Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-01-27
Sen. Daniels Tells How
State Spends Its Money

Senator Ode Daniels, Of Okuhbeha
one of the States ablest senators
writes the following letter to his home
papers in Starksville. 1t tells why
it requires a nine mill state tax levee
to meet the increased appropriations.
The letter is as follows
BY a vote of 36 to 4 the Senate
voted last week TO go back to the
fee system tor the County officers;
and there is a possibility that they
viii combine the Chancery and
Circuit Clerks ofsfce in counties
with less than 10000 people.
Likewise by vote Of SO to , the
Senate voted to redistrict the State
as to Circuit and Chancery Courts
and reduce the number of Circuit
Judges. Senator Minor Of Noxu-
bee and myself gave the two mega
tive votes believed my people
would be unwilling to give up
Judge Carroll, though | am frank
to say we have more Circuit Court
District judges that we seem to need,
and could cut off few without ma
terial hurt to the State.
The Senate Finance Committee
Of which | am a member, votes
unanimously to see every effort pos
sible to cut expenditures and reduce
the State levy; but there was not
member who had any well defined
or concerto plain Of action.
AS the old soldiers are reducing
in numbers, in about the same ratio
the legislatures are increasing their
pay The last Legislature gave them
almost one and half million, though
that was double what they had ever
received before. Now the politician
is afraid to reduce this amount.
Though the last legislature added
over one million to the public school
fund, and though the public schools
cost us more than all other institu-
tions combined, they are afraid to
cut that one cent, for fear their poll
ticsl heads are likewise cut off, At
this time half the state levy goes to
public schools: and | should be glad
to hear from the people Of my Coun
tv; and have definite advice from
them as to my action on these two
most expensive institutions. You will
please understand Mr.. Editor that
the old soldier is receiving annually
soore money than all our cplleee- ''ni;7
Versities negro colleges, girl school,
as we'll as the deaf and dumb and
blind institution, Normal Terms
schools and 100000 fer agricultural
Ugh Schools. You will further un-
dsrstand that the public schools cost
us more in one year than all these
other institution and asylums cost for
three years combined.
Now, Mr.. Editor | am not arguing
that we should cut the old soldier and
the public schools. would rather
give them twice as much as they are
getting if we could give it to them;
but what | am undertaking to tell
YOU is this: If we cannot cut the de-
partments that cost us over half of
all the money coming irto the State
Treasury from every possible source,
then how do you expect Us to cut the
State levy below 8 mills? If we
should kill the A. & NJ College, Uni
versity at Oxford and the girls school
at Columbus, and not appropriate one
cent for either that would not reduce
the State levy over one mill. II |
am wrong in this. then ! am not fit to
represent you. If | am right, who
would see them crippled for the dit-
ference.
The Legislature gives more to
Charity alone than these three insti-
tutionJ receive. / include in this
charity budget the state hospitals for
the insane as well as other hospitals
So Mr.. Editor. this brings me back
to the first proposition ! gave you
in a former letter, shat if you expect
to reduce your taxes you must begin
Of home. We may be able to cut off
few thousand here and there; but
Il wo reduce the salaries OF every OF
fcer in the State to pre- war salaries
ond reduce the number Of Judges to
nresent apparent needs that would not
save you IA mill State Levy.
In 1921 you paid for contract on
roads, and for building bridges, ex-
elusive of rock work and that done by
the day ard in smaller undertaking,
over $24,000.00
You laid Commissioners on road
100000 :.
You paid your Supervisors for in
j. specting roads about $1,5OO.OO.
| Or, one road in your County, where
ibe contract was only $500 you spent
Tor the first eleven months for in
meeting that road $500 work the
Eim of $500
Dear reader / leave this to you
40 digest if not too heavy for d.
llestion. 1s'