The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1900-01-26

wild lands to be gradually cleared by con,iets
in the Yazoo- Mississippi Delta Of sufficient
acreage TO enable the State ultimately to give
employment to all its prisoners, without the
necessity of renting.
1 commend this matter also to the careful con-
sideration Of the legislature.
Public Roads.
There Is no public utility in Mississippi offer
ing benefits to more of her people than good
country roads. And though ii is a fact, which
all will admit on reflection, that a large part
of the farmers profit on their crop is lost on ac-
count of wear and tear to wagons and teams
and loss OF time because of bad roads, yet
strange as it is. the subject seems to engage
only the casual attention of the Legislature and
people. Liability to indictment is about ths
only incentive to road overseers to keep the
highways to which they are assigned in repair,
as observation has shown that though the pub
lie roads are usually in bad order, it is a fact
that punishment under the law therefor Is or
rare occurrence indeed. In my Judgment the
importance of the subject demands such a
change in the law as will better insure good
highways of travel used by the general public.
/ beg therefore to suggest for the consideration
of the Legislature that the law be so amended
as to require the several boards of supervisors
in the State to appoint for their respective coun-
ties a road commissioner, TO be paid by the
county, who shall give bond for the proper dis
charge of his duty and for liability to any lndi-
yiduai who may sustain actual damages by
reason OF bad roads or bridges in his county,
caused by his negligence or delay to have said
road or bridge properly repaired. The said
commissioner should be given general super
vision over all roads and overseers thereof IN
his county and be required to give his entire
time to the work and to make report to the
grand jury at each sitting thereof, giving infor-
nation against all defaulting road hands and
overseers coming to his knowledge In the
county.
General Primary Election Law.
The Importance OF white supremacy in the
government OF the State is too obvious to admit
of discussion. 1t is equally obvious that such
supremacy must depend upon white political
unity. The results of general elections In the
State have for a number OF years past been prac-
ticaIly declared in advance by nominations
made by white Democrats. But as the recOllec-
ton of the political troubles with the negro
prior TO 1876 grows Old in the public mind the
danger of a recurrence of such troubles becomes
less imminent, and as the years go by the white
people become more and more impatient aud
displeased with the dubious and devious mesh-
DDS OF the party nominating machinery, which
differs in its procedure according to the interest
and views OF the party leaders in the different
counties. Such Impotence among the white
people, it seems to me-. furnishes timely warn
ing, and if we would perpetuate white political
union. time appears Opportune for the passage
OF a uniform compulsory primary election law
for the State, with a provision that only quail
fled electors shall vote in the primary elections
held hereunder. Besides, even though the
signs of the times augur no danger to white
government, the fact and Importance OF nomi-
nations for Office, which amount practically to
an election, as under our present system. calls
Justly upon the law makers of the State to give
the people pri mary elections to be held in al
the counties on the same day in the State or the