The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1898-01-01
LEvEE COMMISSION MATTER.
Communication From Mr.. Leroy
Percy on the Matter
A Misstatement Of Fact by the Clarion
Ledger Claimed, and
Correction Made.

Greenyille, Miss, Dec. 23, 1891
Editor Of the acknowledges:
Dear Sir; | have my attention
called to ths following editorial il
recent issue of your paper in re
gard to the correspondence which
has passed between Governor A
J. McLaurin and the Executive
Committee of this county in refer
ence to the selection of a member
of the Leyee Board from this
county:
This answer has been made the
subject Of criticism Of the Cover.
nor by the Vicksburg Herald. No
primary election or convention
was ever held for nominating to
anv Governor q man for levee
commissioner until after Governor
McLaurin's Inauguration. Then
there was an attempt at such a
thing in Bolivar county, in 1896,
but only one of the two factions
there took part in that, and that
is the only attempt at such pri-
mary or convention that has been
made, until the action of the chair
man and secretary last Thursday.
without consulting the Cover
nor the chairman and secretary
met to say whether they would
have aprimary or convention to
name q man for him to appoint,
and by wire they gave him few
hours to agree to their demand up !
on him, without any opportunity |
to consult with his friends there
as to whether there would be an
opportunity for a fair expression
of opinion in a convention.
The Governor might have been
willing to abide by the voice of a
fair primary election of the Demo
Gratis of the county, for sll the
Clarion-Ledger knows, but they
gave him no alternative but to
oDgvrs,. rrbpthrr he would apDCirt !
the man selected according to the
mode they would adopt, and he
very properly declined to act SO
hurriedly or inadvisedly.
Senator Jayne has made an ad- ,
mirable commissioner; he is suited .
for and worthy of the place, and .
if there was a contest to be made
upon him before the voters of :
Washington county he and his
friends ought to have some voice .
in selecting the mode by which
he choice Of the Democracy is to y
le expressed"
Without any wish to influence
your opinion as to the propriety !
Of the Governors action in the
premises, in justice to the Execu- :;
i've Committee, as its chairman, ~
I'M impelled to advise you that the -
1boVe contains both a misstate-
nent of fact and an unwarranted r,
election upon the committee, feel
ng sure that both were uninten
lonaI on your past and that your :,
My desire was to state the mat >
er fairly. -
The taxpayers resolution re- II
erred to by the committee was hi
dopted by the committee q,
nth practical unanimity in ty
august, 1894, by q meeting 90
aIledfor the purpose of discussing f.
wee matters, and said meeting or
as always been conceded to have ~
cen the largest and most repre- od
assemblage of taxpayers ",
yer held in this district. The 81
which in substance -
as urged by all the friends of 70,
administration, reads H.
follows: -
Resolved, That it is the wish nat
the taxpayers that hereafter the tb,
oyernOr in making appointments ow
I'LL vacancies on the levee board the
all appoint those who have been ito
ected by the the Democratic
rty in the county where such cat
lancy occurs, either by q pri-l
ry election or convention, and
executive committees II the
mites are requested TO see that
h conventions or primaries are
d. We believe that the wishes
the taxpayer ot the district SO {
PRESSED viii be accepted Us man VIII,
Dry upon the Governor and of
ecutive Committees IS statu- hou
y law" low
he hrst appointment for full som