Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1888-11-03

nors Message to the last Legislature
in which he mentions the sale Of
10, 4S4 acres at one dollar per acre.
This was the price set upon the re-
mainder of these lands-of which the
State held, January list 1888, 24s,-
SAG acres-by the Swamp Land Com
missioner, Governor, Attorney Genl.
and Secretary OF State, under an
act OF the Legislature passed in 1884.
Here then we have the evidence Of
four high State Officials that the re-
naming lands are worth one dollar
per acre; and it is more than proba-
BILE that these are but the refuse;
and that the Land Sharks had already
gobbled up the choicest in the man
ner set forth. In view Of these
simple facts one may well marvel at
the delay of the Governor in approx
ing an Act Of so much consequence
as the one now in his possession, =
There is still another abuse thar
the Legislature has tried vainly to
correct. 1 mean the speculation in
tax lands by nonresident gamb-
lers. 1t is well known, in this
county am sure, that lands are
often forfeited for taxes without the
knowledge of the owner. 1t is done
some times by mistake Of the tax
payer sometimes by mistake Of the
Assessor and, in my judgment,
sometimes lands are sold, as sun
known" when there is no mistake
at all! 1t is within the experience
Of many Of our citizens that they
have been made to pay heavy tribute
to alien Land Sharks who had be-
come the owners Of their homes and
heritage, by purchase from the State,
through the Auditors Office at Jack.
son, of lands sold for taxes, anC
held by the State. OF course thC
\ Auditor must sell when an applica
| ton is made and the money tenered, Sc
he is blameless in the matter. II
check this abuse; and further to re
sefve the State lands, no matter how
stquired, for the use and benefit O.
Mississippians, whether born or I'M
born, the two Representatives from
this conntyin 1886, jointly intro
duced bill reserving all State landi
for homesteads entry by citizens o
the State. This bill passed thu
House but was defeated in th,
Senate, assuredly by lobby influence
In the Session of 1888 a slmila
bill was introduced and passed boil
Houses as II. B. 65. and was sent tt
the Governor the last day Of tn,
Session, This was too late for ap
proval during the session; but tim
enough has elapsed for action on i
but none has been taken, or the bill
has not been published as approved
This hesitation is all the NOR
remarkable when we consider tina
the Governor actually approved
memorial to Congress asking that al
public lands in the State be with
drawn from market and reserved TO
homestead purposes, [ Acts '88 pag
40.) l fail to understand VIII.
Government lands should be reserv
ed for actual settlement while Stat
lands must continue to be the law
full prey of alien Sharks and specu
lators.
l understand that the pretext is |
desire to keep lands on the assess
ment roll to enhance the revenue o
the State; but this pretext is practi
cally absurd. 1t is well known tina
in this county these spectators blu.
lands from the Auditor, for taxes anC
costs, at q venture; and as pur'
gambling operation. If they luckll,
catch some unfortunate citizen una
wares they make a profit; il no
they let the lands go back to tn,
State at the next sale. Therefor,
the revenue Of the State is not great
ly increased by these transactions
but whether they are or not l insis
thai the State owes it to her citizens
to hold her lands either for actus
settlement or until they becom
valuable, as they are sure to do.
CITIZEN.
---et-9~eS--
NOTICE.