The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-09-07


the present assessment as shown
by the Bolivar Democrat being
valued at SO per acre for open
land and 81 per acre for unclear-
ed land. while their market val
ue was from five to twenty times
al much. These figures obtained
in certain sections of the Delta
were compared with the assess
ments of the hill counties and
the piney woods counties of
South Mississippi, and it was
proven that the small land own
ers of the hill counties were
bearing several times their just
proportion Of the burden Of gov
ernment in proportion to the
market value Of their land.
In this connection the necessi-
ty for railroad regulations was
discussed and it was clearly
shown that in the matter of tax
es alone a fair assessment of the
railroads throughout the state
would materially reduce the tax
es now borne by the individual
property owner. The speaker
demanded that all railroad prop
erty should be assessed at its true
value including their franchises.
It was shown that justice to the
travelling public demanded the
establishment Of interchangeable
mileage and the speaker pledged
his effort to attain this end. The
necessity Of railroad regulation
of the strictest type for the ben
eft and protection of the farm
ers, merchants and manufactur-
ers was shown by several illus
trations.
The speaker discussed and op-
posed the introduction Of pauper
foreign immigration. After stat.
ing that every honest homeseek-
er who of his own choice came
to make his home with us, to
share our rtroubles, obey our laws,
support our constitution, and to
become one of us in sincerity and
in truth, should be welcomed
without regard to his nationality
and protected in his rights. He
proceeded to show that the char
acter of immigrants being
brought into our country were
undesirable and constituted a
to the future of onr
state. It is not a question of
choice between the negro and
the Dago; the negro we already
have with us, we do not need
any further complication of an
already troublesome labor ques-
ton. An extract was read from
a paper published in the Delta
showing the undesirable nature
of this immigration in which it
was stated that while they asso-
ciated on terms of social equality
with the negro. they demanded
in other things the same treat
ment accorded the whites. The
speaker showed thatif the lands
of the Delta which it is claimed
are now idle for want of labor,
were opened for the settlement
by people of our own race it
would be better for the future of
our state. Mississippi did not
need to surrender her lands to
foreigners who have no sympa-
thy with our institutions and
form Of government. Let it be
known that all, the rich and the
poor, the powerful corporation
as we'll as the humble citizen, en-
joys perfect equality under the
law and in 4 short while all our
vacant lands will be taken up by
our own kith and kin or by our
own children as they grow up.
1t is our sacred duty to preserve
the lands Of the state as a her.
itage for our descendants. /"
After the noon hour Hon. H.
F. Simrall was introduced to the
audience and announced his can
didacy for state insurance COM
missioner. Mr.. Simrall's an
nouncement was well received
and many assurances of support
were given him.
Hon. Charles Scott was next
introduced and his address fol-
lowed closely the lines of his
speech at Tupelo the first day of
court. Mr.. Scott seemed to be in
first class condition and entered
with zest into his talk and stated
that following his custom he
would only speak Of the other
candidates where they had either
attacked his candidacy or his
policies. Beginning with his
service with the Confederate
army Mr.. Scott stated that he
enlisted q the age Of fifteen
years and after following the for
tunes Of the war until its close he
was possessed Of but one hum
dred dollars, the proceeds Of the
sale Of his cavalry horse, bride
and saddle. With this small pit
lance he begun the battle Of life,
became an express messenger on
the old Vicksburg and Meridian
rof d, Z school teacher, and