Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-07-28
An Address To The Democracy
of NOxubee County

In entering the race for tax assessor
of Noxubee County, l deem it proper
that render some account of my stew
ardship At the outset wish to say
that no man should enter the race as
candidate for any Office unless he IS
thoroughly competent to discharge the
duties of the office. In the last canvass
| promised, if elected, l would make an
improvement in the land assessments.
That this has been done no one can deny
who feels enough interest to examine
the land assessment blanks and the land
roll But | do not hesitate to say that
1 am not entirely satisfied and that
greater perfection is needed. By the
keeping of a record in which the land
numbers by sections, townships and
ranges are always kept in balance, and
another in which the land holder IS
grouped, I have a plan which will meet
every requirement, and will be of great
convenience and satisfaction to land
holders, besides lessen1ng the labor and
anxiety of the tax assessor as it has not
been possible for ne to be active in the
canvass, am unable to say whether or
not any one of my opponents has plan
for the advancement of the land assess
ment work; if so, suppose it has been
| laid before the people and they will be
able to Judge of the merits of the
different plans. You may say that my
plan is an innovation. InIreply beg to
say that there is great need of some
system by which land numbers are at
all times kept straight, so that land
holders may feel an entire sense of Sc
curity in that their land numbers will
not become mixed. The reform had as
we'll be inaugurated by myself as an
other. The Importance of such sys-
TEN as I suggest can not be over. esti-
mated. trust that may be pardoned
for referring to compliment paid me
not long since by Mr.. Michael, land
agent of the M. & O. R. r He said |
had my land ir better shape than that
of any county he visited. Such a COM
pliment coming from thoroughly COM
petent source, was certainly appreciat-
ed, and I trust deserved. It is of the
utmost Importance that competent
man fill the office of tax assessor. To
illustrate, an adjoining county, Pickens
county, Ala. l am reliably, informed,
has forty thousands acres of land assess
ed as unknown" which shows quite a
chaotic condition. Alabama has the
same system of land descriptions as
Mississippi which is more modern than
that of some of the older states, Ten
nessee for instance, where land is known
only by metes and bounds. While this
subject is capable of much elucidation,
for lack of space, merely suggest the
needs rnd outline the remedy.
1t is no small part of the duty of tax
assessor to see that values are equaliz-
ed. 1t is unimportant what value pro-
perty is assessed at. so long as property
of the same value is given in at the
same price, that the burden of taxation
may be equal. In the discharge of my
duty in this regard, have had to re-
commend that many people be raised
and some times that they be lowered. In
one instance l had to raise a non-resi-
dent rporation forty thousand dollars
on it's lend assessment. The matter
was contested, but on hearing the
Board of Supervisors sustained my
position. Tne attorney for the corpora
ton when leaving remarked, "Mr. Fant
| must say that you are an unusually
fair tax assessor. This made a diff
ference in revenue in four years of
about $2400.00. Many more instances
might be cited, the aggregate revenue
from which would amount to much more
than the amount just mentioned.
Please understand that these things
were done simply to make things equal
between man and man. In conclusion
l wish to say that it is we'll known that
| will not become a candidate for this
office again should l be reelected.
That did not make personal canvass
must not be construed as Indifference,
but that the preparation of the land
roll made it i'm possible. / also take this
opportunity to thank the people for the
trust reposed in me, and to say, that
while it would be very gratifying if
they should see in my record something
to approve, still am ready to commend
any verdict they may render.
Very respectfully,
A. C. FAINT.