The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-12-22
On report of the committee,

0h AcPVAt VA tAS toHuAttCC,
1t is ordered, That the following
memorial be adopted by this
Board, transcribed on the minutes,
and transmitted TO the gentlemen
addressed.
10 the Hon. Senators and Representa-
tives in the Mississippi Legislature
from tine counties Bolivar. Wash
ington, Issaquena and Sharkey:
Your memorialists, the Board
of Mississippi Levee Commission
ers, respectfully submit to you the
following:
The term of Office of the present
members of this Board comes to
an end within a few days, and
they, therefore, feel that there will
be no indelicacy upon their part
in suggesting such changes In the
law providing how the Board shall
be constituted as they may deem
wise, and also snch amendments
to the present law as will more ef-
fectually secure tho efficient adj
ministration of the affairs of this
Levce District. Your memorial.
lists do not propose hereby to
trench upon your discretion in
framing and having passed any
and all laws pertaining to levce
matters that you may see fit, nor
do they mean to indicate that the
suggestions herein made cover
the whole ground of necessary or
appropriate Legislation on the
subject. They simply desire to
offer a few suggestions that have
occurred to them for your consid.
Grafton. .#
We therefore, present to you
our views upon-tho following sub
jeots:
First.-The manner provided by
law at present of selecting Levee
Commissioners and the length OF
their terms of ofllce. All of the
Commissioners are now elected
bi.ennially, BY the Boards of Sn-
pervisors of their respective coun-
ties at the January meetings OF
said Boards, Tho result of this Ia,
that it is possible that every two
years, the Board Of Levee Commits
sionera may be constituted OF en-
tirely new men, entirely without
experience in the administration
of its affairs. A result of the
shortness of the present term OF
office is, that about the time with
in which Commissioners become
thoroughly posted in the financial
working of the Board and the ma
terial interests of their districts
they are liable to be replaced BY
new and inexperienced men. a
third evil is, that this change IL
the constitution of the Board oc
ours In January, q season OF thu
year preceding by only q couple
of months the period of high wa
ter, when to secure the safety 0
the district, thorough acquaint
ance and familiarity with all of it
necessities, all of its weak points
and all of its resources il neede'
at the hands of all of its officials
And in this regard there is
fourth matter which deserves sc
rious consideration. The Boar
of Levee Commissioners shoul
be purely business body as ei
, tirsly separated from politics a
possible. In the administratio
of its business several skilled of
j, GERS are required, and salaries ar
paid necessary to secure the r.
!. auisite ability. Owing largely I
r this cause the question of who'
; the candidates for Supervisor wi
: support for Levee COMMISSIONS
becomes a vital issue IN the gel
: cral county elections; and witho'
discussing the result in detail,
is sufficiently obvious that the 8
j, lection of Levee Commissioner
becomes a part of heated polite
and personal contests for offic
and may be often times the sll
iect of barter and trade betwet
opposing candidates and the
. friends. We, therefore, sugge
: such amendment ofthe Law as vi
list, lengthen the terms Of Off
to not less than four years; IN
will previde that the terms Of (
iice Of only one third or one-hi
. Of the whole number Of Con'issio
ers shall expire It the same tin
and srd, as shall remove the ON
Of Lexee Com miasianer entire
Irom ills fed Of politics, I ~
thing can BY possibility be ael'le
= ed. We have thought that Il
la.sI.. Is dsas = n4ala ~