The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-08-31
HEAVY DECREASE IN ASSESS
MENTs IN A NUMBER OF
COUNTIES ALARMING.
And Governor Brewer Will Face a
Financial Problem. carelessness of
the County Tax Assessors is criti-
cised.
Special to The Netos.

Special to The Netos.
Jackson, Miss, Aug. 31.-The de-
crease in personally and realty assess
ments in goodly number of counties
as revealed in the duplicate rolls filed
with the state auditor, is causing con-
siderable uneasiness among state Of
cials who are concerned with the
states finances.
While few counties have shown in
creases in both personally and realty,
the rolls thus far filed reveal de-
cided decrease, as compared with the
assessment totals of last year, and the
fear is being expressed that this may
make it necessary for the legislature
to order a half mill or one mill in
crease in the state tax levy for the
ensuing two year period.
The states expenditures. of course.
are steadily increasing with the growth
of the commonwealth and enlarge
ment of the various institutions. Es-
pecially Is this true since the adop-
ton of the policy of steadily increas-
ing the biennial appropriation for the
common schools and Confederate PEN
sions, more than four fifths of the
states revenues being used for these
two purposes.
The county of Pike, for instance,
shows a net decrease of $1S2,000 as
compared with 1910. While not many
counties will show this heavy ratio OF
decrease, it is nevertheless a fact that
the number and amount of decreases
is so large as to cause genuine alarm
among the states fiscal offices.
The downward tendency is attribut-
ed to a depression of property values
! in any section of the state as the
downright carelessness and shipshod
methods OF county assessors, ma
jority of whom evidently did not mind
showing leniency where they thought
it would gain them votes.
incidentally, the decrease empha-
sizes the need of a state board of equal
ization or some other general body
empowered to revise and equalize es-
sessments after their compilation in
the various counties. At present the
work of the boards of supervisors is
final and too often they perform the
equalization work in a perfunctory
manner, without critical study of the
lists turned in by the assessors.
When Gov. Brewers administration
takes charge in January it will be
with the treasury practically empty.
Just as it was when Gov. Noel took
charge four years ago, and the solu-
ton of the states financial problem
is going to be one of the most diff
cult tasks of the new Governors ad'
ministration. While there has been
. no extravaganza on the part of the
state government during the past
eight years, but on the contrary q
parsimonious spirit has been too fire
quently shown in dealing with insti
tutions supported by the state, at the
same time the lawmakers having con
n troll of the finances have figured OF
too small a cash margin. The presen
:, deficit can be traced directly back t.
s. the Longino administration when tn,
o new $1,250,000 state capitol building
was built without bond issue, SUI
plus funds in the treasury being use'
in order to avoid payment of Interest
;. Succeeding administrations failed +
show wisdom by again supplying tn
e. treasury with a comfortable surplus
lg and since that time the treasury ha
IL had, at frequent periods, been force
d. to suspend payments to await arrival
On of funds.
,p- It will therefore devolve on th
al ways and means committee OF tn
*, house and the finance committee
er the senate to devise some plan that wi
he offer permanent relief. Gov.-ele
he Brewer. 1t is understood, will give
re- this subject a very thorough STUD
he prior to preparing his inaugural me
ad sage, and prepare number of re
In concentrations to be submitted to Il
lawmakers.