The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1904-08-20
A Degrading Campaign.

In its issue of August 8. the Laurel
Chronicle, a newspaper whose rabid
rtterances on the congressional CAM
paign in this district we have already
noticed at length, undertakes to show
in a number of vicious editorials that
Congressman Bowers is no sound Dem.
ocrat. because two or three negroes are
filing positions in the Sixth congress
jonal district. Perhaps it is quite
needless to remind our readers that
this scurvy trick of trying to hold Mr..
Bowers responsible for the negro post
masters in this district is character
lstic of the degrading depths to which
the newspaper end of the Deayours
campaign has fallen. Such mass of
Infamous insinuations, damnable mis-
representations and pitiable ignorance
as displayed by the Laurel paper
should be sufficient in itself to lead
IN ignominious defeat the candidate
whose interest it was intended to pro-
mote.
We are not little surprised that
Judge Deavours, whose professions on
the stump toward his opponent have
been marked with singular courtesy,
should countenance, much less en-
courage by promiscous circulation,
these vile and ignoble ISLANDERS, the
purposes of which are to attain the
same end that the dagger of the mid
night ASSASSIN accomplishes. Let
there be no thrust in the back. Judge
Deavours should charge from the
stump in clarion tones of fairness
what he countenances in print. thus
giving the chance to Mr. Bowers to
defend himself, or he should publicly
disclaim approval of the methods en-
pioyed in his behalf.
Judge Deavours knows, if his news
paper Friday does not, that Mr.. Bow
ers is no more responsible for the ne
gro postmasters in the Sixth congress
sional district than is he himself, and
that Mr.. Bowers could no more dis
lodge these same postmasters than
could he should the people elect 70
send him to congress. He knows that
every one of the postoffices in ques
ton are presidential Offices whose oc-
cupants are appointed by the presi-
dent and confirmed by the senate, and
that no amount of opposition exerted
In the lower house of congress could
In the slightest degree affect the mat
ter either one way or another. And,
yet, knowing this, the Laurel paper is
sown broadcast over the entire dis
trict, charging Mr.. Bowers with the
responsibility for these negro appoin-
tees and casting cowardly reflection
on his Democracy. Once more we are
constrained to say that the bloody
hand of midnight tactics Is plainly
visible.
Since our comprehension of things
political we have witnessed many
congressional contests in this district,
but none to equal in caiumny, insinua
eiolA CPi CoChtdIioh suC OhC
which is now being brought to close
Gen. Martins thunder blows at Stock
dale were aimed at his record in con-
gress and never once did we hear him
hold that individual responsible for
any negro postmaster in the district,
Notwithstanding that the present ne
gro postmaster at Bay ST. Louis was
then serving under President Harri- |
son. And all the way down since that |
memorable contest at no time have |
we heard an aspirant to congressional
honors charge the incumbent in Of
hce with responsibility for Federal
negro appointees.
We repeat. its like has never been |
seen before. When that grand old
Mississippisn, whose armless sleeve at |
tests his devotion to the cause of De-
mocracy and the supremacy of the |
white man-we say when Col Chas. E |
Hooker represented the Seventh dis |
trict in congress of the United States
negro filled the office of land regis
ter in the city of Jackson, but there
were none SO fendish as to cast the /
breath of suspicion on Mr. Hooker's
DeRoTacy because he did not make
fool OF himself in trying to oust the
negro. And where has the cry been
raised that our matchless and in
uepid Williams is not a sound Demo |
crat because two or three negro post |
masters happen to fill postofices in
Ma district? This miserable attempt |
" destroy a great character whose |
every effort in public life has been |
oeSoted to the maintenance of white
supremacy and the perpetuation of
democratic principles could only have |
naa Its origin in malice and debas-
Ing greed for Office.
IL Is indeed strange that Democracy |
80 unsullied as that OF Mr.. Bowers and |
AZ attachment to white supremacy so |
.ident and unalterable as has been
~. Qlnuid non~ r.o