The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-12-07
MISSISSIPPI
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS.
By KATE MARKHAM POWER.
eW5eVg&p&eN eW e1s oaNWNWAVe&eWNAeYS

Capt. J. F. Merry. They visited as
many of the large towns on the llli-
nois Central as was possible in their
limited time, and with ono accord
the pronounced themselves amazed
as well as delighted with the country
they found down South" and the peo-
pie who made their stay SO pleasant.
While in Jackson they were enter
tanned by the Columbian Club and well
coined by Mayor Hemingway and Gov.
Longino. Among the excellent things
said by the Governor to these guests
from the great Northwest was the fol-
lowing, touching Mississippi's Consti-
tuition:
Perhaps you have heard some criti-
cisms of our laws and our courts in
Mississippi. l understand they have
been quite general through your Sec
ton, and l will digress a moment to
discuss this subject. ! want to say
that our laws cover wisely and well
all classes and conditions Of men, and
our courts have a high and incorrupti-
Lie standard of jurisprudence. Con-
trary to the assertions of partisans and
ill-informeu people, our Constitution
contains 10 organic infringement on
free citizenship. In Mississippi there
is a practical appreciation of intelli-
gent citizenship. Our suffrage clause
eliminates only the ignorant class,
those who cannot read and write, and
those who do not pay their taxes. The
talk about our Constitution being I'M
just is a bugaboo. Education in this
day and age is cheap and easy, and
with our magnificent public school sys-
TEN on which we spend $1,700, 900 per
year for the education of children, be
tAeir skin black or white, there is no
excuse for ignorance, while the man
who will not bear his just share of the
burden of government by paying his
taxes has no right to participate in
the management Of that government.
The man who will not qualify himself
for suffrage certainly has NO legal or
moral claim to hold a franchise. Ours
is an intelligent government by intelli-
gent people,"
A little incident occurred during the
visit Of these gentlemen that may
prove interesting. The day selected
for their visit was, thanks to the
weather clerk, pleasant and mild.
During the afternoon two of thenA
standing on the corner viewing the
new Capitol, saw a man crossing the
park wearing white duck trousers,
black coat and hat. Look" ex-
claimed one, that's the kind of a
country to live in-where a man can
wear white duck clothes in late No
vember!" He did not know that those
white ducks had once had broad
black stripes running around them,
and that it was at the cost of much
rubbing and several pounds of soap
that the convict (for it was a "trusty'
at whom they were ~looking) had sue
ceeded in dimming those stripes of
dishonor" so that they could be mis-
tdhCA lOl Nnilt uuChS. Dul, diltI
all, the fact that we allow IL con-
victs such freedom might have elected
the same surprise. If these good
| Westerners will come down and try
it we believe we car prove that ours
is "a good country to live in, for better
reasons than either of the above.
Meridian is already preparing to en-
terrain the State Convention of the
Sons of Veterans, which assemblies
there on the 18th of March. The
Queen City of the East expects to
entertain at least 500 guests, and she
will do it well. Every county in the
State should have at least one camp,
and these should all be represented
at the State conventions. Only a few
more years and it will lie with the
Sons and the Daughters of the Con-
federacy to keep bright and fragrant
its hallowed memories. The brave
old soldiers are falling faster meath
the cruel shafts of time than they
CfCl iCil III DdttlSy dnu tHtIt are uOut
to hasten to the front and take their
places, unless it is our young men and
women. And it is our duty and should
be u pleasure to do it. The best way
to do this is to organize thoroughly
and keep the work alive in the hearts
Of the young people.
South Mississippi's hardwood timber
Is coming into prominence, and as a
natural consequence is in demand. A
New Orleans hardwood dealer last
week bought forty carloads of poplar
and other hardwoods to be delivered
at nee. The dealer will be able to get
all the stock for the order near Hat
tiesbnrg. There are fortunes added
to fortunes in Mississippi's hardwood
timber, and unless we bestir ourselves
men from the Northwest will soon be
here to gather in these fortunes.
The Meridian Camp, Sons of Veter-
ans, Is preparing a memorial to pre-
sent to Gov. Longino asking that he
recommend in his next message to che
Legislature that an appropriation be