The Neshoba Democrat. (Philadelphia, Miss.) 1881-current, 1919-07-10
The State Tax Commission Raises
Taxes in the Hills.

Il
The scheming politician who tells
you that Johnston is against the tax
commission because he wants to save
taxes for the Delta is simping trying
to pull the wool over your eyes. TO
see that this is SO, you simply nave
to remember that the present govern
or Of Mississippi went all over the
hills of north Mississippi four years
ago saying that he was going TO put
into effect a tax scheme that would
save money to the people OF the hill
counties of Mississippi, and at the
same time put a great burden OF tax
alton on the. Delta. Today delta lands
are assessed at about $50 an acre.
They are worth from 5000 to $500 per
acre and are bringing that price on
the market They have Increased IN
value in the past four years until tney
are worth two or three times Wnat
they were worth four years ago.
What has the Tax Commission done
to the Delta? Absolutely nothing, in
comparison to what it has done to the
hill counties of north Mississippi.
Why doesn't the Tax Commission
raise the assessed value of lands In
the Delta to where it belongs? The
answer is easy-it is because they
haven't the power to do it, and be-
cause some of the Delta counties
stood pat and refused to make raise
ordered by the Tax Commission IN the
year 1916.
On the other hand, what has the
Tax Commission done to the MIL
counties of north Mississippi? In Lee
County, which paid into the state
treasury $4,000 in 1915, the last year
of Brewers administration, the tax
es were raised until in 1918 it paid
in a little over $4,000. Is this Del
ia county, and did the present gov
ernor's tax scheme take the load OIL
the people of the hills of Lee County!
In 1915, Monroe County paid in. lit
tie less than $4,000; in 1918 1t paid in
100000. It's taxes were raised al
most 75 per cent. Is this Delta
county, and has the Tax Commission
helped this section of the State?
In Prentiss county in 1915, $4,000
was paid into the state treasury; in
1918 a little over $4,000 was paid In.
Is Prentiss a Delta County? In
Lowndes County in 1915, $4,000 was
paid into the state treasury from
taxation; In 1918 Lowndes paid IN
nearly $57, 900. Is Lowndes a Delta
County, and has the present govern
or's tax scheme taken anything Off
the people of the hill counties OF Mis-
sissippi? In Clay County in 1915, a
little less than $4,000 was paid into
the state treasury from sources OF
taxation; in 1918 the amount was
SAG 600. In Alcorn County in 1915, a
little over $4,000 was paid into the
state treasury; in 1918 $4,000 was
paid into the state treasury. Even In
Benton County $1,000 more was paid
in 1918 than in 1918. The same ap-
plies to Itawamba, to Pontotoc, and to
Tippah Counties, and In Marshall
County $1,000 more was paid in to the
state treasury in 1918 than was paid
in in 1915.
These figures prove conclusively
that the present Tax Commission has
raised the assessed valuation OF prop
erty in the hills OF Mississippi to
much greater extent in proportion to
its actual value than 1t has in the
Delta, and has placed upon the peo'
pie of the hills greater proportion
of the burden Of state government
than rightfully belongs to them
Thus it is shown that the argument
of the enemies of Oscar Johnston, who
favors the repeal and absolute aboli'
tion OF the Tax Commission, is worth
less Mr.. Johnston boldly declares
that the Delta should pay more in
proportion to the value of its lands
than what it is paying at present, but
he frankly admits that the present
| tax commission is powerless to make
| the Delta pay any more than 1t is
| paying at this time. The people OF
| the hill counties of Mississippi have
been hurt more by the Tax Commits.
| sion than the Delta will ever be hurt
The people of the Delta can afford to
pay much larger proportion of the
taxes of the state than is now paid
| by them, but the people OF the hill
sections have been inflicted with an
unnecessary burden during the past
four years. Johnston is the only
candidate for governor who unquali
fiedly favors the repeal OF the Tax
Commission. Russell is openly for the
tai commission and the Laurel Lead
er says that Governor Longino, when
in that section of Mississippi, stated
that he was in favor Of a retention OF
the present tax system. In his
speeches In the hill counties Of Mis-
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