The sea coast echo., 1900-03-03
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
judicial Fight In Ninth CIossd-Book
Question Up Agaln-Fine show
Ing for Convict Management.

jackson, Miss, February 20
Correspondence Mobile Regis
ter. - Governor Longino very
happily solved a problem for the
city ofsVicksburg and the ninth
| judicial district by appointing
Hon. Patrick Henry, of Vicksburg,
to succeed Judge W. X. McLau-
! rim on the bench. No such fight
was ever before made over Il judi
cial appointment in this State.
The large majority of the bar of
the district protested in vigorous
terms against the appointment of
| McLaur1n for another term, while
| a very boisterous minority con-
| tended that he should be permit
ted to continue to wear the en-
mine, 1t is understood here that
Judge McLaurin will be candi-
date for district attorney, the Of
/ flee now held by the gentleman
who succeeds him on the bench,
and the probability is that he will
be elected.
A terrific effort has been made
during the week to pass bill aim
ed at the American Book Com
pany through the senate, but it
has failed. Some weeks ago
it will be remembered a State uni
formity bill passed the house and
was defeated in the senate by a
small majority. 1t now bobs up
in the senate in a different form.
but the object is the same, to
wrest the State from the hands of
the American company or else to
force them to give the several
counties they supply with books
much lower prices, by fixing
maximum price to be paid for all
books used in the public school
curriculum. The bill was intro
duced by Senator George and has
been discussed two or three davs,
all told, and is now in the hands
of committee, to which it was
finally recommitted. The friends
of the American Company seem
to think it is buried for good, but
the opposition swear they will
bring it out in Il day or two, and
believe they will succeed in hav-
ing it passed.
! 1t begins to look very much liks
J the present legislature is going to
starve the State Board of Health
out of existence. Two years ago
the legislature voted $4,000 to
this 0rganizatiOn-$50, 900 for one
year and $20,000 for the next.
| This session the State Board asked
| for only $4,000 per year, and the
prospect is they will not get that.
| Senator Evans, of the Gulf Coast.
section that claims to have been
almost ruined by the State Boards
quarantine regulations, has a bill
now before the senate which
practically abolishes the State
Board by the establishment of
county boards. 1t takes away
from the State Board most of its
powers, and should this bill be-
come law. the days of usefulness
of the State Board will have been
ended. During the debates that
have so far taken place some very
vigorous attacks have been made
on the State Board, and a strong
sentiment in favor of its abolish
ment has developed. DR.. Kigcr,
former president of the State
| Board, who is member of
the Senate from the Vicksburg
district, has been hot in the col
lar ever since the subject was first
broached, and promises to make
It warm for the advocates of the
Evans bill before he gets through
with them. The matter has been
made IL special order for next
| Wednesday.
The appraisers appointed some
weeks ago by the Board of Con-
trol for the purpose Of taking an
inventory of the real and personal
property of the State pententiary
| have concluded their labors, and
sent to the senate in response to
resolution asking same, which
was offered by Senator Crawford,
full and complete report. The
State owns four blocks in the city
| of Jackson. whereOn are located
the walls and cells. and three
farms aggregating 5000 acres.
| The value Of the Belmont farm
and equipment is placed at $39,-
940.51; Oakley farm, $50, ,892.03;
Rankin farm, 30,188.11; prison
walls, $82.269.55. These sums
added to the value placed on the
reality on farms leased or rented
by the State makes a total of
| $222,581.78 that the State Of Mis-
sissippi now has invested in farm
ing, while the cash on hand $l19,
714.57, and accounts due $8,912.-
so, make a showing of which any
State might we'll be proud. In
addition. the board of control
still holds 400 bales of cotton,
worth $4,000. And yet there are
some few members of the legisla-
| ture who would abandon this sys-
TEN of working the convicts. and
so go back to railroad building
a system that was abandoned sew
eral years ago because not only
iunproftable, but cruel and inhu-
man.
| A New York World reporter has
sworn out warrants for the arrest
! Of the Olga Nethersole Company