The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-01-24
Governors INAUGURAL

tiNtlFi NSthJ w N"' '"h |
hissIppi In joint session;
Legislators, Ladies' and Gentlemen
The choice Of Mississippians brings me
today from private life in an interior
town TO this spot, to be clothed with the
highest honor their sulFrages can be-
stow. For their generous confidence
am deeply grateiul-so very grateful
that even its faint expression exhansts
my command Of words. Every energy
and effort. mental ard physical, shall
exert to the utmost TO demonstrate my
profound and lasting appreciation 10
bring to our people their ful share Of
the bIcssings Of Divine Providence and
to protect them from the forces Of ad'
versity. Experience in other Offices tclIs
me that the duties ! am nov to assume
are 10 trying and difficult that we shan
face disaster whenever I fail to receive
the cordial support Of our patriotic at
izenship aud the cheerful cooperation Of
NY tt'NAitfIE W 'HF PN""'
upen tlis support. essential to success,
/ shan esnfttnuy rely.
Tie smoke -as cleared from the field
of our recent political c%ottrst. Conflict
ing policies and preferences were sub
m,tted to the arhitrament Of the ballot
on the implied agreement that ali should
accept and sustain the choice of the ma
iority. He who lost should give to OF
fcera chosen the same hearty co'opera'
ton he would have expected from his
late opponents had success been the re-
verse. Feelings Of eHlltation at victory
or the disappointment at defeat should
be forgotten. All should unite In That
spirit of emulation which prompts each
man to do his best for the common good,
In his distribution Of blessings the
Giyer of All Coed was to Mississippi
exceedingly generous, Our climate, soil
and forests possess, il properly utilized,
the elements Of marvellous prosperity.
IN the purity and excellence Of the line
age of our white citizenship our State
IL unsurpassed. Exclusion Of tax de-
linqnents. illitcrates and criminals from
suffrage puts our destiny in the hands
Of an electorate of the highest order,
10 those of our people who make the
hest use of means, time and talents
good fortune opens wide its doors.
While our State administration has been
honest aud efficient, we shonld press
steadily forward in the effort to make
our government, in theory aud in prac.
tice, the very best IN all the world.
Justice demands that each county
should contribute to our States eXpen-
ditures, according to its wealth, and
should be represented in our Legislature
according to it's population. These
truths are selfeyident. The constitu'
tional barriers which cause unequal legis-
lative representation are not now needed
and should be removed, Our State tax
Is collected upon the varying standards
of assessment adopted by rs counties
and the railroad commissioners, each
wholly Independent Of the other. In
stances exist where land of the some
kind and value on one side of the coun.
ty line, through higher assessment, pays
four times as much State tax as other
land just across that line. Some form
of fair tax equalization, by which indi-
yidual and corporate property, regardless
of location or kind, would be taxed nc
cording to actual value, can be devised
and is imperatively needed.
Under our constitution each county
contributes to the State school fund in
proportion TO its assessment, and is re
paid from that fund in proportion to the
number, regardless of school attendance
of its educahlc children. Gross injus-
ticc, calling for remedy, frequently re-
suits from this defective system.
Just equalization of taxes and a dis
tribution based on tho average attend
ance Of each county, its educational OPP
portunitics utilized, would probably cor
rect existing disparities,
Only such taxes should be collected "a
are absolutely required for honest, eco
nomical and efficient public service, and
the people should receive full value for
I
every dollar expended, Bonds should
not be issued except to meet inherited
Indebtedness, or for erection of perma.
nent improvements, whose use would be
shared by coming generations.
Establishment Of repositories for pub
lie funds, allotted through fair ~competi'
tive bidding, would increase the demand
and value for State, county, levec and
municipal securities; would lessen the
contraction of currency at times of our
greatest need, and would lower taxes by
getting interest on deposits and dispen.
sing with needless Offices,
Government should be brought nearer
the people, whose average sense and viz
tue should be erystalliEed into law and
reflected in its enforcement. No good
reason now exists for failure TO carry
into effect, in letter and in spirit, the
declaration of our constitution that "all
political power is vested in and derived
To Max. Bath Slippers.
From a bath towel which Is worn In