The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1900-02-16
The wealth.
THOSE BACK TAXES

THOSE BACK TAXES,
The nan who would play upon tn,
passions Of the ignorant, arouse th'
vIscious, array the poor against tn,
rich, and rend the citizenship Of the
realm into warning classes. is n dan.
gerous enemy to civilization and q
menace to society, There Is a place
In the economy Of every country for
the man who directs, and the man
who labors-wOrk for the brain and
work for the muscle. One Is the com.
plement Of the otler-bOth are in.
~dispensiblc to the harmony Of n well
organized society. | want to say in
the outset, that | yield to no mar IN
\ earnest desire to see capital come
into Mississippi. The necessity for
1t ia manifest everywhere about us
should like to see a railroad running
by every mans door. ] should like to
zee the cotton mill, the saw mill, the
furniture factory In fact every va
rlety Of enterprise necessary for the
consumption aud utilization Of the
raw material produced upon M'ssis.
sippt soil. Our forests arc almost To-.
exhaustihlc, and our fields are Of linn
itless wealth. recognize In the rail
road n most potent agency for the de-
veIoPmcnt OF the resources Of a
conntry-tlle promotion Of learning,
the spread OF prosperity and the pro.
gress Of civilization. | would not
diminish It's blessings or impair It.
almost infinite usefulness. ANY effort
on the part OF the Legislature to dis
Crimlnatc against the railroad, the
prostitution nf the judicial functions
to its injury, or the improper use OF
the executive prcrogative to It's hurt.
shall always evoke my most carncs,
protest and active opposition. IT. the
matter OF taxation every species OF
property should be treated alike,
whether It he owned by the wealth.
est corporation or the most tinpccun-
ious individual. Equality under the
law is the great d'Siirratum. Taxes
which are levied for the purpose OF
dcfraying the expenses Of the State
should be paid by all who enjoy the
protection OF its laws. Like the
blessings Of Infinite Goodness, and
the dews OF heaven, II should fall up
on tie rich aud the poor alike. It is
a burden which must be borne and It's {
weight should be distributed in the {
proportion that the person or thing :
Is able to bear It. Coming now to per. :
and practical thIDgs-a case In
points Il right or lust to make
the railroads pay the back taxes which ,
lbe State courts have adjudgcd that T
they owe? The railroads contend that +
they were granted immunity from 9
taxation hy an Act Of the Legislature t,
and as a consideration therefor they II
come into the State, 'dcvclorcd 7
It's unemployed resources and built IN "
It's waste Places" Tie Supreme >
highest judicial tribunal II
Of the State, has said that no lcsal .
exemption exist. Now | want to say v
that | do not believe that the rail.
road companies were by this promised l.,
exemption from taxation induced to r.,
into the State. They came be. n
they believed the investment w
would pay. Railroad companies are W
composed Of clear headed, sagaciuus 81
old blooded fnanciers, who calcu tn
ate with accuracy and view with AT
,arvelous prcscIencc every question Va
q which a dollar is involved VIC
hey looked into the future as far a.. eve
could see Hs
nd saw the glurles OF this Delta all the on ri,
portunities there would bc-
Cheap lands which they could buy ~,
ID sell ut advanced prices and the o.,
eat trafic along their lines. There ab
f .fBia ~ : ~. ~
~ afitf,i& Jsa .si,fah II