The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-07-04
The State Tax Commission Raises
Taxes i'm the Hills

Taxes in the Hills.
The scheming politician who tells
ySu that Johnston is against the tax
commission because he wants TO save
taxes for the Delta is simping trying
&c pull the wool over your eyes To
see that this is so, you simply have
to remember that the present govern
or or 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 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 they
are worth two or three times what
they were worth four years ago
What has the Tax Commission done
to the Delta? Absolutely nothing, in
comparison 10 what il has done TO the
hiII counties or north Mississippi.
Why doesn't the Tax Commission
the Delta TO where il belongs? The
answer is easy-it is because they
haven't the power to do il, and be-
cause some OF the Delta counties
stood pat and refused to make raise
ordered by the Tax Commission in the
year 1915.
On the other hand, what has the
Tax Commission done to the hill
counties OF north Mississippi? In Lee
County, which paid into the state
treasury 5000 in 1915. the last year
OF Brewers administration, the tax
es were raised until in 1918 it paid
In a little over S4S 5000. Is this Del
Ia county. and did the present gov
srnor's tax scheme take the load off
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 10 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.
II Prentiss a Delta County? In
Lowndes County In 1918 $4,000 was
paid into the state treasury from
taxation; in 1918 Lowndes paid in
nearly s57. 900 Is Lowndes a Delta
County, and has the present govern
srs tax scheme taken anything off
the people OF the hill counties of Mis-
sissippi, In Clay County In 1915. a
little less than s25.O was paid into
lf
taxation; in 1918 the amount was
S3e 900 In Alcorn County in 1915.
little over $4,000 was paid into the
state treasury: in 1915 $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 10 |
Tippah Counties, and in Marshall |
County 81 900 more was paid in to the |
state treasury in 1918 than was paid |
in in 1915.
These figures prove .Jnclusively |
that the present Tax Commission has
raised the assessed valuation OF prop |
erty in the hills of Mississippi 10 a !
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 a greater proportion |
Of the burden of state government /
than rightfully belongs TO them.
Thus IL is shown that the argument |
Of the enemies of Oscar Johnston, who
favors the repeal and absolute abol-
ti0n OF the Tax Commission. is worth
less Mr.. Johnston boldly declares
that the Delta should pay moro in
to the value OF it's lands
than what il Is paying at present, but
he frankly admits that the present
tax commission is pOwerless 10 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 a 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
burden during the past
candidate for governor who unquali-
riedly favors the repeal of the Tax
Russell is openly for the
tax 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
phe present tax system. In his
tpeeches in the hill counties OF Mis-