The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-04-07
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.
Things That Were Done, Seen
and Heard Last Week.

oPechh correspondence OF The Leader.l
JACKSON, MISS, April o.
The most important event of the
week was the meeting on Tuesday
of the Senate Finance Committee,
which was called together by the
Governor for the purpose of pro.
viding means by which the State
could weather the financial storm
now brewing, or rather to agree
upon plan to submit to the spec.
ial session of the Legislature. 1t
has been explained to your read.
ers that the Ways and Means Com.
mittee OF the House had been here
and had unanimously agreed to
and endorsed plan submitted TO
them by the Governor, but which
was kept secret for the time being.
This same plan was submitted to
the three members of the Finance
COnm:ttee present, Messrs. w. ii.
Hardy, of Lauderdale, Murry +.
Smith, of Warren and Rev. Irwin
Miller, of Leake, three of the most
intelligent gentlemen of the State,
by the way, and they rejected it
with about the same unanimity
as that with which the House Com.
mittee had accepted it +; and instead
prepared bill authorizing the
Governor to borrow 1000 at
6 per cent. interest, and suggesting
that the State tax levy next year
be IL mills.
The plan adopted by the Ways
and Means Committee contem-
plates pretermitting the June dis.
tributiOn of the common school
fund, and that the Finance Com.
mittee declares clearly unconstitu-
tiOnal. The Constitution requires
the school fund of about 1928, 900
TO be distributed semi-annually, 2,3
in January and 1-3 in June. This
is u contract entered into between
the State and the school teachers,
aud which has been partially car
ried cut, the January distribution
having been made. "TO withhold
the balance of 100000 and over
would not only be violation of "a
Constitutional provision, but it
would be unfair to the teachers of
the several counties, s,"-declared "a
member of the Finance Committee.
That section of the Governors plan
requiring the poll tax to remain in
the county where collected is gen.
orally endorsed.
Webster Science Hall, an addi-
ton to Millsaps College, was ded;
Gated Friday. This building, a
handsome two-stOry brick, costing
1000 is the latest gift of Maj. r.
w. Millsaps, president of the Cap
ital State Bank, and real founder
of Mlllsaps College, as he has Civ,
en- in all to this great enterprise
$50, 900. and it is today one of the
best equipped and most ably con-
Quoted institutes of learning in the
South, even if it is the youngest.
Hon. Ed. Mayes, professor of Law,
made the address of the day,
giving an interesting sketch
of the organization and history of
every college ever organized In the
State. Rev. Ill. NJ. DuBose, pastor
of the First Methodist church, read
the dedication ode; Bishop Gallo,
way dedicated the building, and
Gov. McLaurin expressed his ell
dorsement of the purposes of the
handsome building and the work
being done by the college. In the
afternoon the students gave their
annual exhibition of field sports
which was heartily enjoyed by the
audience of several hundred.
Since my last the levees along
the river front in Bolivar and
Washington counties have broken
aud half the great delta country is
even now under water with pros
pect of the entire valley being dis
astrously flooded. The State has
done all in her power to prevent
the breaks, but the handiwOrk of
man proved weaker than the roar
ing, rushing waters. For two
weeks nearly 700 State cOnvjcts
have been assisting the brave pe0
pie of the counties most directly
concerned in strengthening their
lines, but the waters were too much
for narrow confines. L may not
know what | am talking about, but
| do not believe any system OF
levees will eyer be built to with.
stand such volume of water. The
kings of Egypt built magnificent
Ievees along the Nile till the bed of
the river was higher than the sur
rounding country. The wonderful
valley was becoming impoverished
and ruined until the levees were
abandoned and annual OverfiOws