The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-08-02
HUMBUGGING THE PEOPLE.
But In Politics, as In the Circus Busi-
ness, the People Seem to Like II.
80, for a forty-parson power
To sing thy praise. hypocrisy"

| eho pteotuI udy, ne WOulu nave real
lied that his demand was all too mod
est, as slight review of the hypocrisy
and humbuggery of our remarkable
governor will show.
He first caught the sympathy and
support of the people by his touching
fiction as to the hardships of his early
life. He told the voters how the grim
spectre of poverty overshadowed his
paternal hearthstone, forcing him to
plow an OK by day and study by pine
knot fires at night. 1t was stirring
romance, and it just corralled the vo-
ters. But in Goodspeed's history is
another version-and the true one
which was written by Anse himself.
This true history shows that his father
was "a wealthy and influential citizen
of Smith county" who served severaI
terms in the legislature, and who gave
his son Anse the very best educational
advantages in the local schools, and
topped the whole thing with full lit
erary and legal course at Summerville
Institute. His tale about his early
trials was pure fabrication; it cast
discredit upon the character of
wealthy and indulgent father to secure
political preferment for an unworthy
son.
At the beginning of his present can
vass-now nearly two years ago-he de-
clared himself martyr to his financial
convictions, and said the goldbugs
were prosecuting him because he had
been the especial champion of free sill
yer. Here was another case of false
pretenses. When he served his term
of fourteen months in the U. S. Senate
the great free silver question was being
warmly discussed. The published rec
ords of the proceedings of the Senate
do not show anything from Senator
McLaurin that would entitle him to
the title of free silver champion. His
one speech in that body was on the
tariff question. In fact, so uncertain
was his position on the financial ques-
ton that his bosom friend, DR.. Robbins,
who keeps up with political matters,
wrote to Anse after the latter had
served out his time in the Senate to
find out whether he was a goldbug or
favored free silver coinage. Governor
McLaurins self is our authority for
this statement. He set forth these facts
in his speech at Meridian on the 18th
of last January.
In his speech at Carthage in August
of last year he claimed the credit for
making the railroads pay their back
taxes. This was another false claim.
All the credit for this belongs to the
State Revenue Agent, who began suit
against the railroads two or three years
before Anse even became governor; and
he was governor two years before he
thought it at all necessary to name
railroad taxation to the legislature.
| He claimed credit for securing from
congress four townships of government
land for our State colleges. We note
that Senator Sullivan also claims credit
for this same thing. But John S. Will
liams said in speech he made in Kinds
land was really due to Chancellor Full
ton, of the State University, who got
up such plain statement of the facts
that Congress readily granted the lands
as matter of justice and right.
All through his career we find him
assuming credit for other mems labors.
And his hypocrisy is officially proven
by the records.
He was sworn as chief magistrate to
obey and uphold the constitution and
the laws of the State; and in at least
two of his official messages he dwelt
impressively upon the Importance to
the poor of the strict observance of
law on the part of the constituted au-
thorities. The constitution he truth
fully called 'the citadel of the poor
mans liberties" How has he treated
this "citadel" which he solemnly swore
to "uphold and obey?" He has delib
erately violated sections 43, As, 100, 123,
154 and 26S: and he has attempted to
violate or evade sections 20, 60, lis, 124
and 206 of that instrument.
A professed friend to the free school
system, he two years ago wanted the
legislature to "pretermit" the June
distribution of the school fund, and
take the school money to pay the Ordi-
nary expenses of the State govern
ment The plain English of this is,
that our remarkable governor proposed
to rob the teachers and children of the
money already provided for their
schooling.
A professed believer in the election
of judges by the people, he was careful
not to recommend to the legislature
any step looking to such change i'll
the mode of selection until the very
last session of the legislature under his
administration, thus securing to him
self the appointm tment of every circuit
Judge and every chancellor in the State
And in the appointments he has made
he has disregarded in many instances
the expressed wishes of the people.
Processing to fear railroad attorneys
and railroad influences, he has appoin-
ted no fewer than six railroad attor-
neys as chancellors or judges. He ac-
cepted the offer of a Pullman palace
car and free transportation for him
self and family to Washington when he
was elected Senator. The railroads
never grant favors where no return is
expected. What service did they look
for at his hands?
He has prostituted the power given
him by virtue of his Office to crafty his
private vengeance. Remember how he
treated Major Vardaman.
In one official message he deliber-
ately misstated the powers conferred
upon him and two others by a joint
resolution of the legislature, and un-
der which he usurped and exercised
Legislative powers. In another official
message he garbled the records to
cover his own sinuous and unlawful
trail.
His drunken orgies in New York, New
Orleans and jackson with indecent
features in at least one of those places
have brought upon Mississippi and
her people the ridicule and contempt
of her sister states.
A member of a Christian denomi-
nation, he has publicly brought the
tents of his church into ridicule by
his droll way of speaking of his "falls
from grace"
The issues of veracity between him
self and several reputable gentlemen
of the State have been so many that
his mere word is no longer enough as