UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. (Mississippi.) 



753 



the land and all improvements other than build- 

 ings. The total value of farm property is $204,- 

 221,027. Of the farms 41.7 per cent, were operated 

 by white farmers and 58.3 by colored. Of the 

 white farmers, 66.2 per cent, owned all or a part 

 of the farms they operated. The colored farmers 

 owned 16.3 of the farms they cultivated. 



The cotton-crop in 1902 was 1,375,000 bales, 

 against 950,000 in 1901. The consumption in mills 

 of the State was 16,203,653 pounds of lint cotton. 

 There were 16 mills, with 3,821 looms and 127,772 

 .spindles. Two new textile-mills, with 160 looms 

 and 10,120 spindles, were constructed in 1901. In 

 the census year there were but 2,464 looms. The 

 growth of the cottonseed-oil business is very rapid. 

 In the first half of the year, 19 new mills were 

 .started, with $860,000 capital. There is a great 

 demand for Mississippi turpentine, and distilling 

 plants have been running day and night. 



The forest area of the State is estimated at 32,- 

 .300 square miles. 



The aggregate of capital stock of all concerns 

 incorporated in the fiscal year was $9,133,000.32, 

 subdivided as follows: Lumber companies, $1,127,- 

 000.29; banks, $1,065,000.65; mercantile compa- 

 nies, $1,669,000.22; oil-mills, $1,995,000.07; rail- 

 roads, of which 3 have already organized, $85,000 ; 

 3 cotton factories, $310,000; 150 miscellaneous cor- 

 porations, $2,882,000. 



Lawlessness. Lynchings have been reported 

 this year in Attala County and at Walnut Grove, 

 Clayton, Corinth, Columbus, Summit, and Dar- 

 ling. Three of the victims, negroes, were 

 burned. The one burned at Corinth, Sept. 28, con- 

 fessed to an atrocious murder. The one burned at 

 Darling had, in company with 2 white men, mur- 

 dered a mill owner whom they robbed. The one 

 burned at Clayton in July had assaulted a young 

 lady. A policeman attempting to arrest a negro 

 running an unlicensed saloon at Summit in No- 

 vember was shot by the negro, who escaped. But 

 2 negroes accused of assisting the escape were 

 caught and lynched. The negro lynched at Wal- 

 nut Grove had committed an assault on a white 

 woman, and the one at Columbus had attempted 

 one. Two negroes were lynched in Attala County 

 in September, accused of promoting dissension be- 

 tween the races. 



Whitecap troubles have arisen this year in 

 Amite, Franklin, Pike, and Lincoln Counties. 

 The blacks have been terrorized by threats and 

 notices to give up their employment in mills or to 

 leave the county altogether. The Governor issued 

 a proclamation, offering a reward for the arrest 

 and conviction of each and every one guilty of 

 the crime. 



A race riot was reported from Tupelo in August, 

 with B persons seriously shot and others injured. 



Indianola. Trouble arose in this place near 

 the close of the year over the resignation, on com- 

 pulsion, of the negro postmistress, who has con- 

 ducted the office satisfactorily for several years, 

 but was objected to on account of her color. Her 

 resignation was not accepted, and the office was 

 ordered closed. 



Legislatives Session. The Legislature met for 

 its special session Jan. 7. The limit of this ses- 

 sion is thirty days, unless the time is extended by 

 the Governor, as it was twice this year. Adjourn- 

 ment took place March 5. Adoniram J. Russell 

 was Speaker of the House. 



The number of Senate bills passed and approved 



is 56; of House bills and resolutions, 103. 



Three constitutional amendments were proposed 

 submitted to vote in November. They were: 



Authorizing a town or county, upon the vote 

 a majority of its qualified electors who pay 

 VOL. XLII. 48 A 



taxes on $100 or more of property, to aid, by do- 

 nation or subscription, in building of new rail- 

 roads; 2, making the required vote to pass a 

 constitutional amendment a majority of those 

 voting, authorizing the Legislature to insert in the 

 Constitution an amendment which has been adopt- 

 ed, at its next succeeding session, and giving the 

 Legislature the power to determine finally wheth- 

 er an amendment has received a majority; 3, pro- 

 viding for regular biennial sessions of the Legisla- 

 ture, thus doing away with the present rule, which 

 makes every second session a special one, and en- 

 abling the Legislature to take up any subject, in- 

 stead of, as now, only those of revenue and appro- 

 priation and those introduced by the Governor. 



The tax levy for the next two years was fixed 

 at 6 mills. 



As the State is entitled, by the census, to 1 

 more Representative in Congress, the 7 districts 

 were redivided into 8. An additional judicial dis- 

 trict was created, making 11. 



Among the more important bills passed were a 

 primary-election bill and one to provide for the 

 better enforcement of the antitrust law, which 

 was defective in some ways and so drastic as to 

 be impossible of enforcement; also a new liquor 

 law, and a so-called " amnesty act " in regard to 

 the payment of privilege taxes. 



A Board of Oyster Commissioners was created, 

 to consist of 5 members appointed by the Govern- 

 or, the full term of office being five years. They 

 are to receive, besides their expenses, $5 a day 

 while engaged, not to exceed twenty days in a 

 year. Oyster vessels of 1 ton burden gross must 

 be licensed by them. They are to elect a chief in- 

 spector at $100 a month, deputy inspectors, 3 or 

 fewer, at $60 for the canning season, and a secre- 

 tary at $600. 



The office of Insurance Commissioner was crea- 

 ted. Heretofore his duties have been a part of 

 the Auditor's. Another office created was that of 

 Assistant Attorney-General. 



A State Department of Archives and History 

 was created, to be established under the auspices 

 of the historical society, from which the 9 trustees 

 shall be chosen; and they shall elect a director to 

 serve at a salary of $1,800. 



A portion of the Capitol grounds was set apart 

 as a Confederate Memorial Park, and certain State 

 officers were made a commission for its control. 



Among other enactments were the following: 



Providing that any cause of action, or any in- 

 terest therein, may be sold after suit is brought 

 thereon, like any other property. 



Raising the salary of the Governor and of the 

 judges of the Supreme Court to $4,500 each, and 

 that of the Adjutant-General to $600. 



Appropriating $50,000 for an exhibit at the St. 

 Louis Exposition, and creating an exposition bu- 

 reau, to consist of the Governor and 4 other mem- 

 bers appointed by him. They are to appoint a 

 commissioner who shall receive a salary of not 

 more than $2,000 and expenses. 



Authorizing the Board of Levee Commissioners 

 for the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta to levy a tax 

 upon all privileges exercised within the said levee 

 district, the taxes not to exceed those levied by the 

 State on the same privileges. 



To repeal section 1575 of the code, and prevent 

 the granting of liquor licenses in towns of less 

 than 500 inhabitants having police protection. 



Authorizing supervisors to provide for the chan- 

 neling of streams. 



A committee that had been appointed to investi- 

 gate the financial management of the Penitentiary 

 made a report severely criticising the administra- 

 tion of the prison; finding that loose management 



