The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-01-11
Black Market Tax
To Be Center Of
Sharp Controversy
Especial to the Chronicle star

Especial TO the Chronicle-Starl
Jackson, Mis-, Jan. l0.-The
legislature has the black market
highway improvements on its
mind, if the high proportion of
bills dealing with this subject
already introduced is a fair gauge.
In the presence of the black
market tax, whereby the state col
lects open revenue on the sale OF
a product, whiskey, that is forbid
den by its own statutes, the legis-
lature is somewhat in the posi-
ton of the man who caught the
tiger by the tail and was afraid
to let him go. There are some
active groups who oppose the
tax 4 the legislature and a
strong effort will be made by
them to repeal it: but among
these opponents themselves. there
is wide disagreement in basic
principles, and this may result in
their failure to kill the measure.
The main points of view on
the Black Market tax, as ii could
be learned during the opening
DAYS of the legislature by a
Chronicle-Star representative in
Jackson, were as follows: ID leg
islators who voted the tax in and
want it to stay, % representa-
tives speaking for the dry forces
who want flat repeal of the tax
and rigid enforcement Of the
prohibition law, and t3b a group
which would provide for county
option on the sale of liquor.
Repeal Bill
II was said in Jackson this
week that the first group-those
who voted for the tax and who
are not anxious now to repeal
it and thereby admit that they
were wrong-may turn out to BE-
the most numerous, in which case
the bill will STAY on the books.
The dry forces, who favor out
and-out repeal, we're represented
in the first Senate Bill thrown
into the hopper within half an
hour after the 1916 session open
ed. This bill was introduced by
Senator William (Uncle Billv) Nc
Graw of Yazoo county. The
county option people did nat
seem to be as we'll organized ane
determined as the prohibition
list forces, although they probab-
ly represented a point of view
held by a larger number.
The county option program vas
due to be presented in the form
of a bill to be presented by Rep.
E. c. Gait of Monticello, which
made concessions to the dry forces
in the state by providing for the
recall of sheriffs in dry counties
who did not enforce the Law.
The program would also separate
the tax collecting and police pow
ers of the sheriffs office into sep
arate offices, tax collector and
sheriff. and permit sheriffs to be
reelected under the new sys-
tenn as a means of building up an
experienced law enforcement
staff.
Highway Bill
Already before the legislators
are proposals To appropriate Sl0,-
600. 900 for the counties to I'M
prove rural roads and S5,000,-
900 for the state farm-to-market
roads. all to be matched with
federal funds; appropriate about
81. 052,000 for state highway de-
paltment expenses until July /;
continue the state bond commits
sien and authorize 100000, 900
highway bonds to match federal
road funds.
Other proposed highway meas
ures would establish a formula
for designating and selecting
farm-to-market roads: define such
bonds and establish a division of
the state highway Department.
devoted to them. provide for con-
struction and Improvement of