The leader., 1905-04-15

dSfSS Vi WllQ la0u IN the SLaLe is De-
ing bought by foreign corporations
for speculative purposes. You are
paying the cost of developing this
land and bringing these speculators
a golden harvest of enormous profits
| The publication of assessed vaules as
| they appear on the rolls in the Office
| of the auditor at Jackson would
create sensation. a foreign con-
cern that owns thousands of acres in
several counties is offering and sell
Ing it for about SIS per acre. Every
acre of that land is assessed at 81 SO
1t is among the richest in the delta,
and worth the price being asked. An
| other large concern that owns i'm
mense tracts that are selling for from
| $8 to $12 per acre, is paying taxes on
an assessed valuation of SLIPS.
Dozens of other instances can be cited
where the difference between actual
and assessed value is as great. Now,
this is all wrong. The man who owns
small farm of from 40 to 800 acres
| Is paying taxes on an assessment that
represents rs per cent of the actual
value of the land. The men with
the small farms are Mississippians,
and constitute large per cent of our
| citizenship, while the large owners
are principally foreign. Now, there
Is no especially serious objection to
outsiders buying our lands and profit
| ing by the increase in value thereof,
| but they should be made to pay their
share of the money necessary to de-
velop and bring about this increase
| in price. The county assessors and
boards of supervisors are largely re-
| sponsible for this state of affairs, and
| it is time that the small farmers, who
elect these officials, were awakening
to the injustice being done them.
Raise the assessment and compel
each man to bear his part of the
necessary expense of maintaining the
government Justice to all, and spe-
| cial privileges to none, is just as
| much the obligation of a government
today as it was one hundred years
ago. Investigation will bear out the
truth of every assertion made here.
The interest being shown by plant
ers in the scheme to reduce the cot
ton acreage and provide for taking
care of surplus, is steadily gaining
ground A number of the most prom
inent men in the State have taken
the time and expense of making
canvass in behalf of the movement
on their hands, and are battling for
the success of the movement. There
is no doubt in the minds of those in
position to know, that Mississippi
will do her part of the reduction
splendidly. The greatest good that
is coming from the movement, in the
opinion of the writer, is in bringing
tie planting interests into an Or
ganized movement for handling the
crop and providing for taking care
of the surplus until a reasonable
price is offered. The compress, ware
house and banking interests of the
State are coming forward nobly and
offering every assistance possible,
and there is no doubt but that great
good will be accomplished by keep
ing up the agitation and effecting
permanent organization. The South
bids fair to place itself in a position
where it can offer foreign and Eastern
spinners cotton at price instead of
having the offer come to the planter
from those who need the crude ma
terial
Press dispatches of few days since
made mention of the fact that Missis-
sippi bonds of the last issue were sell
ing in Boston for 101.5. This looks
pretty good for our standing abroad,
and, too, when it is taken into consid-
Grafton that these bonds bear only 37a
per cent interest and have an optional
ten-year funding clause. Governor
Vardaman had trouble in selling them
for par last year on account of the
low rate of interest and the ten-year
clause, but it seems that they are
more thought of at present. Another
matter of interest to those who have
pride in the prosperity of the State
can be found in the fact that large
issue of levee bonds were recently
sold at par when it has been the Gus
tom heretofore to give some broker
$50 900 to dispose of $500,000 worth.
1t was decided to hold them at par
and but little trouble was experienced
in getting it, These facts go to prove
that no State in the Union has bet
ter credit than Mississippi, despite
the reputation stain that is upon
her name. There is a growing senti-
ment that, those old bonds that were
repudiated should be called in and the
owners paid just what they were out
in actual cash. Less than 100000.
would be necessary to do this. Sucn
matters will sooner or later right
themselves.
The writer was recently in receipt
Of letter from prominent gentle
man in medical circles in Texas, a
former citizen of Mississippi with a
"hankering" for the old State still lin
gering in his breast, with reference
to the establishment of a college here
for physicians. 1t is to be sincerely
hoped that such an institution can be
gotten on foot and maintained. Mis-
sissippi turns out two or three hun
dred new doctors every year and at
present Memphis, Nashville and other
cities are depended upon for their
medical training. There is plenty of
patronage right here in the State to
maintain splendid school and there
is every reason why such an institu-
ton should be established The pro-
ject is one we'll worthy of investiga-
ton and it is to be hoped that it will
be taken hold of and pushed through
to a successful termination
A Pennsylvania syndicate has pur-
chased 1000 acres Of land in Lefiore
county and will erect an immense
numbering plant for the purpose Of
working the timber that is IN large
quantities on the land. After cutting
the timber the land will be put in cul-
tivation and in few years the gem
tlemen will own plantation worth
many times what the land cost them
originally besides the profit from the
timber. This will give to Lehore
county q large increase in assessed
valuation Of property. as well as be Of
benefit in q number Of ways.
The city Of Greenwood announces
that several new brick buildings have
recently been contracted for. large
414IYYsf1a4s ~ Residences nSta i4s er,f41rses