The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-09-05
When All Good Citizens Should
Come to the Front.

commonwealth reaches apoint where |
the standard of public life is lowered,
and when the question of maintaining
the moral integrity Of the State is pre-
sented, il then becomes the duty of all
good citizens to come to the front and
unite all their influences to purify the
political atmosphere, and to restore a
high standard of public morals.
That point was recently reached in
this State when the Democratic State
executive committee for some reason
undertook, in defiance of law end pre-
cedent, to overthrow the State conven-
ton policy in the matter of selecting
delegates to a national convention, and
the nomination of presidential electors,
and to perpetuate its own power. Gov
ernor Longino, in a most conservative
and patriotic letter to Mr.. Miller, chair
man of the State executive committee,
urged him to call meeting of the COM
mittee and rescind it's unwarranted
and illegal order for a plurality pri-
mary, which would allow the people
chance to elect new executive com
mittee. This, Mr.. Miller declined to
do.
The result of the unprecedented per-
Torrance of the State executive COM
mittee was the assembling in this city
on June 9Th, of State convention,
largely attended by leading and patri-
otto citizens of the State. The conven-
ton condemned the action of the State
committee, and protested against 1t as
unwarranted and clear usurIation of
power and requested Chairman Miller
to have the committee meet again and
order convention. To this great pop
ular protest and disapproval Chairman
Miller made no answer whatever.
About this time Ex-Governor Nc
Laurin wrote letter to Secretary Con-
ner of the State executive committee,
which letter he gave to the press, en-
dorsing and defending the action of
the State executive committee, which
ordered plurality primary election,
and refused to allow the people to
elect new State executive committee.
The press of the State, which had
generally and promptly condemned
the action of the State committee, con-
tinued to point out the iniauity OF its
action and to stimulate and encourage
the righteous indignation of the peo-
pie of the State against the order of
the committee, and against those ssup-
posed to be behind it's action.
The ticket put out by the June 9Th
convention was elected, and Senator
Sullivan, who, like Ex-Governor Nc
Laurin, had defended the action of the
State committee, was defeated for del
egate to the national convention.
Upon this popular disapproval and
condemnation of the State committee
the people of the State are to be con
graduated. 1t shows that there is
moral life, and activity, and force In
the people, that is alone security for
good government.
1t is profoundly to be regretted that
the State executive committee voted
down a resolution when it meant in
this city to count the vote and an
nounce the result of the plurality pri.
mary, providing for an investigation
of the gross frauds and Irregularities
in some of the counties and even ig-
nored request to do so made by the
seventh district congressional conven-
ton.
These exposures, however, are OBJ
ject lessons to the people, and have
caused popular awakening to the
political methods that have been prac-
ticed in this State. The result is high
ly satisfactory to an overwhelming
majority of the State.
Governor Longino stands for good
government in Mississippi, with all
that this implies. He believes in the
time -honored doctrine that the public
functions intrusted to an official are
to be used for the public welfare, and
for the advancement of the great pub
lie interests of the State, and not for
personal ends, or for the promotion of
the officials own political fortunes In
this is contained all the principles of
good and honest government. "When
the wicked bear rule the people
mourn, but when the righteous are in
authority the people rejoice" Under
the auspices of this administration the
high standard of official and public
life is restored, and all the great inter
ests of the State will be promoted and
advanced.
1t is not pleasant to refer to these
differences and crooked doings by
some of our fellow citizens, but some
times duty impels where pleasure is
wanting. We take no active part in
politics, but always stand for, aud ad
vocate, righteous methods and deal
ings. All scheming should be frown-
ed down by all people who profess to
be upright and patriotic The Baptist.
---
REV. E. DOUGLASS.
Rev. E. Douglass, father of the late
Rev. E. P. Douglass, died on last Sat
urday evening, Sept. LIST, at o'clock,
and was buried on Monday at Shiloh
church, Rev. r. J. Boone preaching the
funeral sermon, which was followed by
appropriate remarks from Prof. j. Nj.
Girault. Brother Douglass was Sc
years Of age, having first seen the
light of day in North Carolina,
June 8, 1914. He lived successfully in
North and South Carolina, Georgia,
Tennessee and Mississippi. He was
ordained to the ministry of the Bap-