The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-04-05

other alternative by this wilful OBJ
stinacy ON the part Of the governor
but to pass an appropriation bill
with conditions attached, providing
that these appropriations should
not be available for the support OF
the /. /. and c. unless certain things
were done, which would have car
ried out the will of the Legislature,
caused the reforms in the institu-
tons and obviated all of these COM
plants, which had existed for so
many years. The governor illegal
ly and unconstitutionally vetoed the
conditions, thinking thereby that the
money would be available and that
he would thwart the will of the PEG.
pie and block the Legislature. Mark
you this was not q matter of law as
to whether or not these reforms
should be carried out. 1t was ques-
ton of expediency and wisdom and
the governor deliberately refusing
to allow the Legislature to act in
the first instance set up his own
opnioin againstthe unanimous opin-
ion of the Legislature, based upon
the most painstaking investigation
by the joint committee of both
houses. He was willing to assume
the risk that this noble institution
should be disbanded on account of
his illegal action as declared by the
supreme court and that hundreds of
young ladies at this institution
should be deprived of its great ben
l'efits.
What reason ON earth can be CIV
en- for the governors refusing to
send in the message allowing the
Legislature to amend the act Great
ing and establishing this institu-
tion9 He never yet has given one
and it is impossible to conceive that
the wisdom of His Excellency ex-
ceeded that of all the members of
the Legislature. But with that OBJ
strusive personality which charac-
terizes this administration, with an
utter disregard of the purposes OF
the Constitution in giving the gov
ernor the veto power, he practically
put veto upon the wishes of the
Legislature by refusing to allow
them to carry out what they
thought was the best policy for the
people of Mississippi with respect to
this institution. When the Legisla
ture endeavored to carry out as best
they could, then it was that he re-
sorted to the illegal act of vetoing
the conditions attached to the APP
preparation. When the supreme
court decided that his veto of the
conditions was illegal and that the
bill had therefore never become a
law by this action of the Legisla-
ture, this institution was left with
out any funds to conduct it. The
governor then attempted to do an
other illegal act, to-wit: to appro-
pirate funds set apart by the Legis-
lature for the maintenance and
conduct of the Penitentiary to the
support of the Industrial Institute
and College. So manifestly illegal
was this appropriation that when
the bill was filed to enjoin this use
of the funds, although no bond was
given and nothing but "a fiat had
been signed by Judge Whitfield of
the Supreme Court, the Board of
Control refused even to contest the
suit and thereby acknowledged the
of this Act. The Governor,
as you all know, is Chairman of the
Board of Control. He attempts in
his Meridian speech to divert atten-
ton from his own act by saying
this suit to enjoin the borrowing of
money from the Board of Control
was prompted by spite. If that be
true, what prompted him to get this
in such a fix He caused
the dilemma which brought about
the absolute need of the IL. & c. bor-
lowing funds or closing its doors.
Did not the Governor himself pro-
duce it, and 1 submit to you fellow
citizens who know the beneficent
effects of these reforms that have
been inaugurated if the Legislature
was not wiser than the Governor in
insisting that they should be inaug-
urated? Is it any answer on the
part of the Governor to say that
the bill to enjoin this illegal divers
ion of funds, upon which fiat was
granted by the Judge of the Supreme
Court was issued through spite to-
wards him? Every taxpayer of Mis-
sissippi has right at any time to
enjoin an illegal diversion of public
funds. The books are full Of such
cases. Our Statutes explicitly give
the right. Is citizen to be CEN
sured because he exercises right
given him by the laws of the land to
stop officers from clear misappro-
priation of funds9 The control of
the purse strings is essential to the
freedom of the people. This prin
ciple is as firmly imbe>ded in the
jurisprudence of this country as any
principle can possibly be. 1t is a
wise and salutary one and the citi-
zen who asserts his rights under the
law should not be criticised for
doing SO but should rather be COM
mended.
THE GOVERNORS HABIT OF
PLEADING WHAT OTHERS
HAVE DONE IN EXPLA-
NATION OF HIS OWN fa
CONDUCT. $3.50
Just here think it proper to call
q ton ton Of fhasnoonla of MissiSS-