The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-06-03
,..uNDER TWO FLAGS"

Legislative ticket put into the field
by the McIaurin faction. There
WAS no assertion made in thai ar
ticlO which it is unwilling to stand
up to; no charge which it does not
believe can DO fully sustained; no
personal allusioH for which 1t
feels called upon to apologize.
In its seriatim criticism OF the
Skinner Montgomery-Ba Was
son ticket it kept studiously with
in the lines of courtesy and sought
only to make a temperate and
legitimate analysis OF the ticket.
The qualifications of a candidate
can be judged only by means OF
his record or his personal ohSrac-
ter. If he has no record in public
or political life his personal chat
acteristics must necessarily fur
pisb the means of judging of his
fitness.
on the candidates proposed on
the ticket mentioned, only one
MIR. Sklnner-has a PUBLIC record.
1t is true that Mr., Montgomery
sat in the Legislature from Wash
ingtOn County for two years, but
during that time his achievements
were SO entirely negative as to
give no grounds tor guessing what
he would DO if he could. To be
sure, 1t is TO his credit IS o lesis'
lator that he did no harm.
This standard of judging applies
with even more force to the re-
naming two gentlemen on the
ticket-Messrs Bats and WATSON,
Mr.. Bats is generally acknowl-
edged to be q good farmer, and
Mr.. WATSON young man OF
pleasing address who, we hope, will
in due time make q successful law
yer,
Mr.. Skinner has the misfortune
to possess a public and political
record. II Ia on this that The
TIaRs passes its criticisms, and
ventures to grsyely question his
availability rs timber for State
SenstoT from Washington County
on n Democratic ticket. In his
open letter to the editor of The
TINES, published in the Democrat
Of March 29th he says; ~ am of
medium ability; voting the Demo-
cratic ticket and contributing al
ways to its support"
Mr., Skinner has made no public
avowal Of his conversion to Dem
ocracy except by the publication
of this letter and his acceptance of
q Democratic nomination; and in
the light. of his past history, The
TINES is compelled to regard his
assumption of the name Dem
ocratF as q CLEVER pseuaonym,
That Mr.. Skinner should have
been generally regarded as Re-
publican for 20 years, and should
systematically foster the impress
sion by his utterances and actions
is no discredit to HIM. 1t rather
shows hi1i e be consistent in the
face of difficulties and discourage
ments. That he should have seen
the error of bis way at this late
day is still less a discredit; but his
claim that he has been a consistent
Democrat is simply laughable and
will be regarded as a joke as soon
as the public recover from the as.
constituent produced by it. Had
the editor of The TINES been ask
ed, three weeks ago, what was the
political faith of Mr.. Skinner he
should unhesitatingly have answer
I'd Republican, and this, after
close acquaintance of 20 years du-
-ation. We believe that any one
Else in the county who knew Mr..
skinner would have grvSn the
anne answer. How he voted we
lave no means of knowing. Prob
Ibly, like many other Republicans
# standing snd repute, he some''
lines voted with Democrats on
ocal issues. Certainly he sup
ported Mr.. Catcbings warmly in
he last campaign,
''HowsoeVer these things be,
Till Mr.. Skinner state whether or
ct he attended the constitutional
onventiOn-the most important
yer held in the county and if he
i'd not stay away because he was
Republican and had no voice in
Is deliberations! When McKin-
~ was elected and A. &. Pearce,
negro and an Objectionable can
date, seemed about to be APP
oInted Postmaster, was not Mr..
klnner requested to apply for
le office because he was a white