The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-01-12
THE MESSAGE.
WHAT GOV. LOWRY HAS TO SAY To
THE LEGISLATURES ABOUT STATE
MATTERS.
Some Important Suggestions.


lature last Thursday. 1t is lengthy
and well written paper, covering forty
two-type- written pages.
He congratulates the people upon
the bounteOus harvest of crops oI
the present year, and refers fittingly
to the improved agricultural methods
as well as the establishment of many
new industries in different lines Ot
of manufacturing. Having assem-.
BLEED in obedience to constitutional
mandate to make such laws and chan.
ges of laws as may he meedful he
hopes to see even-handed justice
observed toward all classes, commu.
mites and interests, but warns then
against too much legislation. SundrI
changes in existing laws and entir,
enactments in some instances are
then recommended. Hurried legisla
ton experience has shown tC
have been unwiSe, and has
led to confusion and different intcrpre
tations by different courts. The i'm
portant measures should not bt
nut off till the close of the session.
Six years experience in the eXecu-
tive chair has convinced him of the
unwisdom of rushing flood of bill,
through just before adjournment. He
suggests that the law be so changed
us that the fiscal year will end before
Dec. 81, so as to allow the auditor and
treasurer to have their reports ready
and printed before the assembling o1
the legislature so that it can act intel
lightly in financial matters.
The question of assessment of prop
erty is treated at length, and the
statement is made that the wealth %
the State is now assessed at one-third
of its value. This is accounted fol
by the fact that in carpet-bag times
when the State taxes were at one
period more than the State and coun-
tv combined to-day, then thirty pei
cent of the lands We're forfeited to the
State for non payment of taxes, which
amounted to contiscatiOn. Seeking re.
lief from this burden the peOpl,
placed low estimate upon then
property, and have been slow t,
change these low estimates.
The State tax has been reduced from
the highest point in Republican times
III to 81 mllS-and in most al
cases its forfeited lands have been re
deemed. 1t is no answer that the
people list their property under oath
for they in fact do not, and there is nt
pretensc they do. A few approXima
tons of the value of property would
not in fact increase, but would ulti
70 h1
present assessment of $12S, O0O, 200
less State tax is levied than almoS
any southern State and most of thu
northern States.
The payable debt of the State i:
less than that of any Southern Stat,
save one, and perhaps less than that
The State and county taxes combined
are less than they have been paid by
the people i'll twenty years. State
per cent bonds are sold at Il handsome
premium.
The State debt is larger than il
1882, as will be seen by the treasurer
report, and upon this' point the mes
sage of 1884 is quoted, which said
eff the appropriations for the yea
1884 and 1885 exceed 100000 annu
ally am satisfied that it will resul
in Il deficit unless taxation is incrcas
ed. which should not be done. Ii
1886 the injunction of economy was
again emphasized. In 1882 taxation
was reduced from 3 to q mills and re
manned at that figure till 1886, diff
ference in four years of $20O,O0O. A
the same time the appropriation for the
common school fund was increased
100000 annually.
This increase of appropriations ant
decrease of revenues must necessarll,
have produced deficit. If it b'
said in the face of these facts that the
administration of the State during the
past six years has been eXtravagant
then those who bear the burdens will
through their representatives, have
eXtravagant appropriations and i'm
proper expenditures cease; If, there
fore, the law makers, with the ap
prevail of the governor, have beer
too generous i'll support of the schools
colleges and charitable institutions o
the State, this support can be reduced
or, in the case of the colleges and be
nevolent institutions, be entirely
withdrawn. They belong to the PEG
pie of the State and they can maintain
them in such manner as they choose
or abolish them altogether.
He assumes all responsibility thai
properly attaches to the executive il
the approval of measures for the
maintenance of our charitable and ed
ucational institutions, and will take
pleasure in cooperating with the leg
iSlature for their continued intelli-
gent and successful management. He
confidently believes that fair adjust
ment and application of the resources
of the State will be ample to meet
these and other necessary expendi-
lures without imposing unjust OIL
heavy burdens on the people. The
collection of the delinquent poll TIA,
will annually put from $4,000 tt
800. 900 in the treasury. The pay
ment of the debt or reduction of the
interest on the Chickasaw school funC
will retain annually in the treasury
from 500, 900 to $32, 900.
A wholesome law changing ant
regulating county expenses known a.
the Judiciary" would, ill his jud e
ment, reduce the expenses of the
seventy-four counties not less thai
$4,000.
The question of assessments is taker
up and the previous assertions above
reiterated and amplified of tax OF 81
mills, with other resources upon al
assessed valuation of $128.000,00(
is sufficient. A tax of II of a mill OF
valuations of $25O,OO0,OO0 woulC
suffice. With valuation of the prop