Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-01-18
Letter From Big Bud.
Jackson, Miss, January 10Th, 1918.

Jackson, Miss, January 10Th, 1918.
Editor The Beacon:
NY good %frieno, w. D. Ratlif, had
engaged a room for Sallie and me. and
when went to look it over, I met the
landlady, a beautiful young bride of a
rev months, and when she showed me
the room, everything was alright ex-
cept the beds had no cover. said.
Don't you furnish covert" She said,
well, we have not been married very
long, and have no extra cover" I
wrote Sallie about this and told her
that while we had no cover for the
beds, we had a very pretty land-lady,
and she wrote me to get plenty of cov-
er, that she cared nothing about the
looks of the land-lady. Sallie always
was peculiar. But | am glad to saw
that Sallie is with me now, and we have
plenty of cover, and as l brought a
feather bed for her, we will be COM
Portable this winter, and as am in
none of the important committees. and
the House only meets a few hours in
the morning, devoting the evenings to
committee work, | am prepared to have
n good time.
The Ways & Means and Appropria-
ton committees had their constitutional
number; was not eligible for member
ship in the Judiciary, this being COM
posed of lawyers, 30 Speaker Conner
could not put me in either of these. and
these three committees do most of the
important work. The Chairman Of the
Pension Committee asked the Speaker
to put me on that committee. (said he
needed me), and as it was full, the
Speaker asked unanimous consent of
the House to add me to that committee,
which was at once granted.
There has been a bill introduced ask
ing for the repeal of the act creating
the tax commission, and this will pass,
or 1t will be so amended as to curtail
the power of this commission very
greatly. In spite of the increased as
sessment, sixty.fve counties in the
state will actually pay less into the
state treasury than they did in 1916.
The delta counties have to pay a good
deal more. Bolivar pays $40, 900, LIE.
fiore $22. 900, Sunfower $2l. 900, Talla-
hatchie SO. 200, Tunica $l7, 900 and
Washington $36, 900. OF course, l only
give round numbers, and the represent
atives from these counties are up in
arms against the commission. As the
assessment had been raised about 236
millions, | Thought we would have a lot
more revenue, but as the the levy was
reduced to four mills, with the in
creased assessment, these and similar
county institutions ought to have had a
smaller levy. Well, the merchants and
farmers never were more prosperous
and more able to pay large taxes, and
as had nothing to do with putting it
on. | am sorry the Legislature did not
let the six-mill levy stard, and we
would fer one time have had enough
money to pay all the state expenses in
stead of issuing bones as has been
their custom ever since | have been a
member of the legislature.
There has been a bill introduced ask.
ing for a change in the present distri.
button of the school fund, but | hope il
will meet the same fate that others OF
a similar nature have done in the past.
The Governor in his message recon
mended that the candidates for Assess,
or stand a civil service examination t
show his fitness to fill this important
office. There has not been a bill Offered
along this line As yet.
Tom Brame and Prince Hubbard ar,
both here attending to their duties il
the House, and John Poindexter, accom-
panied by his faithful wife, occupies
front seat in the Senate CHAMBER, readl
for business at all times.
This legislature, both House and San
ate. is composed largely of young mel
very few old Confeds in either house
They are rapidly passing lover tn,
river" and their sons and grandson
have taken charge of the state.
called on on the Supreme Court, al
young men-each one a personal frien,
of mine-and as | greeted these, | said
well. boys. you look mighty youn,
for this job, and when l look at 70,
/, boys filling this responsible place, l an
reminded of what John Allen said whel
, he heard that my good friend, Clarl
Lewis WIS a candidate for the u, s
Senate. John said, II thought tina
+ place was for George Lamar and Wal
thall, but when Clark Lewis is runnin,