Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-07-16

ury and 100000 State debt, while
Democratic prosperity" that was to
bel has reduced the assessed value of
property in the State millions of dol.
lars, so that without reduction of Of
fetal salaries and public expenses
something not reckoned in the states
manship of the modern Democrat
taxes must be increased ut an inverse
ratio and interest bearing bonds issued
for the money changers to fatten upon
Defalcations aggregating nearly half a
million dollars have occurred under
Democratic State administrations, and
instances of minor defalcations and
NAL administration have been too
numerous to mention.
With such a record and so little to
hope for from it for the future, the
wonder is that any Christian citizen or
patriot can be found who will longer
give this party his support and in
fluence. 1t is no doubt explained
chiefly by the fact that many of our
well-meaning fellow citizens, ambitious
to hold Office, and thinking that
through the Democratic organization
is the nearest cut to official station,
have forgotten, for the time being,
their obligations in the present crisis
to their country and to posterity; while
still others, from considerations of
friendship and kinship to candidates
are being influenced to commit the
same error. We can only hope that
all such will soon realize their mistake,
and as far as possible, retrieve it.
Here in Lincoln county, the Demo
ocratic party, conscious of its weak
ness and unsavory record, has not had
the courage and boldness to draw par
ty lines and reveal it's weakness in a
Democratic primary. 1t is seeking to
accomplish by indirection, what it
dared not attempt by an open show of
the party strength. It's executive COM
mittee has thrown down the bars and
invited all who are registered to come
in and vote and be candidates in this
so-called democratic" primary, whe-
Their they be Democrats, Republicans,
Populists, Prohibitionists or what not.
"Will you walk into my parlor?
Said the spider to the fy,''
is the idea; and when the unsuspect-
ing reform voter is caught in the spi-
der's web by participating in the pri-
mary July Both, the so-called "Demo-
cratic" party will claim his faithful al
legiance, the party bosses will begin to
lay on the party lash, and insist that
the ticket must be supported for the
good Of the party, no MATTER achat sort
of men compose 1T.
Wonderful as it may seem, the ne
groes, against whom these same Demo
Gratis raised such Force bill racket
three years ago when condemning the
Prohibition and Peoples parties, and
who have been registered in large num-
bers, have been invited and are being
pressed to come in and decide who
shall be the nominees of the immacu-
late democracy" of Lincoln county,!
We have no word of condemnation or
feeling of unkindness for the negro, as
such. Where they pay their taxes, act
as good citizens and comply with the
conditions of the registration and
election laws, we accord to them the
same rights and privileges as voters
we claim for white voters; but when
the negro votes he should vote as cit
izen, deciding between men, principles
and parties on their merits, and not as
a race. What we wish to specially en-
phasiZe and condemn is the transpar
ent political duplicity that will toler-
| ate the negro at a Democratic Presi-
, dents social reception in Washington
and deny him his political rights in
: Mississippi-that will condemn the
whole race as menace to good gov
| eminent in the South in 1892, suggest
= Winchesters and ballot-box stuffing to
destroy his political influence, and in
1895, drag him into party primaries to
decide who shall be the Democratic
standard bearers, as is now being done
in Lincoln and other Mississippi coun.
ties.
There are number of excellent men
? now running for Office in this county
subject to the action of the Demo.
cratic party"-men we highly esteem
i, as friends and neighbors and men we
, would like, personally, to vote for; but
when vote for them also means a
, vote for the Democratic party, and in
an important sense an endorsement OF
the unfaithful party record we have re-
hearsed; and means further, an implied
, obligation to support the ticket nomi
q mated, regardless of who compose
. it,-much as we esteem and admire
! our friends personally-speaking here
for ourselves and those we have the
honor to represent, we respectfully de.
cline to pay the price. We will take
no part in this so-called democratic
primary, and we earnestly advise re-
formers of all parties to do likewise
The time has come when patriotism
and good citizenship must assert them.
caIvao in o,,r ,oolitiooI oRo;re ,o-o,l