The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-07-20
RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED
To the Leveee Board in Regard to
Back Cotton Tax

IeROy Percy, issued last Saturday,
the cotton men and planters of the
city and county met at the Green
vile Cotton Exchage, to petition the
board OF levee commissioners to re-
scind its order in regard to the back
cotton tax on excess weight. The
meeting was quite largely attended
by those interested from all parts
OF the comfy, and did not lack IN
enthusiasm and determination of
purpose. A number of kilograms
were received from those who could
not attend containing expressions of
approval with object of the meeting.
DR.. ]. T. Atterbury was chosen to
preside over the meeting and made
strong endorsement of the resolu-
ton to- be presented to the levee
board, then in session. Addresses
were also made by Messrs. Leroy
Percy, who presented the resolutions
J. H. Wynn, Walter Sillers, D. c.
Casey, and others The protest of
the petitioners was granted by the
levee board as soon as it was read
to them and they had time to act on
same. and the matter is now a closed
incident.
Following are the rsolutions as
presented to the 1evee commission
ers:
Resolved, that it is the sense of
this meeting that the order passed
by the board Of Mississippi 1evee
commissioners, authorizing and di-
recting the cotton tax collector 10
collect the taxes on all cotton that
has been shipped out of the district,
from January, 1904 to date, weighing
over 522 pounds per bale; such taxes
to be collected OF excess weight, un
der which the collector is claiming
the right to collect a penalty of $40
per bale, is unjust, harsh and opprcs
sive. 1t IS unyast in that $I.oo per
bale 1evee tax has been paid on each
bale of this cotton. This tax Of $I.oo
per bale has been demanded by tie
collector under the instructions OF
the board, as the right tax, and has
been paid by the tax payers During
these three years the board has col
lected from the tax payers of the dis
trict nearly $500, 10000, at $I.oo per
bale No demand was made for
more; no fundamentally provided
for collecting more; no attempt made
for collecting on weight basis.
Every bale Of cotton that has been
sold during these three years; every
settlement that has been made, has
been made on the basis of dollar
bale tax. To attempt to collect more
now would be tantamount to
breach Of faith on the part of the
levee board. 1t IS impossible now TO
place the burden of this taxation
where it should fall, and the attempt
to collect it will ntail expansive and
vexatious litigation. Furthermore,
this district is the most heavily tax
ed of any section in the United
States. 1t pays an acreage tax. ad
va1orem. and cotton tax, an average
OF $33o,ooo per year During the
three years for which it is sought 10
collect the back tax. and extra tax
has been imposed by the board upon
the tax payers. The act of 1896 au-
thorizing an ad valorem tax of five
mills upon all property in the dis
trict. and provided that in case of an
emergency the board might increase
this TO an amount not to exceed ten
mills For the past three years the
board has collected ten mills ad va
orem, making an additional $4,000
IN taxes collected; making the total
average tax paid for levee purposes
n this district $4oo,ooo.oo. This on
erous taxation has been paid without
protest The attempt to exact back
axes under these circumst ances is.
We submit. harsh
The order is oppressive. because
he heavy burden OF levee taxation
would not be borne by the tax
payers but for Tie fact that the fund
raised thereby IS essential to- the
Of the district; but for 4;
he fact that the taxes are to go into |
he treasury Of the board, and into
he construction Of the levees. Only |
Of the taxes, which it is now |
proposed to collect from the tax
ayers. is to go into the levee treas
ny The balance IS to go to the col
ector, as a reward for his collecting
hese taxs; and this when, if the col I
ector had been directed by the 1e- t
ZEE board to collect these taxes on a
weight basis, he would have received
wo cents per bale for such collee-
ion. and % per cent. of the tax
would have gone into the levee treas
ny. He is paid one-half of what he
objects, because he did not collect
when he should have collected it
t two cents per bale.
It is resolved that we believe fur
her, that this unwise and unjust or
err was passed bv the board. with