The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-01-14

honest in what j said. So impress
ed was he with the sincerity Of my
statement that he came 10 me about
the time the legislature convened
and asked me if ! would not intro.
duce a bill into the legislature tore.
store the salary of the office of gov.
ernor to the figure of 81, 900, that be
ing the salary Of the governors
office up to the adoption of the Code
of 1892, and as the salary of no
officer can be reduced on diminished
during his term Of Office this reduc-
ton of salary first affected Gov.
McIaurin. You will recollect that
after the legislature convened there
was an interval of about three
weeks before, under the Constitu.
tiou, Gov McLaurin could be inau-
gurated. He stated to me that mas
much as his term Of Office could not
commence until time enough had
for the passage of this bill,
that if | could procure the passage
Of this bill through the legislature
he had been advised that it would
not be subject to the Constitutional
objection of having increased his
salary during his term Of Office. He
stated to me that with his large
family he doubted his ability to live
even with the salary Of $4,000, and
as | have always believed that the
chief executive of the state should
receive such a salary as would ena-
BILE him to maintain the dignity of
the office and not to impoverish
himself by taking from his own
means in order to do 50, / cheerful
ly agreed to introduce this bill.
If you will examine the journal of
the sente Of 1897 you will see that
bill No. was introduced by me for
that purpose on the Bird day of the
session, it being entitled Gan Act
to Amend Section 1862 of the Ammo
tated Code of Mississippi and to fix
the Governors Salary at $4,000"
The standing committees of the
senate had not then been appointed
and in order to expedite the passage
Of this bill, special committee of
) was appointed by the president of
the senate to consider and dispose
Of the bill. This bill was promptly
reported on by this committee on
The 9th day of the session and was
called up for action by the senate.
A majority of the senate took the
view however, that the governor
ran for the Office knowing what the
salary would be and that there was
IN implied and moral contract on
MS part to accept the office at the
salary of SO, 500, hence this bill was
defeated.
THE GOVERNOR DISTRUSTED.
I give these facts to show that
when Gov. McLaurin was nominal
ID and after he was inaugurated |
was his friend personally and that
desired to do anything that ! could
md that was in my power to make
lis administration q success. And
hat he did not let my being a gold
)ug and corporation lawyer keep
lin from calling ON my friendly
services. N ow let me explain what
,aused me to distrust Gov. McLaur-
n. 1t was this He had hardly been
naugurated before the whole atmos-
)here of the state capitol became
)ermeated with nOisome and I'M
runors about IDEALS, ap-
)ointments, pledges and promises"
The administration, 50 far from
)eing one characteristic of Missis-
iippi and in accordance with the
Constitution, that the legislature
hould be supreme in its department
md free from the interference of the
Governor, and that the executive
hould be supreme in his department
nd free from the influence of the
legislature, was exactly the contra
V. 1t was a constant rumOr that
he governor did not desire this
or that to pass, and that
his member of the house or that
member of the senate was in constant
nd confidential communication
With the governor
Finally this eliminated on one
ccasion in a dramatic scene in the
enate A bill had been introduced
" a senator from Kinds county to
reate a new county, called Capitol
ounty, composed of parts of Madi-
on, Kinds and Rankin counties.
had been referred to the proper
who had given long and
atient hearing to every one who /
esired to be heard, and finally had
eported upon favorably by the COM .
littee, with the recommendation
nat it pass. AT this juncture the /,
9nator from Kinds county arose
ne day in the senate and with a
dice filled with suppressed emotion. /
-artled the senate by moving to .
9fer the bill back to the committee |
/ order that the governor might /
xercise his constitutional prerog- /,
tive to influence legislation. For
moment there was a breathless
ause i'll the senate and without .
lrther discussion this bill was re-
FRED back to the committee and
rough the efforts of the governor
nd his friends was defeated.
A LEVEE BOARD INCIDENT.
Ireceived letter from Mr.. Nathan
oldstein of GreenVille, asking me
go and see the governor and urge
is appointment as a levee commits
oner from the county of Washing
n Mr. Goldstein in this letter
ated to me that he was endorsed
: very large majority of the
'operty holders of Washington
,unty for the office; that he had
zen president of the board of super
sors for a number of years, had
zen a candidate for sheriff of the
nv, ~ o,,1 II, t,a E,sst ,,,.;r,,,,.,- Ia