The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-08-29
CAMPAIGN AFTERMATH.

anu Misunderstanding anu WOISb UUOul0
campaign that has ever been
known in this county since the
days of carpet bag and negro mis-
rule. White men, claiming to be
respectable and worthy of the
confidence of their neighbors, did
not hesitate to sell their in
tiuence or their votes to the candi-
date or his friends who would of
fer the greatest inducements; and,
in some instances, the same man
would bargain, for a considera-
ton, to help two opposing candi-
dates for the same office. Es-
pecially did this debauchery pre-
vail with reference to the con-
testants for the Offices of sheriff
and county treasurer. 1t is
charged, iterated, and reiterated
by defeated candidates and their
friends, that the nominations for
both of these offices have been Sc
cured by the corrupt and improper
use of money through bank inhu
ence; and this dissatisfaction
threatens to assume the form of
an independent movement for the
election of sheriff and treasurer,
and possibly an entire independent
ticket. Both of the banks of this
city are charged with having be-
come political factors in county
politics, unduly interfering with
the old order of things by the use
of money; and there is a strong
feeling on the part of many good
citizens to rebuke the banks for
such interference.
The Leader has peculiar oppor-
tunities for getting at facts and
obtaining information from great
many sources and opposing in
teressts, and is satisfied, after
comparing conflicting statements,
that a great deal that is currently
charged is misleading; and, to
that extent, an injustice to the
banks. The real gist of the matter
seems to be about this: all the
moneys of the county and that
collected for the State by the
sheriff passes during the year
through the hands of the sheriff
and county treasurer. 1t is the
custom of these officers, when they
have money in their custody, to
deposit it in one of the Brook
haven banks for safe keeping.
While it is thus deposited, the
bank having it in charge, has the
use of it, without interest, in its
business, and it is to its business
advantage to do so. Each bank,
therefore, is interested, in busl-
ness way, in the success of the
candidate for sheriff or treasurer
who can be counted on to make it
his depository in case of his cleo
ton. 1t is not a correct statement
of the case to charge the banks, as
banking institutions, with using
money corruptly or otherwise to
secure the election of the candi-
dates of their choice. That the
officers and stockholders, however,
of the banks, as individuals, do
combine to great extent to Sc
cure the election of sheriff or
treasurer who will favor their re-
spective banks, is undoubtedly
true. Speaking with the editor
of The Leader on this point re-
Gently, Mr.. H. Cassidy, attorney
of the Commercial Bank, gave ut
terance to the following language,
which is doubtless, a correct state
ment of tile case as to the policy
pursued by the officers and stock
holders of the banks:
''It is natural, where other
things are equal and there is no
question involved save the pref
erence between the men, that the
officers and stockholders of a bank
should support candidate for
county treasurer who is friendly
toward them, and there is nothing
wrong, immoral or reprehensible
in so doing. 1t is legitimate
business policy and rests upon the
same principal that actuates indi-
viduals to determine in favor of
one candidate or another where all
occupy the same platform. /"
1t therefore follows that when
ever individuals interested in
bank do what Mr.. Cassidy here
says they do to secure the nomina
ton of certain candidates, just to
that extent the banks become or
ganized political factors in county
politics and affect political action
by the voters.
So well has this come to be I'M
derstood of late years by those as