The leader., 1905-07-01
The Poplarville Free Press has recen

less than one fourth what it is worth.
What is here stated as to facts as to
Pearl River, is also true of almost every
county in the State. Immense tracts
of lands are being held by outsiders
for an increase in price, which is COM
ing fast, it is assessed at only small
per cent of what Ii is worth and there
by pays but little of the amount nec-
essary to bring about the increase.
All lands should be assessed at some
thing like their value and the foreign
holder has no right to complain at pay
ing his share of tax to be used in MAX
ing his property more valuable. 1t is
within the power of the assessors and
supervisors to remedy this evil and it
certainly should be done.
The writer's contention for tie pat
ronage of home industries, everything
else being equal, is too well known to
the readers of this department. In the
recent adoption of school books for the
use in the State for the coming five
years the only publication offered by a
Mississippi concern was a set OF copy
books. These books were prepared by
a lady who ranks as one of the leading
educators of the South, they were got-
ten up in excellent shape and were
offered as low as any frst-class copy
book A very strong point in favor of
this home book was that the text of
copy was historical facts concerning
Mississippi. Il not only taught the
child to correctly form letters and words,
but impressed upon the mind pertinent
facts concerning the State. While the
right of the Commission to adopt any
book it pleases is not questioned, it
does seem that the Mississippi book
should have been given the preference
over one published in Chicago. So
long as we fail to encourage our South
ern people to furnish matter of this
character, so long will they fail to do
so. A start should be made in this di-
-rection SO that we can in the future cut
loose from the domination of Bosting
and the East when is comes to books
for the use of our children.
Wesson estimates that it pays the ne
gro washwomen 10000 per year for a
very poor service. The proposition is,
to take portion of this sum and estah-
lish laundry that will make a spe-
cialty of the family wash. The scheme
has been tried in one or two Mississippi
son will likely put the project into ex-
ecution. If such laundries are gem
orally successful it means that one
means of support for the negro women
has gone.
Don't forget to write some friend in
a distant state of the advantages OF
living in Mississippi. Send for some of
the Greater Mississippi bulletins and
mail him one of them. "A little work
of this kind by number of our Git
izens will soon begin to show hihly
satisfactory results in the way of secur-
ing desirable citizens to take up the
waste lands and make our grand old
State blossom like rose. Try this
scheme and see what the result will be.
The weather has been fine during the
past few weeks and crop conditions
have improved wonderfully. The far
mers have had an opportunity of pull
ing their crops out of the grass and
the outlook is much brighter than
some weeks since. With fair condi-
tions from now on Mississippi will make
an ordinary crop.
The little city OF Montrose, in Jasper
county, is real good one. Although
very young in years, it has already in
stalled system of electric lights, and
will soon put in waterworks. The citi-
zens are prosperous and happy, believ-
ing in the future of their town and
spending their money to back such q
belief.
Ruleville, in the Delta, is fast forg-
ing to the front, and the newest thing
announced is an electric light plant.
Work on It will begin right away, and
ere long the citizens of that progressive
place will have the pleasure Of turning
buttons instead Of striking matches.
Ripley has adopted the separate
school district plan and will use every
effort to build a good high school for
that community. A large and commo.
dious building has been provided, and
the people should feel very much graf
flied at the improvement in educational
conditions.
Another system of making paper
from bagasse has been devised, and the
inventor THINKS he has surely struck il
at last. Who can say that our Missis-
sippi cane will not only furnish sugar
and molasses to sWeeten the world, but
will also furnish the white paper on
which to record the happenings there
Of? There are great things in store
for us.
Union and 8 number Of other coun-
ties in that section Of the State report
splendid fruit crop. A canning fac
tory is being built at New Albany and
market will be furnished for all fruil
and vegetables that can be produced.
The people up there have always raised
plenty Of fruit for home consumption
and some to spare, and are now arrang.
ing to make the business a profitable
one along with cotton and corn. The
famous Pontotoc ridge Is said by those
who know TO be the best Embarrassing
section of the State, and is goes with
out saving that their Efforts win be
crowned with success.
The judges ct the supreme court dc
not expect to be able to get away fol
their vacation until the third Or fourth
Monday in July. There are on The
docket now a large number Of cases tC
be disposed of. The Mississippi su.