The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-05-05
LETEE MANAGEMENT.
EDrroR GREENvuLE TINES :

EDITOR GREENvuLE TINES -
There are several matters in cOnnec-
tion with the Leyee Board system
which | think viii well repay discus
sion, and demand mature eonsidera-
ton before the Board is reconstructed
this coming July.
| would first refer to the present
mode Of evading payment Of cotton
tax by the employment of presses suf-
Z iicient to put up 500 10. bales. 1t is
well-known that one member of the
present Board, and some of our largest
planters in the District. have devised
this mode of lessening their own bur
dens; and the injustice and inequality
of it, think. call for its prevention.
One simple mode occurs to me-reduc-
ton of tax. High rates encourage
evasion and skill in securing it.
Let us collect strictly all we can, but
let us get the rates down, as fast as we
can with SAFETY. Then enforce more
strict collection in the spirit of the law,
that the cotton tax collected shall be a
fraction Of one cent per H., and the
ruling that all bales over 500 lbs. must
pay their proportionate additional tax
over the rate Fixed per bale. The only
way see to get at it is by inviting the
cooperation of the railroads at their
depots, and by getting them to weigh
the cotton before shipment for their
own benefit as well as owners. $50
far all cotton is estimated as weighing
500 lbs. per bale, for assessing freight
charge from original shipping point to
compress market.) The landing keep
ers also must be employed to weigh all
cotton and to certify weights in all
bills of lading, and to collect tax ac-
cordingly. To arrive at the results de-
sired, would suggest further, that the
railroads be made responsible collec-
tors of taxes on all cotton carried by
them from shipping points in district,
and they be allowed u cents per bale
therefor, and be under obligation to
make settlement and report bi-monthly,
in lieu ofpresent collector; whose duties
as TO railroad carried cotton shall
cease, directly proper arrangements
can be made with this view; for the
railroad now practically collects the
tax on cotton handled by them, and
hand it over to the collector, instead Of
directly to the treasurer. Then that
the cotton collectors responsibilities be
confined to the collection of tax ut all
points in the district other than those
amenable to the railroad, and that he
be allowed Il uniform fee of 10 cents
per bale to enable him to defray cost
Of collection by the agents he employs,
and thus his responsibility viii be
lessened, while he has further time to
look after the weights.
The salary of our Secretary and
Treasurer appears to most tax payers
to run at unnecessarily high rate. Hii
duties certainly do not demand more
than one week of time in every month
and there are many competent people
in the district who would fill the place
satisfactorily for not exceeding $l0(
, per month; much Indignation arost
| when the salary of this officer was in
! creased, as the amount previously paid
: was by most considered excessive.
: TO meet the difficulty of popularit!
(as necessary to secure the making o
: a Bond for these oflicers) being requi
site, as well as aptitude, for the oflic,
! wish to see an improvement intro
duced by the Board which trust will
yet prevail for securing good conduc
Of office by all the county and Stat,
officials, viz; the requiring that al
official bonds for good behavior il
@ Office shall be made in one of the guar
2 antee or indemnity companies, sucl
1 as railroads now require to back al
their responsible officials. When gen
orally adopted, it of course follows tina
A this Board, the county or State, allow
: or pay the premium on the indemnit.
: insurance over and above the presen
4, or agreed salary, but to be charg'
against any arrears of unpaid salary
if any, at the time of misconduct dis
{ covered, or in case of necessity TO col
G lect under indemnity.
, The heavy expenditure for assistan
engineering and expense account, in
Cured for the last year or two, Ger
tainly seem to call for remark, and th'
/. cost of running our district in thes'
respects, and in the matter of salaries
: compares unfavorably with the cost il
the Yazoo District. No one can tax,
exception TO the pay of the Chief En-
I ginccr whom we consider the righ
man in the right place, but the admin
q istration of this district can by NJ
means be considered economical.
: The negotiation or sale of bond
when undertaken and issued by oul
b. Board always seems TO meet witt
, some difficulty. In the Yazoo Distric
they obtained their money with mucl
less trouble. Surely it lies in the fran
, ing of the bond, and in the nature o
: the security offered to the moniet
: world. In our district il is a persona
security; in the other it is realty
security. Why likewise with theirs
should not our bonded Indebtedness b,
l based for security on the ad yaloren
: tax levied annually by specially allo
eating same to satisfy the bonds rathei
than by this being left dependent OF
the general fund provided by who'll
e body of lcvec taxes. With regard t.
a the issuing of bonds TO run for long
!. er term and redeemable in smalle1
! amounts, so as to shift some of th'
heavy burden on those who come afte
us, rather than to impose it In tn
: limited area of the tax payers of sue
b cessive years practically, is anothe
o question worth discussing. Probabl.
:, now that the policy of locating levee
with view TO permanence has at las
Il been adopted the proper mode of ad
Y justing the cost Of same will doubles
o demand consideration of the Boar
! and meet with it in due course.
Respectfully,
WAYsIDE.
E;rat T'raunp.. -'..l1- ohouf ottr ii