The Brookhaven leader., 1889-01-10
Auditor Stone and the Show
Business.

ne Stlte TtNcHue INV phSStu "
the Legislature of 1888, provides that
a privilege tax Of $4,000 shall be
paid son each tented show, circus or
menagerie for each day or part of a
days performance whether an admiss-
ion.fee is charged or not, to he paid be-
fore any performance can be given"
and con each side-show $50.00.n (See
chapter 3, Sec. l, page 10, Acts 1881
Knowing this to be the law, and
hearing that Halls circus and menag-
erie which visited this place a few
weeks ago, had not paid the prescrib-
ed amount. we called on Sheriff Me-
Nair few days since for fuller infor-
nation on the subject, and he gave
us a statement which was rather sur
prising in the face of the plain letter
of the law, and which is not calcula-
ted to add to the popularity of our
already none too popular State adj
ministration. In brief, he told us
that as matter of fact, the circus
people, instead of paying two hun
bred dollars, as the law requires
$4,000 for their circus and menagerie
and 5000 for their side shOw-had in
reality only paid five. He further
explained that he understood it to be
his duty under the law to collect the
larger amount, and that it was his
intention to do so, or refuse to allow
performance, when his purpose was
foreStallcd by the circus people pro-
ducing a letter from Auditor Stone,
alleging that five dollars was all the
tax they were liable for. They also
produced the licenses issued to them
by the Sheriffs of Copiah and other
counties, showing that on this au-
thority from the Auditor they had
only paid five dollars elsewhere in
stead of two hundred. With this
sort of evidence before him, Sheriff
McNair says he reluctantly and
against his own Judgment as to what
his duty was, accepted the five dol
lars and issued the license.
We asked him if he might not have
been mistaken as to the genuineness
of the letter from the Auditor, when he
replied that it was written upon one
of the Auditors Autograph letter
heads, and he thinks had the endorse
ment of Acknowledgement Miller.
Assuming that the letter was gen
uine, what we would like to know is,
whatright has auditor Stone to excuse
show people or any one else from
paying the taxes fixed by law for
them to pay? 1t is true the tax eX-
acted of shows is high, but so is that
cxacted of many other callings by the
law, and if lie can lower one why not
all! Why not relieve the merchant,
the lawyer, the doctor, the saw mill
man, the insurance agent, the sewing
machine agent, hotels, restaurants,
brokers, BARRIERS, photographers,
pcddlers, and the numerous other
professions and callings included in
the privilege list of the major portion
of the taxes required of themo
Again. in the same law of which we
are speaking, the State tax for gener-
al purposes is fixed at three and half
mills, and then another half mill is
added to pay interest on portion of
the bonded debt of the State contract
ed under LOwryism. Why doesn't
the Auditor, who so generously ex-
cuses from taxation travelling shows
from other States whose business is Il
curse rather than blessing-why
doesn't he, we ask, excuse the people
from the payment of some of this tax?
If he can set aside the law in one part,
can't lie in another? Why be par
tial ?
We will not accuse our State Ad-
ministration (Which has great deal
to answer for already with having
entered into secret combination and
unholy alliance with the circus and
monkey business, but this is a matter
calling for explanation, and if Auditor
Stone has any explanation to make,
we hope he will submit it. We
offer him space in the LEADER to
do 50.