The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1907-01-29

school fund is so unfair to tn
tax payers of the counties of tn
/ State that in Bolivar and othe
Delta counties the school fund i
annually producing a surplu
which cannot be used, even 70
school purposes. Nume.r
other illustrations could have
been given, but the limited time
allowed for the speech preclude,
an exhaustive presentation oI
this subject. Judge Truly il
very earnest and emphatic Ian
guage advocated the repeal ot
section 206 for the purpose o
giving to all of the children O
the State equal privilege in
school matters.
In discussing the second prop
osition, that of the lalr assess
ment of property, the learned
speaker stated that the lands of
the Delta which are sold at from
$1,000 to $4,000 for open lands,
$50 to $40 per acre for uncle ared
lands are assessed st $40 per
acre for open land and $500 an
acre for timbered lands. The
lands in the hill counties are as
sessed very much more nearly at
their intrinsic value than the
lands of the Delta. He showed
conclusively that the wealthy
land lords of the Delta do not
bear a just share of the burden
of government and that in un-
der-valuing their lands take ad-
vantage of the less favored small
farmers of the hill counties.
Special attention was directed
to the under valuation of rail-
road property in the State. It
was shown that the State OF Mis-
sissippi received only about $40
a mile of taxes on railroad prop
erty whereas In Massachusetts
which Is regarded as a Trust rid
en- state, the railroads pay into
the State treasury more than
S14OO per mile IN taxes. 1t will
therefore be seen, as Judge Tra-
ly stated, that the RAILROADS of
he State do not bear anything
like a fair share of taxes levied
for the support of the govern
ment. He explained further
that the railroads have the mon
opoly of the cotton business and
that while they do not pay taxes
On their property es the farmer
s required TO do, they neverthe-
ess tax the farmers extraordinarily
tor the purpose of hauling their
cotton to the market. Judge
Fruly's decision while on the su-
oreme bench sustainS him in his
that the railroads and
other corporations ought to obey
he laws of the State, and also to
contribute a fair share toward
he burdens of the government.
1t discussing his third PROPOSE
ion, that of Foreign emigration
which is being advocated by
many of the wealthy planters of
he delta as we'll as by the rail-
'oads of the State, Judge Truly
became fervently eloquent in his
to such emigration.
He stated that like all good citi-
lens of Mississippi he would well
some any worthy man who would
move to Mississippi to bscome a
permanent citiz zen, who would
,bey our laws and assist. in build
ing up the commonwealth. On
the other hand, he was ardently
to the importation of
European paupers who are law
ess and who become anarchist,
and who are incapable of sppre-
ciating and obeying the laws of
any government. The learned
udge is opposed to placing our
farmers in competition with such
labor and evidently regards the
Importation of the Dago as
curse to Mississippi. Judg Q
Truly stated that the Dago will
associate with the negro on pnr-
feet equality and will then clain
the right Of sending his children
to the white schools of the
State. The Dago is lawless, con-
tributing nothing to the moral