Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-15
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

Since the last meeting Of the Leg
islature the people Of Mississippi
have enjoyed a peaceful and uninter-
rupted prosperity. We owe to 9 be-
nignant Providence the prevalence
Of favorable seasons for our chief in
dustlies, exemption from epidemic
disease. and from all serious calami-
ties affecting our material interests.
The signs Of general progress, moral
and material, throughout the State,
are hopeful and assuring; and / may
Justly congratulate you on the pros
porous condition Of our affairs.
Since the last session Of this body
there has occurred a change in the
federal administration, by its trans
fer from one political party to an
other. This change has been heartily
welcomed by the people of this State,
because they see in it the certain evil
dence ofthe triumph of truly national
feeling, the subsistence Of sectional
jealousies and bitterness, and the adj
vent ola broad, patriotic spirit.
The event is notable for the reason
that the party displaced had its orr
gin in sectional issues, had held the
federal administration for a quarter
of a century, with the desire to re-
tain it, strengthened by long posses
sion, and by party antipithies, inten-
sified by unusual stimulants, and yet
the change was made by the peaceful
instrument Of the ballot without
tumdlt or disturbance, and acquiesed
in without a murmur of discomfort,
if we except the noisy u%tterances of
the merely partizan spirit. In this
event there is much to increase our
confidence in the stability Of our in
stitutions.
1t is surely true that the founda-
tons of true patriotism and public
spirit are broader and deeper than
the basis Of any political party in the
United States.
We have cause to deplore the I'M
timely death Of Thomas A.. Hen
bricks, late Vice-President Of the
United States. He was the choice of
the people United States for the high
Office he held, and well deserved
their choice, for abilities and useful
ness and genuine patriotism.
The reports of the Auditor and
Treasurer will be furnished you at an
early day and will acquaint you with
the
FINANCIAL
.
condition Of the State. l have no
doubt that but these reports will
show a considerable increase in the
State debt within the past four years.
This will not be surprising when the
fact is recalled that the Legislature
Of 1882 increased the common school
fund by 100000 per annum and de-
creased the rate of taxation from
three to two and a half mills, which
is equal to $4,000 per annum. 1t
will be noticed that these two items
made a difference of $500, 900 in the
financial transactions of the State in
the four years. Had the common
school fund not been increased and
the rate of taxation not reduced,
it is safe to say that the
net payable debt could have
been discharged before this. 1t
is well to increase school facilities
and to reduce taxation, but, unfOrtu-
nately, both cannot be done at the
sime time without increasing the
debt. / venture to repeat and, en-
phasize the caution contained in my
last message, that the most rigid
economy must be inaugurated in
every departmental the government.
Even then / apprehend that the
present resources will prove made
quate to meet necessary expenses. 1
urge that you will In future avoidthe
grave error of directing expenditures
in excess of the revenue you shall
provide, and that you shall
either first determine what sum
of money may be reasonably
expected to come into the
treasury, and then appropriate it to
the objects you see proper, or that,
after directing all expenditures you
shall be careful to assure the realiza-
ton of enough money to meet them.
Our revenue law demands your
earnest attention, with a view
to devise, if possible, some
means by which the irregularities
existing in the
ASSESSMENT
for taxation may be remedied. There
is not only great want of uniformity
in the assessed value of property in
counties, but in the different counties
OF the State as compared with each
other. This want Of relative uni
formity throughout the State is OF
great moment to the tax payers. It
would not matter whether valuation
is high or low, if uniform throughout
the State. If low, the rate would be
higher, and wise versa.
The necessity for this correction, il
in your power to makeit, will be
found in the following facts: The
average assessed value of taxable
| as per acre in the twenty coun-
tics mentioned below are as follows:
Coahoma county, 1856; Pike county,
$3.50; Sharkey county, $1.75; Rankin
county, $3.50; Washington county,
S4.38, Copiah,$ "a .35; Tate county, 81. 20;
Yazoo county, 1914; Issaquena coun-
ty, $3.50; Chickasaw county, $40:
Iallahatchie county, SIT; Newton
county, 50 IA; Oktibbeha county,
$3.44; SunfloWer county, $1.9O: NOx-
ubee county, $5.l7; Kinds county.
S5.47; Prentiss county, 1910; Alfalfa
county, S2.46; Tunica county, $2.65,
and MnntrnmnrN cnnntu 20 70 II