from
taXaIion, out forcing the people to paw out
their money for the assessing and coilectino
OF the taxes so exempted to these factories
Ihls act bore on its face that it was to en-
courage neto factories, but the fox HAVING
py TINS act, got in the tip of his tail intro,'
duced his whole body afterwards. in resnact
TO factories already in existence.--See Acts
IN relation TO Stone Wall Factory on1
Mlssissippl Mills, Acts of 1873 pages 2l2 and
1i5- tt Is enough, reasonable man would
say 10 exempt these parties from taxation
oue ~ - rather too much TO make the other
IaApayers pay for assessing and COLLECTING
THESE taxes when not cent is paid i'm 70 the
oeate OF county Treasures. Again some.
at ieast, or these factories own nronerty
WHICH Is IN no way accessory to the mani
iacluFing business--such as town lots. store
", plantations. etc, etc.. the taxes on
all OIL which are literally (?) paid nv the
aforesaid two-oit affidavit. ~ '"'
unese acts In relation TO factories ere rot
SOLITARY instances of such class leoislation
Ia favor OF the wethiest people of tie state.
90 not number any act which pronoSas
TO e1em pit the property of the farmer. miller
blacksmith, shoemaker, timer. or the like /
Lne acg OF 1875 in reference 70 the tax ON
railroads. is fit companion for the fac.
pry acts. The railroad act provides
ina, mat they shall be taxed s75 90 per mlla IN
iieu Oh every other tax whatever. Now -
lnese railroads are worth only 100000 nar
mile, (they could not be built now a. chez pen
AS a. iaoor Is for less than $4,000 per miIep
ascertained as directed by law ae salun De
70 me average taxation in this State u old
pc SioO-OO Instead of SO 90 per mile. Will
these railroads are thus fostered ar the . axe
pense OF tne people of this State, they are
constantly d'sisoriminatirg against our peo.