The Forrest City times., 1906-06-29
st. Francis IexeS Board.
Wynne. Ark. June E. le


 words about some Of the recommen- d&tions of the president. made at the recent meeting Of the Beard of Di- rectors of the St. Francis Leyee Board
 l have nothing to say about the sale Of some hundred thousand acres of leyee iand-I had my say about that at the last session of the legisia- ture. How much Of my prophecy has been verified. leave for these siIo keep up with the affairs. to judge
 The question l desire to discuss iS the parIose and manner of increas- ing the levee taxes
 President Miller. in his report. useS this FeFy significant language. and to increase the rate of taxation for levee purposes 10 an equivalent Of ten cents per acre. tbe increase te be sn an sd yaiorem basis Since the re- port of the president was approved by ma a3ority of the beard, 1t is but natural to conc iude that il will be the policy Of the leyee officials 10 ask of the ne1t legislature. the passage O an act along this line.
 Now. with all due deference 10 the board. want to say that l d0 not believe there are dozen hona-flde residents timber speculators barred who would endorse this new depart ure in our system Of leyee taxation.
 Lets see how il would work out an assessor. appointed by The board. proceeds 10 ascertain the amount Of betterment to the land for the puf- poses of taxation. Said assessor de cides as required on an ad yalofem basis that the cleared land of the citizen would be battered. say SauG per acre. and the per cent rate upon this would amount to h cents Der acre for ieyee tax. He further de- cides that the wild and timtered land of the timber speculator. hunt ing elab people, &c.. including. of course. the owners Of the recent big purchase would be t.ttered. say Fl per acre. per cent on this ad galo- rem basis would De cents per acre for leRee taxes. Assuming that the quantity Of improved and unimprov- cd lands is about equal. you add the two together and to equalize. divide by two and there you have your equiyalent of 10 cents per acre on an ad saiofem oasis.
 Now. honestly, how many Of our own people farmers and bona tide residents Of the St. Francis Leyee District. want such a scheme as this. Such a plan would. Of course. be hailed with delight by the owners Of these vast tracts of wild lands. who would thus practically escape taxa tion-bu what about the owners Of the farms. who would have their taxes increased about three hundred per cent. Do you think they would take kindly 10 this measure:
 Now, take just the opposite view of the matter One Of the greatest draw w-backs to the development of our rich valley is the fact that vast tracts Of our best lands are held by these great land and timber syndicates- they will not sell an acre. and they will not clear it up for cultivation they just sit there menace and stumbling block 10 civilization. Why should their taxes be lowereds Should you dc ST, they will never turn loose My policy would be 10 tax them so high that they must sell or clear ul the lands to derive some income te meet the burden. + has always been my boast that during my incumbency of the president $ office. never sold an acre of land t0 one of these great corporations. and have always done all in ny power 10 discourage their formation and perpetuation, but you drop their taxes down to bagateile. and We have them with u> forever. Our great leyee system was built upon an acreage tax. and il should be continued SO let each acre bear the same burden. If the owners of these vast tracts find the tax too heavy. let them sell their lands out in small parcels to home-seekers or else clear them up themselves. | have also been told by some Of the directors that they favor taxing every tale of cotton for leyee purposes. in addition 10 the land taxes Now. gentlemen. don | 20 tax wild remem- ter that we are promised that the [. $ Government is to take charge of the levee on and after next March. and We are to be released from taxa tion at all II looks like we might get along very well with the present rate of taxation until that time
 Very truly,