The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-04-20
The Senatorial Contest IN Mississippi.

bugs that back Ot John Allen an
trying To beat me- The aristocrat
don't like me because 1 was for silver
and they say that because. | once droy
oxen and split rails and because l ga
my greens with a knife ! ain fit t
be Senator for Mississippi "
That, in somewhat abridged shape
is the language in which "Anse" Nc
Laurin, Governor Of Mississippi, sum
up the fight that is being made OF
him IN his efforts to get back into the
United States Senate. where he served
under appointment. for about year
In all his speeches the Governor ha.
given this as the inspiration back O
John Aliens temerity in having aspi
ratiOns that run counter 60 his Own
II is possible that the dear people who
drive oxen and split rails and who,
perhaps, are given TO the same CASTRO
nomic idiOsyncrasies as he-is it posi-
ble that they will turn him down and
send to the Senate IN his stead man
who is known to be frequenter OF
that SWEETEST Of swell Washington re.
sorts-Cham. .erlain' :;
From one end of the State to the
other Private John Allen is lambast.
ing him. When in joint debates the
I 4 l. 1, tna
tion that he was being opposed "be-
cause he had been a rail-spliter and
one Of the gee-haw boys. Allen has
promptly and vigorously challenge d
him TO name single man who had
ever held this up against him. The
Governor has remained silent Then
his opponent has undertaken TO show
that McLaurin and his friends have
themselves trumped mp those charges
seeking TO divert attention from the real
issues that il is a plain case Of build-
ing up a man Of straw in the hope that
the people will be satisfied with the
spectacle OF his knocking it down
HIS ADMINISTRATORS THE ISSUE
Then John Allen proceeds to show
what the real issues in this campaign
are, and the result is such scathing
attack upon the McLaurin administra-
tion and the McLaurin record that it
has made the hair of the entire State
stand on end.
THE Governor complains that the
Democrats Of the State have not sup
ported his administration. He says he
would NOT be candidate for the Sen
ate but for the fact he wants his ad-
ministration endorsed by the people.
Now, say retorts the statesman from
Tupelo that would not be a candidate
against him if his administration had
been such that the Democrats of Miss.
issippi could indorse it, There is the
issue, and it is Of the Governors own
making We are practically agreed on
all national issues ;he asks judgment on
his administration, and on that we do
not agree
Then Mr.. Allen proceeds to his ar
raigument When he began his cam
paign and disclosed his line Of attack,
the McLaurin men lifted up their
hands in horror They cried out that
such a camgaign was undignitied that
it was all out of keeping with the Of
flee sought; that it was putting the
contest for a seat once held by Lamar
and George and Walthall on the plane
of the Tillman campaign in South
Carolina, aud that the man who would
do this was altogether wicked. So
great was this howl from the McLaurin
men and the McLaurin newspapers that
some Of Aliens friends thought per-
haps he had made a mistake but when
Re made il clear that the Governor
himself had made his administration
the issue. they all came to his way OF
thinking. Allen is drawing big au-
diences wherever he appears, and as he
is a magnificent campaign speaker, he
is undoubtedly getting substantial re-
suits
CALLS HIM \ POLITICAL SHAM.
If have any ability at all" he
said modestly, "it is in showing up
sh am and pretense; and think the
people of the State are entitled to know
that 'Anse' McLaurin is the big
gest piece Of political sham and pre-
tense the State has ever had within it:
borders. "
The domination of the McLaurir
family. which has been made the nu
cleus Of a ring that has controlled the
Democratic party Of the State, forms
one of the chief planks in the indict.
ment which John Allen, in the role Of
prosecutor, is formulating against the
Governor. He charges that every move
that has been made, every step thai
has been taken, by McLaurin during
his nearly four years occupancy of the
executive office has been but one thing
in yiew-the interest of the McLaurir
ring. The good of the State or Of the
people has at no time been the CHIEF
consideration in the mind of the Gov
ernor, says his critics; to secure the
desired end, the plain provisions Of the
State constitution-dear to the hearts
of the MississippIans-haye been tramp
led upon even the chance for new
capitol was sacrificed because the Leg
islature saw fit to run counter to th,
McLaurin wishes.
Two years ago the Legislature-con
vened in special session for the pur-
pose-passed bill appropriatinf
$3.50, 600 for new capitol, adopted
| SAT- ~ nlana and elacted three OapitO