The Osceola times., 1886-08-07
footing His Own Horn.

y
the People of Mississippi County,"
the intelligent reader is struck with
astonishment at the arrogance and
presumption of man who ascribes
credit to himself for all the improve
ments, the advancement and all the
increased wealth and general pros
perity of the county; ignoring in his
conceit all the agencies and inHu-
eGces which have been silently at
work, combining and conspiring to
bring about peace and order out of
the chaos and confusion which re-
manned as the sole legacy of the
southern states after the days of re-
construction. Wrapped up in his
seif-esteem and importance, be can
not conceive how any other gentle
men of Mississippi county can be a
candidate for Office and yet be friend
ly and courteous to the voters, their
peers and equals, and too often, alas,
their superiors, but must need be
astounded and forget they ever met
them before the election" He, and
he alone, makes friends, recognizes
and retains them; like a fixed star in
the armament, he shines for all, to-
day, yesterday and forever. He is
Sheriff, County Judge, Clerk and
Justices of the Peace; superintends
the planting OF the crops, directs and
controls the merchants, lawyers, doc
tors and every other branch and de-
partment of industry; builds court
houses, bridges, opens up the high
ways, collects rent on the school
lands, collects and disburses all the
revenues from all sources; in fact is
a model sheriff, after whom the rest
of the sheriffs of the State take pride
in emulating, but who utterly fail
and are totally eclipsed by compar-
ison. He holds the county of Mis-
sissipi up by the tail, allegorically y
speaking, and calls upon the rival
sheriifs of the State to gaze and ad-
mire.
To use his favorite expression, sat
first blush" the sophistry and per-
version of facts referred to in his
circular is well calculated to mislead
the ignorant, the large class of our
citizens who take little or no interest
III the affairs of the county, who
never see a paper, and If they do
never read one, and hence are not
posted, but depend upon the fine
spun and oily worded campaign sto-
ries set aAOat before the elections in
order to decide for whom they shall
cast their intelligent (D ballots.
One extract which directly refers
to the course pursued by the editor
of this paper will serve to show the
drift and tenor of the rest of his in
considerate circular:
"l cannot well reply to all the
scurrilous and libelous articles hurl-
ed at lne through the columns of our
county newspaper, as the editor of
that organ is so blinded by preju-
dice that he could by no possible
means give me fair and impartial
hearing, and knowing this | have
preferred to remain silent"
The files Of the Osceola TIMES,
complete, running back to period
long before Haskins became a shin
ing light to the people of this coun-
ty are accessible at this office. They
will bear us out in the assertion that
almost wholly to its support and in
huence Haskins is indebted for his
first election to the office which he
now holds; that it has seconded his
every act in the discharge of his du-
ties; given him its cordial and unso
licited support for reelection to his
second term, and continued up to
the recent disclosures by the Board
of Commissioners and the Grand
Jury, to uphold and sustain him in
his every act as ali officer in the dis
charge of his legitimate official du-
ties; published column after column
and notice after notice, at its own
expense, commendatory of his zeal
and energy in the pursuit of crini
mails. And even after the charge of
defalcation was brought against him,
and he launched his pen productions
in the Memphis and Little Rork dai-
lies, the TIMES with anxious solici-
tude, followed up, copied and re-
published a number of his statements
in the hope that he would in some
way explain and exonerate himself
from this charge; but we were doom
ed to disappointment; instead of
throwing light upon the matter, he
contented himself in making general
and sweeping denunciatlons, and in
dulging in vituperation against those
who were instrumental in bringing
to light his crookedness. These
facts he can not deny. They are on
record.
When, however, the Board of
Commissioners req orted him a de-
faulter, backed up by the report Of
the Grand Jury, a jury composed of
some of the best and most RESPONSE
BILE citizens of our county, and who
were sworn to do their duty, will he
wonder that the TINES should with,
draw its support from him? In his