The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-01-19
Drunken Officials and Unfaith
ful, HypOcritical Legislators.


When Mr.. Alcorn Glover, of
Coahoma, called up his resolution
in the House Monday 70 Investigate
official drunkenness, there was
much resort to dodging, subter-
fuge and evasion not creditable to
honest and faithful representatives
of the people. Many claimed that
the resolutions we're too broad and
sweeping and were not sufficiently
specific. Mr.. Glover parried these
objectionsin terse speech and
laid bare the inconsistency of the
legislators urging them. Then,
after parliamentary tangle, the
resolutions to investigate were
tabled by yea ard nay vote Of
IS to Is.
Mr.. Grover then arose and sta.
ted that he had discharged his
duty; that other members had OBJ
jected to his former resolution be-
cause it was vague. Now he
wOnld call names. He then sent
to the Clerks desk and had read a
long preamble and resolution,
making specific charges of drunk
enness against Judge w. X.
McLaurin, OF the Vicksburg dis
trlct. The preamble makes no less
than 8 specific charges of drunk.
enness against this Vicksburg
Judge, giving dates and places,
and Offering to back the
charges up with the sworn testi-
mony of reputable witnesses. 1t
was also charged that this Judge
who has been set up to try others
for violations of the law, had, at
the same time, while drunk, made
a sort of walking arsenal of
concealed weapons.
The reading of these resolutions
fell like thunderbOlt from cloud
less sky upon the unfaithful and
hypocritical representatives of the
people who had been maneuvering
to choke off all investigation under
cloak of one subterfuge or another.
Mr.. Glover arose and said he
had not wanted to call names be
fore an official investigation was
made, but he had been told that
some of the members of the House,
said he didn't "dare" call names.
Hence the resolution. He was re-
sponsible for it, and he called
names. And there were others be-
sides Judge McLaurin.
Mr.. Collier, of Warren, said that
it was with deep humiliation that
he saw, the name of the Judge of
his. district dragged before the
House. He said that the district
was composed of only four cOun-
ties-Sharkey, Issaquena, Clai-
borne and Warren. Not half of
the Representatives of those coun-
ties we're present. He wanted con-
sideration of the resolution post
pomed until those representatives
could be present. He made a plea
for time.
Mr.. Cox, of Prentiss, moved that
consideration of the resolution he
postponed for awhile, so that DR..
Curry who had been invited to ad-
dress the House could make his
address, the hour. II o'clock, hav-
ing arrived.
Mr.. Glover moved to take a re-
cess until 3 o'clock, which prevail
ed, and DIR. Curry, escorted by
Governor McLaurin, entered the
hall.
Z House re assembled at 3 p. M.
when the charges against Judge
McLaurin were taken up, Mr..
Glover speaking in their favor.
Mr.. Thigpen moved to table Mr..
Glover's resolution. The motion
was defeated by a vote of 30 to AZ.
On motion of Mr.. Collier. the
resolutions went over until Thurs
day morning.
All honor to Mr.. Glover and the
legislators who stood with him foi
their fidelity IN pressing the ques,
ton to an issue. When the reso
lutions come up tomorrow the mo
ton to investigate should prevail
On the showing made by Mr.
Glover, it would be disgracefnl fol
the Legislature to longer shirk OF
daily.