The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-16
MISSISSIPPI POLITICAL NEWS

| past week. Chief of interest is the en-
trance of Colonel Charles +. Hooker, In
the seventh district. against Major Pat
| Henry. the present incumbent, and this
race promises to be one of the most spir-
| ited on record in the district. Since Colo
| mel Hookers forman announcement the
| rumors of other candidates have been
silenced and 1t is now apparent that the
| August convention will be called upon TO
decide between former congressman and
the present congressman, with chances
somewhat In favor of the latter. Co.onel
Hooker. however has strong following
throughout the district. and If he can
Induce his opponent to enter a joint de-
bate. some doubt will be attached to the
result, as Major Henry Is mo orator as
Brutus was" while Colonel Hooker en-
joys considerable eminence as an orator
| and ready debator.
Hon. John Sharpe Wi!lams has every
| thing his own way in the fifth district.
Chancellor Adam Byrd. his only rurnored
| opponent. having decided not to run. In
| the first district for many years repre-
| sented by Private John Allen, the con-
test between Hon. William M. Cox and
| w. A. Chandler is warming up considera-
| bly,. The school teachers are fighting Cox
| on account of the bitter fights he has led
| In the recent Legislative sessions for a
| uniform system of school books. and IL
| remains to be seen what influence the
| pedagogues viii be able to develop.
| In the fourth district the fight is be-
| tween Hon. a. II. Fox. the present IN
cumbent. and Captain Louis Southworth.
| The latter is already practically defeated.
and some Of his friends who at first
advised him not to enter the race say
that he will not carry four counties II
| the district The Fox contingent con-
cede him only two of the thirteen
In the second district Congressman
| Spight Is opposed for recollection bv Hon.
| William Mcdonald. and the result Is In
| considerable doubt. as II Is generally be-
| lieYed that Hon. J. w. #. Falkner. state
/ senator from Lafayette. will enter the
| race within a few days. Spght would
! encounter but little difficulty In defeating
| Mcdonald, but Falkner is one of the
| ablest men In the district. and in case he
| enters the contest will make plucky
| fight.
| The third district fight is already set
| tied. the primary having decided in favor
of Judge Patrick Henry by an overwhelm-
ing majority This is the district formerly
represented by General Thomas c. Catch
! ings. unquestionab,v the strongest MEM
| Der Of the Mississippi delegation.
| Congressman McT4ain failed to find an
! opponent in the sixth district and is now
pursuing the even tenor Of his way, con-
! fident even that the republican party will
| When the convention of democratic
"bolters' was held in Jackson on the 4th
| of June to protest against the attempt OF
| the state executive committee 10 perpct-
! uate Itself I'm power and to nominate can
didates for delegates to the Kansas city
convention. which were afterwards sub
mitted and elected at the plurality pri-
mary ordered by the committee for that
purpose. resolution was adopted calling
on the county executive committees 10
provide for the selection of delegates to
convention to be held In Jackson on the
18th of September 10 elect new state
| executive committee.
1t is now practically assured that this
convention Will never be held. The ablest
members of both factions are urging
against 1t and no organized effort Will be
made to stir up the enthusiasm through
out the state necessary to secure the sue
cess of such an assembly The lack of in
terest I'm the matter that Is being dis
played by the "bolters' Is especially
marked, and they seem to be satisfied
with their success In naming the dele
cation to the Kansas cry convention and
do not thirst for another sCalbing OF the
primary faction. II IS almost generally
admitted that such convention would
Inevitably result in the formation OF two
democratic parties in Mississippi. a con-
constantly increasing negro vote is con
sdered. The followers Of Senator-elect
McLaurln-and they are legion. despite
tile defeat suffered at the plurality pri-
mary-would not submit 10 tne over
throw OF the present state committee or
recognize the existence Of another COM
mittee as regular. and this alone is sufii-
ccut grounds for no action concerning
the proposed convention. The people
themselves are heartily tired OF politics,
and especially the factional disturbances
and the wrangling which has character
tied the course of the party Tor the past
four months Is chiefly among the neWspA-
pers. Complete harmony is now desired
more than anything else. and two demo-
cratic parties, with each bidding for the
negro vote, would not be a slightly specta-
Gle
There has been a somewhat general
Improvement Of crop conditions during
the past ten days caused by the bright.
warm weather but the yield Of Missis-
sinpi cotton acreage cannot exceed Is per
cent OF last years crop The increase OF
acreage at the commencement OF the
season was very small, and the total
acreage planted was reduced fully 10 per
cent by the phenomenal floods in April.
Four weeks of excessively wet weather N
June has caused a total destruction of
! fully 35 per cent, as shown by the Off
| cIal government report given out Mon
day. IN which II IS stated that the de-
crease for the present year In MISSISSIPPI
ri Is "a points from the ten-year average.
Reports from the various counties. how
eye. show that the situation has i'm
proved considerably during the uast week.
Throughout the state circuit court ses-
sions have been postponed in order TO al
low the farmers 10 look after theT crops
and there IS great activity in the cotton
fields Tho work Of trying TO save what
is left is being pushed with all possible
rapidity. and the greatest trouble at pres
emf is the scarcity Of labor. In many
nioces where il was thought that the
cotton rad been hopelessy choked ont
bv the rank growth Of grass and weeds,
vigorous chopping has demonstrated tnat
some ~ the acreage can be saved. The
hot weather Is causing the plant 10 brancn
| ouite rapidly The farmers have suffered
| severely but Il is not expected that ac-
! tual want will result in any section of
the state.
1xxr,r onrr, rrTTC TEXAS TOWN