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

ro-.s b.s vss y beds Of sulphur. M. E. Foster Is tHe
.ditor of the Houston Press. He was the iounoer am
editor for many years Of the Houston Chrohlcle' =
p-ess ~ THURSDAY. May 8. contained a remarkable ca
80, troro the nen of Memo. Mefo is NJ. E. Foster.
aUharton county has started something that
-ho,,d moan millions IN new taxes for Texas, Is inc
NFefo foreword. when the commissioners court lMeu
.ta ral,e of the Boiling Dome sulphur deposit at SLZO'-
Ooo Oco at Monday session Of the board OF equah1d-
t,o, Il was the recognition Of a right 70 tax uhoer-
ground values that should be followed by otner ocouh-
ties Of this state.
80 q q native Texan. He has been in the news
ra,er business since his boyhood. He is a regent Of
~ Texas university. Looking backward he reviews
taxation In this remarkable contribution to newspaper
literature away down here In Texas. This, Tor m
stance:
FOR wears VIC have permitted great corporations TO
take away the vast mineral wealth OF this state with
cut an adequate return to the counties in which the
properties are located. Wharton decided that this
should stop-that it should max. the Texas Gulf Sui
phur company render its holdings at something IKE
one-fourth Of the real value"
This is the Mefo argument. lit seems too simple
to even need an argument. All land is taxed accord
inc ~ its worth. Some may be worth 81 an acre. some
$1,000. and a city lot IN Houston. comprising one-sixth
Of an acre. may be worth 100000. Land with sulphur,
eold or silver underneath. Is certainly worth more than
a land Of a farm which produces nothing but corn or
cotton"
Mefo favors the new plan Of valuation. He says
"we think the Wharton county commissioners have
been erinently fair. They have assessed the Boiling
Dome deposits Oh a low valuation. although II Is 80
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 it is too
low"
NEfo Y1o,-;,- e. otf,ar enc4fope n Tho rornn,0p
wealth and visioning the legislation Of the future.
comments as follows:
Now let other counties in Texas follow the exam
pie of Wharton. The citizens Of Duval county should
call upon the commissioners court for a fair valuation
Of the Duval Sulphur company's mine. 1t may be
small in comparison with the Boiling Dome deposits,
but ii is worth probably so times the rendered value"
Regent r. L. Bats had something to say along the
same lines twhen he appeared before the finance COM
mittee Of the state senate) about the rapidly disap-
pearirg mineral wealth OF Texas. He advocated a
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 1t will have disappeared-an Of it
and we shall be left with nothing but the shell. An
grange rind may look pretty. but when the fruit on
the inside has been removed. what is it 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.