The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1919-08-08

In letter written by Ex-Gov. Noel
to the Durant News, and which ar
peared in that paper July II, the
Governor, who is running w - !.
opposition for the State Sen 70 sm
Holmes County, race, ae - Sen
tinel understands, the f oS COVER
nor is making at the - q solicita-
ton of the people It County
gives the same les >pinion of the
State Tax Commissfon that Oscar
Johnston does. And few we'll inform
ed people deny that Gov. Noel's opin
ion Of intricate legal matters is re-
garded by the best lawyers Of the
land with great favor.
Note the ex-Governor's words
about the Tax Commission:
"The Board of so-called Tax Eqali-
cation has done much more evil than
good and is a mere bluff as under
the decision of the Supreme Court,
the Board of Supervisors have the
last say. and if they believe the origi-
nal assessment right, can stand to it,
In other words Gov. Noel says exact
ly what Oscar Johnston says and what
this paper has said since the creation
of the Tax Commission, that is, the
supervisors can do as they ding please
and can tell the Tax Commission to
go where boiling water would be re-
garded as a refrigerator and the
Commission could only stick it's fin
gers in the corners of it's mouth and
say, 1--WE wish you would" But to
Gov. NoePs letter:
To the Durant News:
Within the past seven and one-half
years, the State expenditures in
creased from S14,934,274.02 to $24,-
603 ,927.S6, and those of counties pro-
portionately or more. With all these
increases, it is currently reported that
there are various State institutions
whose expenses will have to be cover
ed by additional appropriations, and
ture will be called, and this done,
shortly after the primary. Not dol
lar of this money went to any war ex-
pense, those expenses being paid from
the National treasury.
The increase of taxes in Holmes
County for the past seven and one
half years has been to most of us
about 900 per cent, about half of it
within the last three years, result
ing from unjust raises of the State
Tax Board. which had the power to
arbitrarily lift all the burden of state
government, by arbitrary raises from
about one-half of the state and put
all such expenses on the other half
and this result followed.
As heavy as have been our tax bar
dens, they were altogether insu1fi--
cient to pay large State and County
outlays the difference being made up
by enormous bond issues, which will
force taxes up higher and higher until
some halt will be called by the inau.-
guration of a different policy. and a
return to economical administration.
Therefore, all good citizens should
put aside personal and factiOnal pre-
JUDGES and join in choosing for office
men of business experience, commit
ted to retrenchment and reform. All
offices whose usefulness is not eX-
ceeded by their cost should be abol-
ished Of these there are quite few.
The Board of Pardons, as consti-
tuted, is helpless and worthless. The
Board of so.cailed Tax Equalization
has done much more evil than good,
and is a mere bluff" as under the
decision of the Supreme Court, the
Board of Supervisors have the last
say, and If they believe the original
assessment right, can stand to it.
The railroad commission is practi-
cally nothing since the U. S. govern
ment has taken control of railroad
and other rates, which it may never
surrender. If it does surrender them,
it would be better to fix minimum
rates by statute and leave their en-
forcement to the courts without any
commissioners. The respon-
sibility for the management of the
state penitentiary is divided between
The superintendent and three trustees
and should be centralized, power and
in the superintendent,
Continued on Page 81