Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-12-11
Offers Remedy For School Situation,
PrOfiteers, Tax Assessing, Etc.

Believing that the people should
have advance information of any
proposed changes in the law, ! here
with submit for your consideration
some OF the measures which l favor
and which I shall endeavor to have
enacted during the next session OF
the Legislature.
First-Amend the School Tax Law
to read "rhat at the end Of each
scholastic year any county having
surplus of the School Fund shall
return such surplus back into the
State Treasury to be re-distributed." /"
A similar bill was introduced in
1914 but failed to pass. 1t should
nave been enacted. h.
A great majority of the white
people throughout the state are not
aware of the disgraceful fact that the
negro public schools in certain c0un-
ties are run seven and eight months
every year, while the white CHILDREN
in other counties have only five and
half or six months term, and that
the money with which these negroes
are being given their superior edu-
cational opportunities is contributed
by the white tax payers, who, IN
many instances are thus forced to
assist in giving to the negro a higher
education than the poor white man
can ever hope for his child to receive
l repeat that this is disgrace to
civilization itself, reflection upon
the intelligence Of the citizens Of the
state of Mississippi.
Second-Placing a tax Of one hum
dred and fifty per cent. gross on all
excess profit over and above fifty
(5O) per cent. gross profit on all cof-
inns and other burial goods sold in
this state, the tax to go into the
are sold.
No person, firm orr corporation
should be permitted to take advan-
tage of the grief stricken family by
charging them from three hundred to
five hundred per cent. profit on cof-
fin in which to place the remains Of
their loved one. Coffins which cost
the dealer, originally, from $500 to
$4,000 are often sold for from $4,000
to $2500O and more, and this in ad-
dition to the charge OF embalming,
use Of hearse, personal service, etc.
Protect the dead as well as the liv-
ing against profteering.
Third-Amend act relative to
TRUSTS" by more fully defining same
and make the penalty both fine and
imprisonment: The fine to be an
amount equal to the value of one
half of the entire holdings Of the
Trust on the day indictment is re-
turned: The term of Imprisonment
to be from three months to ten years.
One fourth of the fine collected to go
to the person or persons furnishing
to the grand jury the information on
which the indictment is found. The
District Attorney to be authorized
and empowered to employ additional
Counsel to assist in prosecuting VIC
lators; fees for such services to be
one fourth Of the fine collected.
From the date of the Indictment the
State to retain lien on the entire
holdings of the trust and on all prop
erty of each individual member of
the trust Except statutatory exemp-
tions) to secure, in case of conviction,
the payment of fines imposed. In
the event an appeal is taken the ap-
peal bond to not act as a supersedeas
until 80 days after conviction.
Member sof Trusts have no fear
whatever of the penalty prescribed
under present laws. for the reason
that the fine is small and if paid at
all is usually paid out Of small per-
centage. of the money previously
stolen from the people. :,
Fourth - Defining "Profiteer1ng
and making penalty same as for viola
tion Of Trust Law; same methods Tor
collecting fines; District Attorney
granted same powers, etc. Appear
hond to not act as supercedas, etc.
F;fth-Amending Primary Election
Law SO that Railroad employees VINO
are qualified voters and whose du-
ties make it impossible for them 10
he at their voting precinct on day OF
election will be given an opporeu'lty
to vote by, at any time during tne
five days next preceding any pr,
mary election. depositing a sealeo
ballot, with his name Wrltten acIoss
seal. with a Justice of the Peace
holding office in the precinct wherein
the voter is registered and resides
these votes to be delivered by slucn
officer to the election commissioners
on the day of election.
Sixth-Change method OF assesslne
taxes similar to that used by tne
State of Georgia: Tax Assessor u
visit each "Beat" at least three times
during the time allowed for taking
assessments, having previous to eaci
visit posted notices as to time ans
place of each visit. Tax payers q
meet the Assessor on one OF thes'
dates mentioned and give in his as
sessment. Taxes to be doubled Il
case of failure to give in assessment!
| No land to be sold for taxes unit
after legal written notice served o.
owner Of property, or if non-reslden
then q nonresident notice given o.
publication in the usual manner
same as in suits, etc.
| Seventh Requiring that all neV
laws and all changes in now existlnl
laws, by repeal or otherwise, proQos
l - 1A0 OH d0V