The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-04-15

pie would be called to pass judg-
ment, clearly defined. This
stage of the campaign has now un-
doubtedly been reached, and be-
lieving it to be the duty of this
paper to cast whatever of in
fuence it may WELD on the side of
the candidate whose success it be-
lieves promises the greatest good
to our beloved State, we unhesi-
tatingly declare our preference
for Hon. Z. i. Noel, of Holmes.
Mr.. Noel's public record is that
of an able. patriotic, courageous,
vet safe and conservative leader.
He is prominent member of the
bar in Central Mississippi. He
has served as district attorney of
his district and in both branches of
the Legislature, being elected
twice to the State Senate, OF
which he is now member, He
made the first successful effort
since reconstruction times to have
the Legislature submit to the peo-
pie the question of an elective ju-
dietary, and after the amendment
had been adopted by a large ma
ioritv of those voting on the ques-
tom. inserted in the constitution
and annulIed on technicality
by the supreme court, introduced
another amendment to meet the
objections of the court, which
failed OF passage by only one
vote. 1t was he who, after a
hard fight through two sessions
of the Legislature, succeeded IN
giving the people the present
compulsory primary election law,
which insures every voter a direct
voice in expressing his choice for
candidates and is the death war
rant of the professional wire-pull-
ers, convention rings and bosses
in politics. During two sessions
of the Senate he was an able
champion of the antitrust law,
and when that law, as first pass
cd, had been virtually nullifed
by a ruling of the supreme court,
fought through the senate, after
hard struggle, an amendment
meeting the defect pointed out
by the court, and thus broke up
the cotton oil mill trust and saved
to the farmers of the State thous-
ands upon thousands of dollars
during the past year, to say moth
ing of its restraining effects on
combines in general.
The other gubernatorial candi-
dates have only followed his lead
in advocacy of these reforms,
now popular with the masses.
When Major Vardaman began
the advocacy of his unconstitu-
tional and mischievous PROPOSE
iton to divide the public school
fund among the races according
to the amount of taxes paid by
each, it was Mr.. Noel who was
the first of the gurbernatorial az
pirants to boldly take issue with
him and point out the inconsistent
cy, as we'll as the harm to result
from attempting such an impracti-
cable and profitless scheme, and
he has been doing this ever since
in a way to meet the approving
judgment of an ever-increasing
number of our people.
His influence has always been
cast on the side of law and order
and the industrial and material
development of the State, and
with such a man in the Govern
or's chair, Mississippi's future
for the next four years would be
in safe, clean and conservative
hands. No corrupt rings or com
bines of any kind could find. ia
vor or shelter under his admins
tration for a day. AS patriotic
and gentle as Brutus, as brave as
Caesar, as incorruptible as Cato,
of all the distinguished and hon
orable gentlemen who are aspir
ing to be Governor of this great
State, none, in our humble opin-
ion, are quite so prominently
qualified and fitted for the duties
and responsibilities of this exalted
Office as he.
Judge Brame, Of jackson, has
announced himself as candidate
for Attorney General, and has en-