The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-02-20
Catherine Coles Letter From Jack
SON.

SON.
n. o. Picayune.l
am pleasantly installed at the Ed
wards House. The hotel is crammed
with guests; legislators lounge on all the
galleries, and talk legislation and laws,
their wives compare notes in the parlors,
or do some of the prettiest and most
lady-like lobbying you can imagine. !
wonder if the wives of our members of
our Legislature are as ambitious, as
energetic and as polite.
This morning / went up to the Capt.
tol, handsome building stained with
age, and which would be much the bet
ter for repairs. A prominent member
of the Senate says the assembly of law
makers is not of IS fine quality as in
former years, but it must be remember
ed that in days gone by the Mississippi
Legislature was composed of some of the
most brilliant, intellectual men in the
South, and was famous the country over.
On my way into the House / stopped
in the beautifully kept and handsome
State Library, to have chat with the
State Librarian, Mrs. Mary Morancy.
We could only snatch occasional SEN
fences, however, for messengers, mem
bers and others were constantly coming
in for books. l never saw library
more systemically arranged or librarian
so familiar with its contents. The State
Library has $4,000 volumes; an mex
perienced person would not guess at
more than 10000 books, so compactly
and neatly are they shelved. The most
of the books are law books and reports,
ETC., but the small miscellaneous library
contains a fine collection of standard
works. Mrs. Morancy has been Libra
rian for eight years, and will probably
keep SO as long as she pleases, since it
would take another person many years
to learn the work When she went into
Office her predecessor had been a man
with salary of $500 a year. need
scarcely tell you that the moment a
woman was elected the good law makers
snapped down the salary to $500 a year.
To be sure, the work has trebled in that
time, and perhaps no two men would
keep the library as well as this one
woman does, but then apparently the
Mississippians understand just as well
as the Louisianians or the Californians,
or, in fact, the good people of any State,
that q woman must work like man, but
be paid like-a woman.
When finally got into the House of
Representatives, eight or ten members
we're on their fe,t, shaking their fists
and shouting "Mr. Speaker" at the top
of their voices. Eight or ten more were
leaning back in their seats reading news
papers with their feet comfortably If
indignantly elevated on the desks In
front of them. A few were paying at
tention. A few more were talking and
laughing with q lot of pretty young
ladies; one handsome young member
was chewing gum, with fine air OF alb
straction.
Williamson is one of the brightest and
most promising young men in the House.
The Speaker of the House, fine, fat
gentleman, got elected, so they say, be-
cause he was in favor Of prohibition and
supervision. He wears tall white hat,
and is an inveterate tea drinkeT. Speaker
Tnge is very popular and successful, and
from what ] have seen of his charming
wife, should say owed much of his sue
cess to her, for it was she who spurred
him on and encouraged him.
One day Col. Inge made quite tenn
pestuous prohibition speech. After he
had talkid for minute he flung off his
cravat and collar, shook his head like
war horse, and fred away. In fact. you
have only to say whisky to the members
of the House to bring nearly every man
to his feet, each one with q point to
make.
One Of the most logical speakers of
the House Ia Col. Houston, of Aberdeen,
another is BarksdaIe, of Yazoo. Mr..
Baker, of Oxford, handsome, dignifed
gentleman, who got the prohibition laws
Of Oxford repealed, Is called the Span
ish arandee on account Of his fierce pair
Of n1astaches. Mr. Bakers bill, however,
viii be quietly sat down upon when it
reaches the Senate, where two-thirds OF
the dignifed, eloquent and scholarly
looking men, from Gov. Stands down,
are ranting prohibitionists. dare say
| by the time this reachesy0a Gov. Lowry
will have signed the railway supervision
bill. and according to the opponents Of
il. have cut OF his Official head. Lieut.
Gov. Stands i violently opposed to the
bill Is 90 rigorous that it viii defeat its
ends. Personally, Gov. Lowry il opposed
q the bill, &c least / an told 80 BY his
| intimate friends, bat that he cannot
withstand the pressure nor run the ig-
nominous risk Of having It passed over
his veto.
/ had the miafortune 70 Be too late to
hear Senator Reynolds speech against
railway supervision. he Is generally
conceded to bethe most bill last and elo'