Macon beacon., 1900-01-20
Inauguration Day.

! Last uasQdyi Jan y To- A. II Lon
gine, Mississippi's thirty third Cover
nor elected by the people, was installed
into Office with appropriate ceremonies
Gov, McLsurin was i'll and threatened
with pneumonia. He was not able tC
participate and was represented by
Lieut. Governor elect Harrison.
The new Governor, in his inaugural
address, expressed the hope that the
Legislature would direct its time and
attention to business concerns of the
State. He thought he voiced public sen
timent when he said the most important
business to coms before the Legislature
was the building Of a new state house.
The people want also to be satisfied
there will be no put up job in the con-
tract, and that they will get good hon
est work for the money.
He wants small appropriation for
the State Historical Society, to preserve
and disseminate the historical informa.
ton obtained by it,
Like his predecessor he favors a tex
tile school and reasons well for its estab-
lishment in connection with the A. &
College.
He wants Mississippi to be at the
front in the march Of progress and to be
liberal in encouraging the investment of
capital in establishing factories and
other enterprises, and in this he fully
expresses the sentiment Of the people.
He dwells at length on the suppress.
sion Of mob violence, and says, since
every other means has failed, he recon-
mendS the passing Of law giving to the
family Of any one who may be lynched
right to recover damages against the
county where the lynching occurs. He
goes so far as 10 say the office Of sheriff
or constable should be declared vacant
whenever prisoner is taken from the
Jail or the lawful custody of such officer
and mobbed.
He recommends that the state should
buy land and work the convicts on it,
and not rent.
On the subject Of public roads he Of. |
fers nothing new. He thinks the
county supervisors should be allowed to |
appoint road commissioners, with good !
salaries That may require an addi
ional tax. If a small tax is to be levied |
ct the money be paid directly to the !
parties who do the work. That will be
IN incentive to them to do the work
veil, Noxubee county does not re.
luire more than three or four months
work in the year, hit is not unconsti-
utional, districts Of a county ought to
,e allowed to tax themselves to build |
,ocd roads.
In reference to the primary election
aw he thinks the time is epportune for
he passage of a uniform compulsory
Urinary election law for the State, with
provision that only qualified electors
hall vote, and elections be held in all |
he counties on the same day.
The best part of the Governors ad-
ress is in reference to the school ques.
ion, and he may not think so, but it is
lore important than his new capitol.
lis views will be more popular in the
elta than in the white counties, except
therein he says, "a would commend
} the legislature the submission Of an
to section 206 of the consti.
ltlon SO as to lequire the State free
'hool fund to be distributed among the
ounties according to the actual atten.
ance upon the schools, Irather than per
lpita. He comes out hatfooted
5ainst an amendment to the constitu.
on to provide for the distribution of
lie free school funds between tbs whites
I'd the negro schools of the state, so as
give the benefits thereof to each race !
proportion to the scnool taxes which
pays In the first place. he says, it
ould bring about a conflict between
e State and federal constitutions, and
it would be contrary to that broad :
Id deep philanthropic spirit that has
ways moved the great common heart ,
Christian man and womanhood in
ic'is:ippi to love Of justice and fair
sy towards the weak and needy who.
'er and wherever they are. -