The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-04-15
PRICE 81 90 PER YEAR.
THAT PLAN.
More Light Thrown on That Wonder.
fQl Scheme,

IuI SSuC"C.
The Clarion Ledger under the head Of
the Revenue Plans contains an edi-
torial which we presume is an authori.
tatiye explanation of "the plan agreed
upon by Gov, McLaurin and the ways
aud Means committee of the house."
the Vickshurg Commercial. Herald says.
The plan of the ways and means
bill proposes to separate the school fund
from the general state fund, levy m
advalorem tax for the general state
fund; and the assessed value of the tax.
able property Of the state being known,
it can be ascertained in advance the OK.
act amount of money that will be real.
lied for the general fund, and 1t will
be easy to make the appropriations for
general purposes and the general fund
correspond, Hence, there will be no
necessity for that fund running In
debt.
| Wethink there nre two fallacies in this
explanation, First. II is assumed that
the confusion and deficit in state finan.
ces arises from the fact that there isa
general levy made for the .ommon
school fund and the other ordinary OK.
penses OF the state, and second that II
these two funds are separated Fat this
confusion viii cease to exist 4 the
deficit Will be converted into an ade-
qnacy if not surplus Of revenue
The appropriation Of the common
school fund is based upon data which
Is acquired in accordance with re.
quirements of section 206 of the consti.
tuition and of the Code Of 1899, to.wit.
The number Of edncable children In tho
state, and this number Of educable
children is ascertained by an enumera.
tion made by the assessor OF each coun.
ty, which enumeration is furnished to
the state superintendent Of education.
This number Of educable children be.
ing asccrtained, the amount Of money
necessary to run the schools for four
months as required by the constitution
is easily computed, and the legislature
has found no difficulty heretofore In
making appropriations for this purpose.
The legislature Of 1906 appropriated
1923, 800. 90 for the support of the COM
mon schools for the year 1895, and a
like sum for the support OF the common
schools for the year 1897, which appro-
priation for each year included the poll
taxes for each year. Approximating IA
near rs we can the amount Of money
which would be raised for tho common
school fund under the proposed bill Of
the ways and means committee II the
house and endorsed by .he governor We
have as follows; s5a5, 900 from the three
mill advslorem tax; $s75, 900 from priv
ilege taxes, which would make 1901.
ooo Add TO this the poll taxes esti
mated to be 1850, 900, we would have
total Of 81, 050, 900 appropriated to the
common schools Of the state ns against
1923, 800 appropriated by the acts Of
1896,
Under the acts of 1895 the six mill
levy is made for all purposes, including
the common schools. II the treasury Ia
faced with deficit on tho six mill levy
1t is impossible to conceive how or In
what way the state Is to be relieved
and put upon basis Of sufflciency, II
not surplus by a 81 mill levy. The
plan Of the ways and means committee
which has the endorsement Of the gov
ernor, does not contemplate any rcduc.
tion in the general appropriations for
the regular expenses Of the state such
as the salaries Of the governor, state Of-
ficers, judges. asylums colleges and
university and other expenses which
are embraced in regular appropriations
by each legislature. IL therefore in.
stead of taking S923, zoo from all the
funds raised from taxation for public
schools you take ont II, $50, 600 for them
and at the same time reduce the levy
half mill the question will naturally
be asked, where will the state ,e att
IL there is any mistake in our figures :
we will be glad to receive correctioa
II not we are driver he conclnsion n
that the governor has ! IN an seriously A
N his revenue calculations az in his
'trstitntional interpretations; when he
overlooked section 281, which fves fines
md fors.itures to the counties, and ap-
'ropriated the money from that source
% the common schools This was, we
ire constrained to say, most singular
oversight in lawyer, upon "a measure
which he had given much serious
hought, and was positive was consti.
ntional." So said the jackson cores
'ondents three days ago Now, Al the
Governor has conceded his error In this,
'ccording to the Clarion Ledger. per.
laps he will yet concede that his cal
as TO the results Of this bill
nd the call session arc also erroneous.
Vs hope No.
-@4---~-s---~----~-----~- tt
Giving Them the Cold Toe.
ST>HE MySGTITDEn 0oiI da,,,nrr.ts