The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1939-07-20

tails Of general sales taxes reflect
ing the uncertainty Of the stake
cotton crop show losses n the
months of September, November,
and December of 1887 over the
same months of 1886; and In 1888
loss in June, August, September,
October, November and December
when compared with the same
months in 1896. Returns from the
tourist crop. on the other hand,
measured by the sales tax re-
ceipts from hotels and cafes for
the years of 1887, 1888 and part
of 1889 show gain every month
over the same month in 1886.
Sales tax receipts during the
heavy out-of-State tourist month
of March for the years 1886, 1887,
1888, and 1899 reveal the gain
made in the category of hotels and
cafes. For March 1896 retail sales
in this classification were $685.
239. so. This figure increased in
March 1887 to a total of S1,052,-
194.00. For March 1888 the total
reached 81, 187, 2O2. so. and Tor
March 1889. 81, 249. 523.5 The re-
tail sales for March 1899 were 81
per cent greater than the total for
March 1886.
An even more revealing index
of how Mississippi's tourist bust
ness hes gained in the last three
years In contrast to returns from
MiSsissippi's cotton crop is given
In comparison of hotel and cafe
sales with general sales as re-
vealed in State Tax Commission
figures. These figures show total
sales in all categories for 1886,
1887 and 1888 to be respect
fully: S5l9, 08l, 668. 10, $500. 901 .Os5.-
SO, and 1892, AIT. 212.30. These three
totals indicate how the 1888 recess
sion almost nullified 1897 gains.
For the category of hotels and
cafes. however. the upward climb
IS unbroken, as shown in the fol
lowing figures of the Tax Commits.
sion for the three years. 1896
$40 ,046, 1871. 100, 1937-s12. 073. SIC. 90.
and 1938-Sl2, GAS, 093.50 The gain
for the whole year ef 1888 as com.
pared with 1886 in the category
OF hotels and cafes is approximate
ly Is per cent, despite what must
have been considerable less in
local patronage.
Wholesale grocery sales. per-
haps good index to planta. ion
prosperity, reveal a loss in 1888
as compared with 1896. For in
stance, the total sales in 1896 of
wholesale groceries were $57 $685.
352. 100. In 1887 this total had reach
ed $50, $40, STE. 90; but in 1898 it fell
off to but $50. 772. 600. 90, a loss OF
nine per cent from the total for
1896. Such loss only brings out
more sharply the decided gain
made in the hotel and cafe sales.
In the category of gas. oil and
service stations the index OF sales
for the heavy out-of-state tourist
month of March during the four
years is further evidence of the ef-
feet OF the Advertising Commits
sion's tourist promotion activity.
In March 1896 the State Tax Com
mission index was $1.746. 14O. 90.
For March 1887 this had Jumped
to So. l55. 769. so. In March 1898 it
was up to s2.221. 759.00. and Tor
March 1899 to $2.628. 100000 This
steady rise was made despite the
AeASe tAiot III bliC CdtGROTy Oh dufO-
mobile dealers the Tax Cbmmis-
sion index had dropped from So
| 082. 10000 in March 1927 10 nut
81 !, 2d5, 202.00 in March 1858. The
steady gain in gas. oil and servIae
station business. in other words.
was made despite the fact thet
Mississippi automobile salas. thsn,-
selves 2 reflection Of lccel Co.,
ness, showed decided drop N
1896
This is the twenty fifth of
series of semi-monthly presen-
tations Of the Mississippi Ad-
verlising Commission. The
tven'y-sjvth will feature n1eth-
DDS Of increasing Mississippi's
tourist industry.