Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-07
Something New Started IN Texas

Texas has vast beds Of sulphur n 80
EDITOR Of the Houston Press. He was the FOUNDER am
~ 80 Years n the Houston Chronicle. The
- u rrhrrsdav Nav 8. contained a remarkanle CO.
...-,o7 troro tho nen of Memo. Mefo IS NJ. f. roster
ayvbsrton county has started something that
.hcr,d mean millions in new taxes Tor Texas = lHe
Nroro foreword. when the commissioners court IAeu
tba value Of the Boiling Dome sulphur deposit a. Slzo-
ooo 600 at Monday session Of the board OF equanza-
go, y VAS the recognition OF a right 70 tax unoer-
Ground vaIues that should be followed by other ccoun-
ties Of this state.
NO e q native Texan. He has been in the news
raner business since his boyhood. He is a regent Of
tbe Texas university. Looking backward ne reviews
taxation IN this remarkable contribution 70 newspaper
literature away down here in Texas. This, Tor IN
stance:
"For wears We have permitted great corporations to
take away the vast mineral wealth Of this state with
out an ADEQUATE return to the counties in which the
properties are located. Wharton decided that this
should stop-that it should make the Texas Gulf Sui
phur company render its holdings at something like
one-fourth Of the real value"
This is the NIefo argument. ct seems too simple
"a even need an argument. All land IS taxed accord
inr ~ its worth. Some may be worth 81 an acre. some
$1,000. and n city lot in Houston, comprising ont-sixth
Of an acre. may be worth 100000. Land with sulphur.
cold or silver underneath, Is certainly worth more than
4 land Of a farm which produces nothing but corn or
cotton"
Nefo favors the new plan Of valuation. He says
sue think the Wharton county commissioners have
been eminently fair. They have assessed the Boiling
Dome deposits on a low valuation. although II is 50
times the rendition made BY the surplur company. The
sulphur company will be given an opportunity on June
"a to show why the valuation fixed is not fair and
iust. Representatives Of the state and the people
should be permitted to appear to show why il is too
low"
Nrefo. looking to other sections OF the common
wealth and visioning the legislation Of the future,
comments as follows:
Now let other counties In Texas follow the exam
ole of Wharton. The citizens Of Duval county should
caYl upon the commissioners court for a fair valuation
Of the Duval Sulphur companys mine. II may be
small in comparison with the Boiling Dome deposits
but it is worth probably so times the rendered value"
Regent r. L. Bats had something to say along the
same lines when he appeared before the finance COM
mittee Of the state senate) about the rapidly disap-
pearing mineral wealth Of Texas. He advocated q
heavy severance tax. Now hearken TO the voice Of
Mefo. speaking via his pen:
Let us have these taxes while the wealth Is here
In a few years it will have disappeared-all Of it
and we shall be left with nothing but the shell. AT
orange rind may look pretty. but when the fruit on
The inside has been removed. what Is 1t worth?"
Wharton county commissioners started something
away down here in Texas Mefo started something
when he printed his very incisive editorial dealing
With SULPHUR and valuations Of mineral wealth under
ground in the commonwealth of Texas.
Some of our prominent public men are said to have
$50 81 ANa.