The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-05-10
STATE POLITICAL ISSUES
OUTLINED BY THE CANDIDATES FOR
GOVERNOR
In Their Speeches at jackson
Last Month,

the Tines Democrat condensed
the ideas advanced by the cam
didates for governor in their
speeches there last month as fol-
lows:
From the recent utterances of
the candidates for governor it is
an easy task to collate all the
state Issues" that are regarded
as of sufficient Importance to
figure in the present campaign.
Before the state campaign was
genuinely opened the air was full
of alleged issues upon which the
people wished to be instructed,
and about which the candidates
were expected to make a declara-
ton of opinion. The number
has been gradually reduced,
however, until the issues to
which genuine attention is being
paid can be enumerated in a very
little space. Chief among them
is the advisability Of a new cap
itol building for the state. If by
the word tissue is meant a
matter about which there is the
slightest divergence of opinion,
the advisability Of a new capitol
is not an issue in the least,
since all Of the gubernatorial cam
didates have expressed them
selves unreservedly in favor Of
its erection. If the present state
campaign and the question that
are being discussed mean any
thing to the people of the state in
practical way, there is no doubt
of the erection of Ia new capitol
out Of the funds that will be ap-
propriated by the next legislature
that assemblies here. So far not
one protest has been entered by
any candidate for state office
against the plan, and this fact in
itself may be taken as indicative
of th popularity Of the idea.
The other and only questions
Of prime Importance that were
touched upon by the gubernato-
rial aspirants were, the elective
judiciary, the advisability Of in
creasing pensions Of ex- -Confed-
crates, the establishment of a
textile school at the Agricultural
and Mechanical College, state
ownership of all convict farmsy a
change in the method of the dis
trlbution OF the public school
fund, the abolition Of the office Of
revenue agent, greater strictness
in the enforcement Of the law
against trusts and combines, and
the suppression OF mob law in
Mississippi. With reference to
some of these questions candi-
date or two were discreetly silent.
The establishment Of a textile
school at the Agricultural and
Mechanical College seemed to be
unanimously favored. The mat
ter has been agitated in previous
legislatures. and it begins to
look very much like sent ment is
decidedly in favor oft at present,
although the plan was defeated
in the legislature OF 1898.
OF equal if not greater impor-
tance thai the question of new
capital is the amendment tos the
constitution providing for ar
elective judiciary, which will be
voted on at the November cleo.
ton. Mr.. McCool declared in
favor of the amendment at the
Jackson talkfest. The other can
didates do not seem to have taker
the question up in their speeches
1t is at this point that the touch
ing uniformity of opinion notice.
able with reference to the capito
matter and the textile school dis.
appears completely. While ne
one seems to have attacked the
amendment on the stump, it i:
known that there is a decided op.
position to it in the party, and it,
issue at the polls in November il
a matter of considerable doubt.
The distribution of the public
school fund upon more equita'
bic basis was advocated BY
Judge Powell and Hon. j. F.
McCool, the other candidates no
being on record as opposing ol
favoring a change in section 20C
of the state constitution. Thu
opposition to any change in tina
section is very determined in tht
Dslta. but the sentiment in favoi
of such a change. seems to b.
generally shared in by citizens
of most OF the hill counties. Th'
last Legislature also attempted t,