The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-04-05
SPEECH OF ROBERT POWELL
CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
OF MISSISSIPPI,
Delivered in vicksburg March IS,
1899.

Fellow Citizens, Ladies anc
Gentlemen:
II has so chanced that twenty.
eight years have elapsed since
| last set foot within the gates ol
your hospitable city. At that
time ! was but a boy; today the
passing years have frosted my
head with silver. At that time
the great father of waters laved
the very feet of your streets, to-
day, like some great restless
giant has rolled to the farther
side of his bed. At that time
your battle- SCARED hills and
houses torn by shot and shell but
too eloquently attested the ruth
less rayages of war; today, be-
meath the magic touch OF these
twin genii, industry and enter
prise, behold the tairest and
queenliest city of the state. The
beauty OF your women and the
chivalry Of your men was to me
an old, old story, and rumor has
whispered to me somewhat Of the
splendid advances you were maxi
ing along all the lines of indus
trial development, but | must
confess that, like the Queen OF
Sheba, after visiting Solomon,
can truthfully say that the half
had not been told me. am
greatly pleased, fellow citizens,
for this opportunity OF address,
ing you and through the splendid
press Of your city Of speaking TO
the great mass of my fellow citi-
zens throughout the state. I'm
fortunately, it may be for me, |
have no great political godfather
to stand sponsor for me with the
people. am not running as the
tail to anybody's senatorial kite.
/ have no Pretcrian guard of Of
flee holders or henchmen to shout
pe.sna fcr nc throughout the
state ali control thu primaries in
my oehalf, but / do at least come
before my fellow democrats with
the stainless record Of an humble
worker who has fought an hum
drea battles for his party and not
one against it.
Fellow citizens, as | am a can
didate for the highest office with
in the git OF the people of this
state, it is bus meet and proper
that ! should define, to some ax-
tent at least the position which l
occupy upon great public issues
and tell you of somo of the OBJ
jects and aims which shall seek
to accomplish should | be elected
as your chief executive.
/ shall not attempt, on this oc-
casion, to discuss any Of the
great national issues because
there win be plenty of time for
that when the next national cam
paign shall have opened. shall
talk to you alone Of things which
concern our own domestic fire.
side, state Issues, If you please.
Of course, fellow citizens, am
a democrat and always have been
and ! stand squarely upon the
platform adopted by my party in
its last state and national con-
| favor the building Of q ne Nv
state capitol commensurate with
the dignity and resources Of the
state; | am opposed TO abolishing
the Office OF internal revenue
agent, Notwithstanding 1t seems
to be unpopular with many. Ex-
perience has demonstrated that it
is the only method by which all
species Of property, as well as all
classes of property holders may be
compelled to bear theirproper bur-
den Of taxation. The methods
in this state for fifty years
failed to secure adequate results,
because no one had a pecuniary
in enforcing the law, but
the revenue agent so far as the
of taxes is concerned,
lays the monarch's scepter be-
sides the shepherds 8 crook, and
big and little have to toe the
mark alike. | believe that books
OF public officers who handle the
public funds should be investi-
gated by shrewd business agent
Of the state. Those who are
honest will not object to the pub
ic knowing how their servants
stand and if any should be dis
1onest the fact should be known.
believe that all the Insurance.
companies doing business In the
tate should be put under state |
supervision. 1t is true we have |
avs against trusts and combines