Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1902-10-29
Constitutional Amendments.
Hattiesburg. Otc. 2e. 1902

Dear Mr.. SETTLER:
l went twice to your office to find
you this morning, and at last con-
cluded that you, in accordance with
the custom which prevails among the
quill drivers, was either at church or
devoting your time TO prayer and
pious meditation.
What / wanted TO see you about was
to secure your aid and cooperation to
secure the ratification of the proposed
amendments to sections 36 and 1873 of
our state constitution. In my judg-
ment it is highly important that these
two amendments should be ratified. |
With section SO as it now stands the
Legislative branch of the government
is shackled and hampered while the |
executive branch has its powers ex- I
traordinarily and dangerously in
creased by giving TO the governor the |
right to dictate to the legislators just |
what subjects or measures that body |
may act upon at the quadrennial |
special sessions, with the further
power to exclude from consideration
whatever he, from any motive what
ever, may object to having brought |
before that body. 1t is a right of
which the Legislature should never
have been deprived to use the
judgment of its own members, fresh
with contact with their constituents,
as to what particular measures needed
their attention; and it is a power
which, rightfully belonged TO the leg
islative branch, has been taken
therefrom and placed in the keeping
of CO. ordinate branch of the govern
ment, contrary to the spirit Of our re-
publican theory that each of the three
branches of government should be
strictly limited to it's own proper ju-
The power thus conferred
upon one official would be dangerous
in the hands of corrupt official who
might elect to use it to further his
own ambitious schemes.
The amendment to 1873 l think
should certainly be adopted. The
only change it proposes is TO except
railway enterprises from the general
prohibition of counties, towns and
cities taking stock in or aiding corpor-
ations. Having lived for more than
thirty years in an interior county
isolated from railawy transportation
[ know what it means TO be deprived
of such facilities and how much peo-
pie SO situated are annually taxed to
convey their products to market and
bring back such commodities as they
do not themselves produce. This mat
ter of subscription to railway enter
prises is one which should concern no
other counties than those which vote
such aid or subscription, fcc it is only
the people of such counties who will
be called upon to pay the tax and
that tax will in almost any event be
lighter than the ever-recurring tax
which they pay either in labor or
money year after year to make their
crops. Besidese benefiting themselves
by securing the construction of new
railways through aid extended to
such corporations, it will have the
inevitable effect of benefiting all other
portions of the state by comforting
our waste places and developing the
resources and wealth of various Sec
tions of the state which are now, by
reason of lack of proper railway trans
portation, unproductive and poverty
stricken The roads themselves when
built will be an important addition to
our taxable property, and every dollar
added OF the taxable property of Mis-
sissippi is calculated to lower the gen.
eral rate Of taxation for state and |
school purposes.
Help me i'll this matter. Write |
one of your vigorous leaders and print |
it in both your daily and weekly |
editions, calling the attention of your
readers to the two proposed amend.
manifestations 36 and 183-and ad- |
vising them that a ballot which is
not marked either for their ratification
or their rejection will be counted
against their adoption.
] am afraid of the amendment to
section 279. In theory it may be cor
rect enough, but fear the results of
making changes in our organic law
too easy of accomplishment.
Very turly your friend,
L. NJ. Garrett.