Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-02-02
UNFAIR CAMPAIGNING.

UNFAIR CAMPAIGNING.
Mr.. Smith states that during my
administration the bonded indebted
ness of the state has increasd 800, 900,
and by implication lays this to my
charge. When the facts are known
such chage by Mr.. Smith will dis
gust every thinking, honorable man
who is not blinded by prejudice.
l was inaugurated January 2lst
1896, and there was not money enough
in the treasury to make the January
distribution of the school fund. On
the 18th of February, twenty-one days
after / was inaugrated, the bill vas
introduced for the issuance of these
bonds for $500, 900. See House journal
1896, p. 279.
Mr. Smith voted for the bill in the
senate. See journal 1898, p. 547-54S.
Shame upon such unfair campaigning I!
In 1886 an act was passed for the is
suance Of five hundred thousands of
six per cent bonds, payable January,
4, 1907, and six per cent bonds were
issued to that amount. See Acts
1886, X, "A. Under an act of 1888. au-
..zing the issuanre of $500, 900 of
4 per cent bonds. See acts 1888, D.
a23, BOB, 900 bonds were issued, due
January lst, 1896.
All this was during Gov. Lowry's in
cumbency. The state is now paying
interest on these bonds. See page 30
of treasurer report, of November
Gath, 1897. Listen to that hero in war
and patriot in peace, who never shirks
q duty nor shifts responsibility,
John M. Stone, in his last message tc
the Legislature, in 1896 He says at
page 8: The financial condition of
the state, as shown by the current re-
port of the audit tor and treasurer, is
neither satisfactory or encouraging.
Upon my intl oduction into office in
1890, | was at once confronted with
financial complications, which, with
slight intermission, have continued
until the present time. The Difficult
ties were successfully combated until
the meeting of the special session of
the legislature of 1894, by which the
special warrant act was passed. etc.
On page 9 he says: Excess of dis
bursements over receipts for the bien-
NAL term ending September 30th, 1895,
is therefore $751;, 765. 80. When we add
to this amount 5000, 600 in round mum
bers, now due and payable, on various
accounts, we find an Indebtedness of
1890, 900 in round numbers that must
be provided for, in addition to the
expenses of the state government in all
its departments, during the current
biennial term" This was two weeks
before my Inauguration.
| do not present these figures and
! facts to show that the Legislature from
B -. frax
preparations, for the governor has very
little to do with appropriations as a
rule for do not think they were ex.
show that this prating of Mr.. Smith,
and his painstaking figure fur.
nisher" is disengenous.
THE CAPITOL MATTER.
In opening the campaign Mr.. Smith
devoted considerable attention to the
capitol bill. l suppose that serves az
we'll as any thing else to decoy public
attention from his client, the Y. &
M. V. railroad company, and l will ac,
comodate him as far as time will allow
for have extended this address toe
far to elaborate that matter. 1t il
more fully elaborated in my veto mes
sage in the House journal of 1897
v Mr.. Smith attempted to prejudice
the members of the legislature by dis
! torting what l said at Hazlehurst
never intimated that the Legislature
was putting up job on the state.
have never uttered word of reflection
upon the legislature. They thought
and acted and discharged their constl
tutional duty in the way they consid
cred right. When the bill came to mt
the constitution REQUIRED me to exam
inc it, and if could not approve the
bill to point out my objections to il
to the house of representatives whore il
originated, and l did so. The consti
tuition then required the house to vot,
on it, and if it was not passed by two
thirds it was at an end. The housl
voted on the bill after the veto, and ,
majority of the house voted agains
the bill. Did Mr.. Smith care any
thing about a capitol?
just before the legislature convened
in April, 1897, was told by a mutua
friend, Mr. Isadore Armer, worthy
gentleman who has the esteem q
everyone who knows him. that Senate,