The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-02-16

/ BY the Chief Engineer; and the preser-
vatiOn Of faith and obligations with the
creditors Of the Board as stated by the
report of the Secretary. This is a
statement to which every intelligent
property owner or eotton-grower in
the District win assent. Whatever
rate of tax may be needed to consum-
mate these two propositions, will be
willingly submitted to.
1t is to be borne in mind that since
there has been any public agitation
ever levee action and policy, the ques-
tion has vastly broadened. Thousands
of acres of lands have been cleared,
colonized and stocked at cost of hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars; in sec
tions where an overflow would be far
more disastrous than was that Of 1882.
This change in the face of the District
adds greatly to the responsibility with
which the leyee officials are charged.
Still 1t is probable that there can be a
reduction in July; after providing for
the 100000 maturing bonds and the
plan of enlargement which is now well
on toward completion. The probabil-
ity would be greater but for the short
crop of 1888.
Senator Casey is correct in his idea
that the cotton tax should be regarded
as a SUPPLEMENTAL tax; and we claim
that such has been the theory and prac-
tice of the levee Administrations. When
home rule was restored in Mississippi
our levee authorities found this condi-
ton; Through excessive taxation near
all lands of the District except the
cleared plantations and the woodlands
necessary for plantation use, had been
conliscated to the State and the Lcvec
Boards was bearing no revenue. The
policy decided upon was, LIST, to pro-
vide sufficient revenue for lcvee pro-
lection, End, to keep down the al
valorem taxes to rate at which lands
would be redeemed and pay taxes, and
permit the extension of the cleared
area and the consequent increase OF
cotton production. All these objects
worked to produce larger levec fund
at lower tax rate. II was decided
that mills levee tax, in addition IA
. State and county tax, was the highest
rate consistent with this policy; tnat al
a greater levy wild lands would not be
redeemed and brought into cultivation
From that time the practice has been to
make the cotton tax rate vary with the
needs of the District; II alone has been
reduced as the evee condition permit
ted reduction. In 1882 Il had been re-
duced to $1.00 per bale, and through
land sales and rcdcmptions, the tax
paying area had been doubled.
The disaster of that period drove
thousands of acres back on the
delinquent lists; and necessitated an
increased revenue, or retrogresslon.
Had the raise been placed on assessed
property IL would have certainly ar-
rested development of wild lands and
led to rc-forfeitures. Hence, and with
out dissent, the cotton tax was increased.
| At the same time the fact was unmis-
takably made plain, that the standard
height of the levees must be higher to
give security. Consequently oil the
revenues have been fully required
In enlargement work and In liquida-
ton Of the bonds issued to repair the
1882 disaster. No reduction of tax
levy has been permissible, though
the revenues have largely increased /;
are rapidly increasing. But ifnot this
year certainly next the proof of our
assertion, that it is the policy Of the
Board TO treat the cotton tax as sup
Elemental will be verified. The vcri-
flcatlon If not this year is only deferred
until the large amount of maturing
bonds is lquidated. The rate of inter-
est borne by these bonds, 10 per cent,
is too high TO make II wise TO ask for
the extension of any portion of them.
simultaneously with the extlnguish-
ment Of this 10 per cent. debt, we may
confidently hope that the standard Of
enlargement of tho district leyees viii
have been attained. by then also the
property values will have SO increased
that a 3 mill ad valorem tax, will per-
nit large reduction in tho cotton tax.
Whether this tax should ever be en-
tirely abated, and the whole burthen
of leyce assessments be placed on fixed
properties, or at what point its reduc-
tion should be divided with the ad
valorem levy these are questions for
the future.
AS to the comparison which Senator
Casey draws between the two Dis
tricts; the Upper "gets along without
cotton tax" because the Legislature
of 1886, against the expressed wishes
of the Board of Commissioners, pro.
vided that none should be levied until
an al valorem levy of IL 1-2 mills Oh
front and IL 1-2 on back counties, and
/ a tax on all privileges, should be first
, exhausted. There is "no reason why
this District should not do likewise.
raise the ad valorem maximum until a
cotton tax can be dispensed with, il
the property owners SO choose; and
give expression to the choice. Such
change we have no idea that any con.
, aidarablp tiuinher of said class favor