The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-08-01
Mr.. Castor Therrell Answered
and Possibly Converted.

the position of the Aberdeen
Weekly is SOUND. provided the
record will support Mr.. Deaven
ports assertion in regard tC
amendments made by the legis
latuTe TO the Tax Commission
Law in 1918, and calls upon him
to give the public. through bis
paper. the several amendments
of the Tax Commission law
passed by the legislature of 1918.
We take it that the question
was asked solely TO muddy the
waters and bewilder the public.
We desire, howe yer, to
thank the committee for the
timely question, as ii affords op-
pOrtunity TO let the sunlight of
elucidation refute the many mis-
representations which have been
made of this commission TO boost
certain Delta candidate for the
gOVernOrShlp.
That the public. as well as the
Johnston Campaign Committee
may be enlightened and guided,
we cite section |, chapter 23S, page
297, Laws of 1918, which author
ICES the Attorney General and
the several District Attorneys TO
institute or defend suits arising
out of any act or order of the
Tax Commission without ex ira
pay. Again, section IA. chapter
135, page 40 of the same laws,
clothes the Tax Commission
with power TO certify TO the
State Auditor all information
necessary TO enable him TO make
proper settlements with county
officials. Again, section ), chap
ter l09. Laws of 1918, clothes the
Tax Commission with the power
TO assess heirs of rich people who
die leaving large estates with an
inheritance tax which would
otherwise escape taxation.
Again, section 6. chapter l35.
referring TO Boards of Supervi-
sors, says:
THE board shall equalize the
assessments and may IN
CREASE or DIMINISH the val
uatiOn of any property SO that
property of the same value shall
be assessed for an equal sum.
and where an individual assess
ment has been increased as much |
as $4,000. notice shall be sent by
mail TO the person whose assess
ment is increased by the clerk of
the Board of Supervisors"
The above change was so ma
terial as TO overcome a serious
objection tc the law as ii was
written in 1916. and also made it
entirely clear that the Board of
Supervisors are responsible for
any wrong or injustice or in
equality as between Individual
tax payers. Section 10 of the
same law provides that if tax
payer shall object TO his assess
ment after the Tax Commission
has approved the roll, he shall
have not only the right of appeal
TO the circuit court as before pro
yided, but also right to a board
of arbitration one by himself,
consisting of three members;
one to be appointed by the
Board of Supervisors. and the
third to be selected by these
two, and that the decision of this
board shall be final, thus saving
to the tax payer all attorneys and
costs of court.
This advantage provided for
Inc TAX payer is TOO obvious 10
need comment.
We further cite the public and
the Johnston Campaign Com
mittee TO the following language
taken from the opinion handed
down by the Supreme Court in
the famous Wheatley case of
Washington county. which can
be found on page 594, volume
1l3. Mississippi Reports: THE
legislature in providing that the
State Board shall return the as
sessment roll to the local board
for correction indicated a pur-
pose to leave full jurisdiction
with the Board of Supervisors to
make the INCREASE in a way
not to INJURE ANY ONE. and