The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-07-14
THE TRUE ISSUE.


ne" ,hs matter about which The
elal., ,o feels the greatest concern is
bt'ps r the vote of Lincoln county is
tne'%s coy u. S. Senator for the long term.
cas-, Gov ~ McLaurin,- if his own
.,asnt may be believed, is running
s'a's sIsr to secure vindication by the
.Srle u of his administration as Gov
psOp psUpr Mr.. Allen is running because
eln,.. s..,res to serve the people as Sen
. and crafty a laudable ambition
tt0' d. does not believe that Gov. Nc
I.rrin's ~ administration and public
.ard p while Governor are entitled to
rsv soh an endorsement as he asks at the
Sauds sa of the people, and this is the issue
n'. .1oon them. On all national ques-
.;ans Of any consequence they are
-ood ~u and in harmony with the people.
%nr LEADER believes, with Mr.. Allen,
..n, G tbeG Governors administration has
sosn so disreputsble and unsavory, as
wbole that it is utterly unworthy OF
.,dorsement by the people of Missis-
sinpi. For this reason, aside from all
of others, we oppose him and desire to
coz Lincoln register her vote against
him, In view of the record the Gov
.,ror has made while chief executive,
!, .bould be matter for deep humilia-
ton and shame if it were otherwise.
uis open and fragrant disregard of the
Constitution in several instances-his
rrostitution and abuse of the pardon
inc pover-his trafficking in offices at
his disposal-his neglect of official du-
ties while absent from the Capital, seek
mo to advance his own political for
tunss-his drunkenness in Office and
the throwing of the whole influence of
ths executive against an investigation
Of alleged drunkenness of Judges and
other officials by the Legislature-his
undeuiable duplicity and transparent
demagoguery in attempting to defend
b;s vulnerable administration-form a
mart of the record which should repel
and humiliate rather than attract and
euthuse any good citizen clothed with
the ballot. Hon. John M. Stone served
Mississippi as Governor for IL years,
and so free from errors, stain and scan
dal was his administration, that he
never felt called upon to go out and
make one speech in defense of it dur
ing all those years. Going into the
Governors office, riding upon the very
topmost crest of a popular wave, Gov.
McLaurin's record for the first two
years was such that he felt called upon
to take the stump to explain it before
the people, and the more he explains
and the longer be remains in Office, the
worse it gets.
Are Mississippians going to endorse
such an administration and by their
votes reward Governor McLaurin with
| the highest honor within their gift? If
apremium is to be placed upon such a
record as McLaurin has made, what in
centive is there to man like Longino
or Powell, if elected Governor, to set a
high official standard and give the
State clean and proud administra-
ton? The sign board to public favor
would point either of them in exactly
the opposite direction. We ask the
fathers of Lincoln county what inspira-
ton there is for their sons to set and
aspire to high standards of official and
personal honor for the future, If we,
their fathers, vote an endorsement of
the McLaurin record?
Happily, under the brave and master
iul campaign of John NJ. Allen, the
danger is past that Mississippi will en-
dOrse McLaurinism. McLaurin is a
beaten man for the Senate, 50 far as
the State is concerned, but it remains
lOr Lincoln to do her duty. As good
citlzens, let us perform that duty with
OUT lear, favor or affection, so as to
Sihdlcate the good name of our county
and State
mere Is story to the effect that a
certain man took his stand on a street
'olher III town one day, with basket
VI large hairy caterpillars and began
qeiloeiately taking them out one @by
one and swallowing them. Naturally
"oie crowd soon gathered around to
witness the performance, when one by
SANDER who could no longer restrain
H'' curiosity, asked, Look here, what
%e you swallowing them worms for?'
"ny' You - fool" replied the man
WIN 'ne worms, Il just want to show
'Du u.s, .st!oEs what stomach haye! -
WIN all due respect for those who
l-'ef WIN us, the good citizen who can
'"'iiOw Gov. McLaurin's administra.
'lOH must Just want to show the rest
mankind what sort of stomach he
a. "na ail this We say with not the
y 'en'es' feeling of malice toward the
'einor' as man, because personally
w would do him any kindness in our
kev. ], A. Scarborough vas !, tovr