The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-12-16

"indreased values of property
truththe increase is largely fictitious
1t mainly shows on the tax rolls.
1T we are not in error, the Missis
sippi public was led to believe tha
the State Tax Commission woul
make it possible to lower propert,
values, certainly property values il
the hill section Of the state, but in
stead Of lowering values, property ha
been assessed higher and still highe
on the orders of the Tax Commission
On the top of high assessments, tn,
STATE tax levy has been raised from
5 ~ to 9 mills-an increase of nearly
"a per cent, and the end is not il
sight. 1t appears that all public
spending bodies find real OF apparenr
need for every dollar that is wruns
from the tax payer.
We are not unmindful that certain
improvements in the counties and in
the state would have increased
the demand upon the taxpay.
er. But it is not altogether the
money that has been spent for per-
manent Improvements that bears so
heavily upon the public, but it is the
profigacy and the waste of public
funds. If there is not a wiser hand
ling Of public money within our COM
n1o1wealth, we are headed for bank
rurtcy.
While we appreciate fully that the
appropriations made by the legislature
at its last sitting, but in some meas
ure reflected the wild extravaganza
that obsessed to land, we appeal to
the lawmaking body not only not to
increase any appropriarions--the COM
inss session over the last, but to ma
terially cut down many.
While we recognize that the salar-
iessof many state officers are too low,
still we think the law increasing the
saeries of both state and county Of
heers alter their election was un-
warranted and unjust to the public
1t was not only unjust to the taxpay-
ers but violated the spirit, if not the
very letter of the constitution of the
state. Who will undertake to say
that the same officers would have been
chosen had the question of increas-
ing salaries been raised while these
gentlemen were seeking office?
But whatever excuse, if any, exist
ed in 1920 for raising salaries on
account of high prices" has been
greatly lessened by recession IN
the cost of living. We are not un-
dertaklng to censure any minor state
officer or county officer for accepting
the increase in salary after the pass
age OF the law.
We are aware Of the fact that the
law increasing the salaries of county
officers expires by limitation April
lst, 1922, and it is our jurgment that
it should stay expired. Not only
should that or a similar law not be
re-enacted, but it is our opinion that
all county officers should be placed
back upon the fee system, but when
that is done, in view of the high as
sessments and high tax levies, the
paid the sheriff under
he old fee system law should be
greatly reduced. We are loath to be-
ieve that any county officer in the
state would resign if his salary were
ixed at what it was before the law
# 1920 was passed, nor do we be-
ieve that the salary law which candi-
lates knew to be in force in 1919,
would result in any dearth Of candi- |
lates.
Accurate figures show that the in
rease in the salaries Of officers for
he years 1920-21 has cost the tax
ayers, or will cost them, up to
Ipril 1st, 1922, over one million dol
ars. This takes no account of the
ncrease in the salary Of the Cover
or from $4,000 to $500, and the
1crease in salaries Of other state
fficials.
1t is not uncommon to see in print
nd to hear from the mouths of some
ublic speakers Of the present day
lat Mississippi is spending much less
er capita than certain other states, is
ct these same writer's and speakers
;eer clear of making comparisons II
Mississippi's per capita wealth as K
to certain other states. "
ississippi is by no means a wealthy {
ate; 81 per cent of her population It
colored, a large per cent of whom 4
moving and an unstable citizen t
ip. But the fact that Mississippi is i
ending less than many other states II
r some highly important things II
ould not lead our people to do fool n
! things. A mortgage on the pres t,
t means foreclosure Of the future. 81
.ople cannot always buy and pay a
r all they want. There are very
any things which a great many It'll
oughtful people find it best to do d.
thout. AS with the citizen, so it is lte
tn counties and states. Much of Iii,
, embarrassment of today comes lpl
people of moderate means trying
keep pace with their better-to-do it
ghbors. m
The theory which some seem to in
* to advance that Mississippi can ar
made more prosperous and her or
fastened by collecting &c
es and taxing more abundantly, is sa
very erroneous one. Such a posi- of
n is in harmony with the action of
man who undertook to lift him CT
over the fence by his own boot du