The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10
THESE Voters ARE FARMERS"
The Reference Made to MississIppi Men by
Some Residents of Other States.

The Reference Made to Mississippi Men ny
Some Residents OF Other States.
Mississippi enjoys more than one peculiar
political distinction. With male population OF
voting age OF 271 900 by the last census. the
total vote OF Mississippi in the Presidential
election OF 1896 was only 10000. smaller pro-
portionate vote com pared with the population
than in any State OF the country. Mississippi
enjo, 3 the distinction OF being the State which
gave Bryan in 1896 the largest proportion OF
yotes-more than 90 per cent. OF the total
cast. third distinction It has is that by the last
census the total number OF foreign male in
habitants OF voting age within its borders was
only 1900 as against 10000 native colored
voters a smaller proportion OF foreigners than
in any other State OF the Union.
There was recently State convention OF the
Democrats O. Mississippi. and they put In
nomination for the ONCE OF Governor II. l..
LONGING Of Washington county. Mississippi
river county without o single large town.
Mississippi Is q State terrtorally as large as
New York aud having by the last census 1.250.-
600 inhabitants. but It is State-another one
Of it's MISREPRESENTATION a solitary large
city. All OF the chief towns OF Mississippi
com bined have not as much population colec-
lively as HoboEen. Vicksburg. town Of
1900 inhabitants. 10 referred to as the me-
tropols OF Mississippi Meridian. tho railroad
centre" az Ii is called. has 10000 inhabitants.
NatcheZ. the cotton port has 10000. and
Jackson. the capital. 5000. These are the only
cities in the State: the other places are mere
villages or hamlets. and. as result OF these
unusual conditions. party convention in the
State Is. literally. convention OF farmers.
whether that adjective be used in the ordinary
Significance. us describing agriculturists, or
In he colloauial form now popular as deslg-
nation OF unsOphist icated persons. At the
cent Democrats conventoni James . McC1ok Of
hamlet OF 300 population only.
. Mississrpl has seven representatlves in
Congress, much larger number than its vot-
ing population entities it to. and these mem
heTs Of CONGRESS come respssrtiyely y from the
Vest Pint Yazoo "G Gloster ' and BrsnIon
ie a hamlet Of less than 1000; Vickspurg. as
with 10000 inhabitants: West Point has .. 100
inhabitants: yazoo has 1920: GIoster has
sippi nom mating convention OF either q the
three political parties Democratic. populist or
the OF dss
gates and the voting population which they
represent Is almost startling.
the recent Jackson Convention, though the full
R}cmocEEatis vote Of the state is not much more
hsn !. a.uds SPu n.Say BY 56a on edo
s.esatss though The I, ETA Ppnpst y2te q the
Con INVENTION there. though the vote for the
Presidential candidate IN that year was only
! 400 in Mississippi.
II Ia under these circumstances that persons
familiar with the intricacies OF NJ ssissippi pol
itics cometo understand the full meaning OF
the word farmer" for "A nominating conven-
ton is really not II represent ative body in that
state. but u mass meeting OF such 81 its men,
bers rs are able to get to the meeting place.
and the idea OF Representation" as under
stood in other Sratcs. T. most clearly out OF place
n Mississippi. which distranchisss by law fully
three quarters OF its male adult Inhabitants
Democratic candidates carry Mississippi with
almost monotonous regularity.