The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-12-02
CoMEoKrLEss EACTs

In the midst of nm era of great
prosperity, with every industry,
every line of business feeling the
impulse that has resulted from an
unexpected advance in the price
of cotton, it is difficult to appre-
ciate upon what slender thread
hangs the prosperity and welfare
of this leyee district. A reallza-
ton Of this is forced upon the
mind with painful distinctness by
the report of the Secretary and
Treasurer of the Board of Missis-
sippi Levee Commissioners show
ing the total receipts and disburse-
ments of that board for the year
extending from July 1898 to July
1899. This report shows that
from July 1898 to January 1899
there was disbursed S160, 400,72;
from January to July 1899, there
was disbursed 6,313,16, total
1866, 713.SS; that of this amount
there was disbursed for levee
graduation IN Bolivar county
Sl711. 90; for levee graduation in
Washington county S2SS19. so;
for levee graduation in Issaquena
county $49591.7s; for levee repairs
in Bolivar county S7150.33; for
levee repairs in Washington coun-
| ty 1858. 33; for levee repairs IN
Issaquena county S5031.6o; total
1913, 95S.S4.
This represents the total amount
money expended during the year
IN permanent levee building. The
report shows how the balance was
disbursed, but for the purpose of
this article it is needless to con
slder this.
The pregnant, painful tact is that
only between % and 26 per cent
of the large disbursements went
into levee protection-scarcely
enough to replace one large levee
if it became necessary to do so on
account of'caving;not enough to ma
terially add to the strength of our
line of levee, confessedly unsafe
for any extreme high water. |
Notwithstanding the heavy bur-
den of taxation borne by our peo-
pie throughout the long years,
the result of it, the levee system
pitiably weak and pain
fully incomplete; and harder still
to bear, is the thought of our
forced upon us by
these figures.
There was allotted to this levee
district on March 9, 1899, S247,-
10000, which has been, and is be-
ing spent upon our line. This is
The last of the four years contin-
nous appropriation made by Con
yress.
One obvious thought arising
rom this report is the paramount
necessity of selecting men of rscog-
llzed character and ability as
members of the Leyee Board, a
Board composed of six men who
lisburse more than $300,000.00
of money raised by tax
.tion. Discuss the erection of
$50, 200 oil mill or a 100000 cot
on factory in any community and t
he first question asked by those |
Who are solicited to take stock is, J
Sho is going to take charge Of
md manage the enterprise, recog
Iizing that upon the answer de {
lends the success or failure OF the
Enterprise, and yet, how little c
bought is given by the taxpayers :
themselves, the forced stockhold-
RS in this leyee enterprise, to !
he business fitness and qualifca- {
ions of the men who are to handle I
he business, the outcome Of +
which means safety or disaster to !
very man in the district. But
With the best management of the Z
money raised in the district by S
axatiOn the amount is miserably | i
insufficient and can give no certain +
and without this there
an never be stability to values in :
be Delta or permanent prOsperi-
Y. This can only come through b
Overnment aid. v
This suggests the bitter thought .
'hich must fill with grave fore :.
oding and vague alarm the mind !.
every thinking man interested +
| the welfare of our district, that il
l untried hands, to brains I'M e
killed in congressional warfare, .
lust be entrusted the care of the =
lterests in which is directly in u
olved the welfare of every man, Il
oman and child in this Levee t.
A worse, factlonal II
rife, or some political slogan -
i'll justably have more to do !,
it'll naming the representative Il
ian any consideration of his IL
ness and qualifications tor the II
'eat work to be entrusted to him. II
The First Tennessee Regiment
on, Tho pbil;r,,;poc orr,,-c1 ~