Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1901-12-07

| many OF the large lOWHS On tne ilA
nois Central as was possible in their
limited time, and with one accord
they 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 Mississippfs 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
tion, and | 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-
Dle standard of jurisprudence. Con
trary to the assertions of partlsans and
ill-informea people, our Constitution
contains no 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 un-
lust 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 Sl,7OO,O0O per
year for The education Of children, be
tneir 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 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 "trusty
at whom they were looking had sue
ceeded in dimming those stripes of
dishonOr" so that they could be mis-
taken for white ducks But, after
all. the fact that we allow our con-
victs such freedom might have elected
the same surprise. If these good
Westerners will come down and try
: It we believe We can prove that ours
is a good country to live in, for better
reasons than either OF the above.
The Mississippi School Journal has
made its appearance and we hope has
entered upon a successful and useful
} eareer. there is ample room for a
J publication devoted exclusively to the
: interests of education in Mississippi,
and it should merit and receive the
I cordial support Of the grand army Of
: teachers Of Mississippi. The Journal
+, is backed by a stock company com
t posed of our leading educators, who
: have promised it their active interest
as we'll as financial support. 1t is
D.. edited by Supt. Whitfield and Profs.
]. c. FAINT and w. T. Thames, while
i Mr.. Raford, a writer and a teacher
: of experience, will assume the business
. MANAGEMENT, The venture is being
welcomed by the press, and We hope
$ the people will follow suit.
After thorough investigation OF the
!. laws governing the sale of State lands,
= the Governor and the Land Commits
sioner have fixed the price 70, State
lands as follows: No State land shall
! be sold at less than the minimum
. statutory price of SIPS per acre; the
, Chickasaw school lands, statutory
! price, S6 per acre. Forfeited lands
! shall be sold at their assessed value,
as shown by the assessment roll of
1892. except in cases where the as
y sessed value was less than SIPS per
= acre, and except in cases where the
. price has heretofore been specially
, fixed by the Governor and Land Com
missioner
/ lhe executive committee Of the Su-
7 pervisors Association will meet in
4 Jackson December II to formulate
|. such recommendations as they have
1 determined to present for action by
: the next Legislature. The chairman
a of this committee is Hon. r. w. Stew
\ art Of Madison county, and the men,
I bers are w. f. Parsons, Lincoln; j. l..
/ Cobb Calhoun; William Ainsworth,
, Copiah A. G. Lewis, Kinds; r. E.
Foster, Issaquena; ]. B. Clarke, Har-
rison; j. f. Jeffries Marshall; P. E.
Williams, Pearl River.
The Meridian Camp, Sons of Veter-
} ans, is preparing memorial to pre-
: sent to Gov. Longino asking that he
} recommend IN his next message to the
, Legislature tkat an appropriation be
made for building Confederate home.
The committee is made up of Messrs.
E, D. Williams, II. Il. Williams and
Frank heiss. The Sons are in this
work, adding their efforts to those Of
the Daughters, and together they
| suo.aA1 frhp nnlV thing tn