Macon beacon., 1917-10-05
GOV, BILBO DELIVERS MESSAGE
TO SOLONS IN JOINT SESSION
Members of Legislature Hear Message of Governor Telling
of Conditions and Duties Necessary
to Change Them
EXPLAINS THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE SCHOOLS

public interests which tn. common wealth
~ under Obligations 10 support, have not
kept pace with these demands
This condition has greatly conneruel
many OF our thoughtful peOUle for a mum
bnr Of years Much has been said and
written about the proper remedies, but
withstnudiug the fact that conditions
have grown from bad TO worse, nothing
had been done TO gave the state from this
embarrassing situation and eventual
bankruptcy unt this legislature blazed
the way ~ tho passage Of the law that
created the state tax commission. giving
It puWfrs Of general supervision over tile
Vhluati us and cqualiZttOus Of the as
segsmcutg throughout the entire state,
Under the old system aud through the
weakness Of IL, tn. boards pf supervisors
Of the eighty zone counties Of tho state
had gradually driftcd into q custom. or
rather had reached common under
standing that the property IN their re-
spective counties would be assessed for
iust enough to provide for the cnunty4
expenses So strong was this sentiment
prevailing recently until the entire as
Heasment Of the state dropped twenty
millions In one year.
50 common was the understanding that
the many boards OF supervisors publicly
announced that 1t was their policy % re-
ducc the assessment and ra lse the county
levy so rs to rob the commonwealth Of
Its Just and proportlonate part OF the
revenues which were more and more
nncdcd to take care OF q rapidly growing
state with ever Increasing burdens.
You gentlemen. recognizing that this
policy was imparlng the states credit
tending to certain bankruptcy N the
commonw ealth, dared to face all Oppos-
tion and the criticisms Of the professional
tax dodgers and provided a law that If
perfected and put In full force will even
oil ,l1l
that has perplexed the people Of every
government under the sun
When this law was passed, every one
expected there would be opposition to its
cnforc ,ment from those people and sec
tions that were escaping thelr Just anl
prop0rtionate share Of the states bur
dens, but this most cqutyblc and far
reaching piece Of legislation has stood the
storms Of opposition, run the gauntlet Of
the supreme court and has already work
ed wonders in cqualizing the tax burdens
bringing from hiding tl' hidden millions
and going far toward adjusting the finan-
cial affairs Of our state,
It is very gratifying, am sure, to you
to know that aE the lust and equitable
provisions of this law are more and bet
ter understood by the people, II grows n
favor with them, for the great majority
of the people have no patience wltA the
wIIful tax dodrcr or the man or corpora
tion that Is unwilling to pay taxes in Just
protection aud blessings
Nearly Doubles Assessment
Notwithstanding many defects in the
law aHeauV passed and the great need
for its strengthening, the tax commission,
through the cooperation of an honest
citizenship, the assessors and boards nf
supervisors of the cighty-Onc counties IN
Mississippi together with Mississ'ppfs
splendid railroad commission, almost dou-
hlrd the states assessment and ! proph-
csy that with your help and cooperation
In making this law stronger that the as
sessment of Mississippi will reach within
the next tive or three years one and a
half million dollars.
The people have been assured by me
through the boards of supervisors and
through the tax commission that the
taxes of the people would not be IN
crrused for as the assessments increased
thu lcytr4 would be reduced. The great
est benefit derived from this law Is the
equalization of assessments, or rather the
equitable distribution of the tax burden
No public official or group of public Off
cials desires to collect from tile people
more tax money than Is absolutely neCes-
sary TO properly conduct their public nt-
fairs.
New. since the assessment OF the state
IN tn, sum total has almost been dou-
hlcd II Is necessary that the state levy OF
six mills be reduced and that authority
be delegated to the school districts ant
other taxing units to rcduc" tneir levies
for in many counties in the process o
equalization. the county assessment has
been many times increased and to lei
the levieS stand as originally provided
would mean the collection OF many time.
more money than is needed to carry OF
the business for the people in these Coun
ties. For the protection of the taxpayers
flt4,t ID. al I u
authorize and direct these reductions
Rsforc leaving this all impoYant sub
ieCt | want you TO know that the railroad
commission has fixed tentative assess
ment which shows an Increase of abou
forty million dollars on the public service
corporations in Mississippi and ] wan
to here and now Cunsratulatc the peoplt
of Mississippi upon having such an eff
cicnt and patriotic commission
In making this increase they have pre-
! vented an injustice from being done Il
| the other taxpayers af the state. h,
| this increase they have assisted the la
commission In equalzng the burden o1
! all property alike In urging you to re
! duce tho state levy nf six mills and othc
/ levies, want to sound a note of warning
| There may be an effort on the part o
! some interests on the outside to defea
| this reduction and the argument will b
! made that the state needs the money Z
| pay or the NCCOm mNlaltu uellcllS Oh olH"
years. This is a gooo argument, hu
| Is Is not the time to take care of a
! these deficits by direct tax on the peo
| plc this year do not charge that II
the motive of those who opposed reduc
| tion OF levies to encompass the repeal Q
! the tax commission law, but this Will b
the effect II YOU gentlemen refuse TO re
duCe the levies.
When taxpayers are forced to pay a
these accumulated burdens in one yea
and their taxes thus being doubled In
| great many counties, there will be raise
great cry and an insiStent demand fo
! the immediate repeal Of this law,
i The world was not made in Jay, nc
can these great problems be solved in
| moment, You are on the right track Lt
us make haste slowly and with wisdol
and patience fairr rs. Justice and eauit
to lead the old sh Of state out of u
troubled financial waters that have bee
so long disturbed by n policy OF short
! sighted statesmanship.
Once convince the people Of Mississippi
: that an honest and equitable assessmel
: does not necessarily mean high taXatio
and all our troubles will be over, The
no man viii hesitate to have all of h
property assessed at a fun value. In fac
the average citizen would be inclined
he proud o fhis possessions and holdins
= as shown by his assessment and am SUI
Vicksburg.-Mrs. Fannie Farrior ha