The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1899-02-09

There IS nothing of which to ia
ashamed IN the personnel of tn
board, and yet for appointing them
received the i'll will of Mr.. Chas.
Scott, who, Mr. Smith said never told
an untruth in his life. | therefore beg
to read an extract from the pen OF
Mr.. Scott, in June, 1895, in the Boil
var Democrat. 1t speaks of me, but l
hope L will not incur the charge of i'm
modesty for reading it. Listen:
CHAs. SCOTT QUOTED.
"The subject of this sketch is with
out doubt the best known and most
universally admired gentleman in the
state of Mississippi. He is a man Of
keen perception, shrewd judgment,
bright intellect and penetrating obser-
walton. AS lawyer, he stands near
the head OF his class in the state, as
man he is loved and esteemed by the
people of Mississippi with the excep-
ton Of few chronic Office seekers,
who harass him with jealous hatred,
because in their shriveled mind ia
cherished the idea that were he out of
the way they would secure some
Office" "As a senator be
stands unrivalled and at the head of
the list of representatives, from the
various states, in the halls of congress.
When appointed to fill the unexpired
term Of Gen. Walthall, he was COM
paratiVely unknown outside OF the
boundaries of his own state, but when
his term expired last March his name
was familiar to the reading public
from ocean to ocean, and fro IL the
great lakes to the gulf. In the history
Of the American congress no other
man ever gained such widespread
popularity, or been accorded such
merited recognition, while serving bis
initial term in that great assembly of
brainy and learned men.
Mississippi is proud of her junior
senator. His loyal mind scared far
above local or political prejudice.
One day upon the floor of the senate
championing the cause of tariff re-
form, the next he secured township
of land for each of the colleges in
this state, one day he had the appro-
pration for the government building
at Meridian increased from $50, 600 to
$50, 900, the next prevented the grant
of the Northern Pacific Railroad con-
pany of $1,000. 900 acres of the finest
mineral lands in the northwest; one
day he opposed the granting of mil
lion dollars to three Western states
with which to experiment with Rus
sian thissles, and the next he in
troduced and secured the passage of
bill restoring to the public domain a
vast amount of land in Mississippi"
THE DECREASE IN VALUES.
Mr.. Smith says values have de-
creased during my administration and
cities Figures furnished" him "by
careful, painstaking and capable
gentleman'r--wh he does not name
| have not examined the records to see
whether his figures furnished are
correct or not. One thing ls true,
however, values have decreased. And
they will continue to decrease as long
as silver is demonetized, and one hall
the money of the world destroyed. l
argued that all over the state in 1879,
and predicted the fall in values. MI.
Bryan, Senators George, Walthall,
Money, Jones, Morgan and host OF
other great thinkers predicted 1T IN
1895 and 1896 and pleaded to save sill
yer from destruction, to prevent TINS
fall in values, but Mr.. Smith ridlculed
the party's platform and nominees, and
even now he mocks at the calamltles
he confessedly sees which are being
wrought by the characterization OF Sill
YER. Mr.. Smith and Ex-Governor
Lowry, or the "painstaking" tigurer
furnisher, who ever he was, will fail
to convince any thinking man that
the fall in values is attributed to my
occupancy of the Office of governor.
More lands are improved and houses
built; there are more horses and
mules; and larger crops are produced
now than when Gov. Lowry was gov
ernor. But lands do not make as
many dollars from four and five cent
cotton as they do from ten and twelve
cents cotton. II haif the money OF the
country is destroyed prices OF cotton
and labor must fall one half. 1t is the
grasping greed of Lombard street and
Wall street who wants to destroy all
the money except what they them
selves have that has ruined values.
Mr.. Smith selected as the representa-
tive of the opposition to open the
campaign, says that taxes are "a
mills now and that is an evidence OF
maladministration of the governors
Office.
The legislature makes appropriations
and levies taxes to meet them WIFE
the governors approval, the governor
having the veto power, which can be
oyerruled by two-thirds vote. think
the present legislature has been eco.
nomical in its appropriations, and II
has not levied greater taxes than neces-
sary to meet them. I vetoed few ap,,
preparation bills, and was sustained
in every instance. Indeed, neither
house to which l have sent a veto mes,
sage ever passed it over my veto, ana
this is a record refutatory, OF MI.
Smiths baseless ertion that there
was an open rupture between me and
the legislature. But if anything was
wrong in the appropriations Mr.. Smitn
has been state senator during tae
entire time have been governor, and
he ought to have called attention OF
the senate to any reckless or extrava-
CANT appropriation. If he ever op'
posed by voice or vote. any appropr;!..
alton while he was in the senate IL
nveer got out on him.
Mr.. Smiths attack upon the ADMIN.
istration of the revenues is direc'
attack unon the legislature OF Wnlcn