The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1898-06-18
CATCHINGS VS.. HENRY.
Some Reasons Why No Change Should
BE Made In Our Congressional
Representation.
To THE VOTERS OF THE THIRD
CONGRESSIONAL DIsrRIcr

rious problem of whom to select
as proper man to represent us in
the United States Congress.
We have presented for our con-
sideration the Hon. Thomas c.
Catchings and the Hon. Pat Henry.
Which one shall we select
The question of the gravest i'm
portance to the veters of this dis
trict is governmental aid in building
levees to protect us from the over
flows of the Mississippi river, and
while the monetary question is one
in which every man is more or less
interested, yet it sinks into insig-
nifcance when compared with the
disadvantages. which confront us
to-day, in attempting to maintain
the Mississippi levees by direct
taxation with a revenue to be de-
rived from the resources of the
Delta.
The first charter granted to the
Board of Mississippi Levee Com
missioners was in 1854, from
which date to the present time the
people of the Delta have burdened
themselves with enormous taxa
tion, millions of dollars have been
expended and the results have
been that until 1898 the Delta has
been overfowed whenever we had
extreme high water. Today with
a debt upon us Of 81, 225, 900 and
an income for the past year
of $292, S45, figures obtained from
the Treasurer of the Levee
Board) we find that about
one-third of our revenue can
only be used for the constrac-
tion of levees, the other two
thirds is applied to the payment
of interest and the maintenance Of
the officers OF the Levee Board.
Upon this showing, in q very few
years, if we must depend upon
ourselves, the revenues OF the
Board will not do more than pay
the interest upon the debt and the
salary of the officers. Our relief,
therefore, must come from the
National Government,
This condition of affairs was
seen and appreciated by the la
nented W. A. Percy and a few OF |
9ur citizens who stood together in
1884, and the Hon. Thos. G, |
was selected as the best
nan to represent our interests In
Congress. He was nominated (ss |
hen was supposed to lead q for
orn hope, but by almost super
luman efforts he was elected over
he carpet -baggers, who took their
departure. "The Lord giveth and
he Lord taketh away, blessed be
he name of the Lord. "
Mr.. Catchings was elected and
,ook his seat in Congress in 1885,
md for the first time SINCE 1861
he people of the Delta were rep
'esented in the United States Con
,ress by a man of its choice.
Mr.. Catchings was reared upon
he Sunfower river. Most of us
NOW him as Tom, and had watch
d him rise from barefoot boy
N the banks of the Sunhower to
he honorable position of Attorney |
1eneral of the State Of Mississippi,
position which he filled with
lonor to himself and fidelity to
lis constituents.
Thoroughly identified with the
people of the Delta and knowing
is wants, upon taking his seat in
Congress he devoted himself earn
estly to increasing the powers OF
the Mississippi River Commission,
and through it working upon Con-
gress to make appropriations for
building and maintaining levees
upon the banks of the Mississippi
river. In this be was opposed
alike by leading Democrats and
Republicans. The Hon. lsham u,
Harris, Senator from Tennessee,
a leader in the Senate, Gordon OF.
Georgia, and Morgan of Alabama,
opposed the appropriations, alleg-
inc that the appropriation by Con
gress of moneys for the building
Of levees was a usurpation of pow
er, was contrary to the constitu-
ton of the United States, in this,
s'that it was taking of public
,,.o.o. - Vet