The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-02-16
TAXATION AND REVENUE.
n;..u..ion Invited by House Commit.
%. Now Considering This Most
Important Question.

The following address, full Of in
terest and information, has been is
sued by Hon. Sennett Conner, Chair.
man of the Committee:
To the People of Mississippi:
The most important of all domestic
problems today confronting our Ma
tional Government and practically
cyery State in the Union, is the prob.
lem of yablic finance. Especially is
,,is true in Mississippi where our
antiquated revenue system must be
,eformed so as to establish an equit-
able and adequate system for raising
the States income, as well as logi-
cal and economical method Of dis
bursting public funds. The States
income is at present inadequate, the
burden inequitably distributed, and
both inadequacy and inequity are
daily becoming more apparent.
The State Auditors report to the
Legislature of 1915 shows that the
deficiency of the States income for
the biennial period ending October
1st, 1915, figuring ordinary expendi-
lures against ordinary receipts, was
sS91,752.18; and we further read
in that report the startling prophesy
that the deficit October 1st, 1917, will
probably be $1,379,27O.49. This
means that we are not paying our
way as we go. We ourselves owe
these expenses that are incurred by
the State in securing the sanctity of
our homes and the security of our
flresides, and in guaranteeing to the
people who live today the free pur-
suit of happiness. We have no moral
right to pass this burden on to those
who are to follow US by issuing bonds
to meet operating expenses.
But, as a matter of fact, the
States income is being greatly re-
duced each year by reductions in as
sessment valuations. There was a
reduction of $20,7s1, ,736 in the total
assessed valuations in 1915 from
what they were In 1914. In 1915
there were .127,242 more acres of
land in cultivation, as appears from
the assessment rolls, than in 1918,
and yet the assessed valuation of the
cultivated lands in 1915, with this in
crease in acreage, was $l,5l2,225
less than in 1918; and there was a }
decrease of $1,000, 900 in the valua-
ton of the wild lands.
So it is, despite the fact that the
last few years have witnessed phe
nomenal development in Mississippi,
the States income is decreasing, and
the deficit increasing. Our popula
ton is increasing, governmental ac-
tivities are broadening, and, natur-
ally, the expenses are increasing.
Our wealth is rapidly increasing, and,
naturally, the States income is de-
creasing. The colleges, asylums.
hospitals, and all other State institu-
tios are overfowing, and must be en-
larged. OF course, there have been
unwise and wasteful appropriations,
and we need to adopt the budget
system and other methods for ad-
ministering the public finances along
more business-like lines, but we may
never expect as Mississippi progresses
and her population increases, to re-
duce the sum total of our expendl-
lures.
More deplorable than the made
quacy of our system is its inequlty'
Under it, a tax furnishing an INSULT
cient income is greater burden on
a goodly portion of the citizenship
than a sufficient tax equitably distrib-
uted would be. Millions of dollars
are escaping taxation, and other
millions are not fairly assessed. 1t
is to be regretted that, because OF
variations in land assessments, this
phase of the question has ben regard
lie by many as a sectional one. Th's
view is erroneous, for the greatest
inequalities exist between land valua-
tions in adjoining counties. When
the burden is equitably distributed
and all property bears its proportion
ate share, the income will be suiii-
cient with a decreased levy.
The greater weight of taxation
however, originates with countess
municipalities, and other local taxa
ton units, where prolifigate waste
and reckless extravaganza in the
past have evidenced the incompe-
tency of many officials. Numbers