The Tupelo journal., 1915-07-30
To the Voters of Lee County

dlQacV Tor Representative Sldteu
that | would issue a circular let
ter in which | would set out my
views upon some of the questions
which are now before the people.
Complying with that promise, |
now submit the following views
| upon the questions mentioned:
TAXATION.
The greatest question in any
state or government is that of
Taxation. In my opinion. the
State of Mississippi over and
above every other question,
needs a revision of her taxing
system. We have a ramshackled
system which no one seems to
understand; which is without
limitations or restrictions and
wholly without a definite and
fixed policy. The State should
have a system of taxation simple
and readily understood, based on
justice to all. without special
privileges to any or undue hard
ships upon another class. The
taxpayers in some OF the coun-
ties do not contribute anything
for the maintenance of the State
Government, but on the other
hand these counties put their
hands in the State Treasury and
take out more than they put IN.
There are seventeen of these
counties in the State; four of
them touch Lee county. | refer
to ItaWamba county, Monroe
county, Pontotoc county and
Union county. During a Legis-
lative term of four years these
counties drew out of the State
Treasury more than sixty thous
and dollars over and above what
they paid in. Itawamba county
draws in the neighborhood of
So, 900 a year out of the State
Treasury more than it puts in.
During a Legislative term of four
years Lee county pays into the
State Treasury more than forty
thousand dollars more that she
gets back. | for one do not be-
Iieve that this should be toler-
ated longer. The Representa-
tives from the other sixty-three
counties should say to them:
You must assume an equal
share of the obligations that rest
upon all the counties of the
State. You must be self-sup
porting"
This condition is brought about
by the failure of these counties
to list their property for taxation
on an equitable basis with other
counties. AS an instance of how
it is worked | cite you TO a com
parison of land assessments in
Lee and Monroe counties. In
1913, the year of our last real
estate assessment. all cultivated
land in Lee county were assessed
at 1888 per acre. The same
year the cultivated lands of Mon
roe county were assessed at an
average price of S. AZ per acre,
a difference of So Al between the
assessments Of the cultivated
land of the two counties. The
uncultivated and wild lands in
Lee county were assessed at an
average of $5.15 per acre, while
the same character of land in
Monroe county were assessed at
So. 70 an acre, making a differ
ence of S2.32.
[ am not now enough familiar
with the affairs of the State to
say Just what should be done to
reform the system and correct
the evils that exist. Should | be
sent as your Representative one
of the first things | would do
would be to introduce a resolu-
ton for the appointment of a
committee whose duty it would
be to investigate the taxing sys-
TENS of other States with the
view of introducing needed re-
forms in our system.
In making this reference to our
taxing system | want in under
stood that DO reference whatever
is made to the work of the Board
of Supervisors who make our
county levies. The inequalities
which | suggest exist in our State
system and are beyond the reach
of Boards of Supervisors. There
a e two separate and distinct
levies; one by the Legislature for
State purposes, the other by Su-
pervisors for county purposes.
While | am on the subject of