Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-09-17
NOXUBEE COUNTY.
MOBILE, ALA, Sept. s. 1904,

MOBILE, ALA, Sept. 8. 1904.
To the Editor OF the Herald.
Dear Sir:-KRowing your reputation
for equitableness in the use OF your
valuable paper. | feel confident that
you will consider. with unprecedented
mind. a reply to your editorial OF yes
terday. entitled. Power Of the Law. -
The subjects usually chosen to fill your
editorial page are generally so well
handled that the moral lessons therein
taught have a lasting effect for the pro-
mitigation OF the highest social instincts.
but in the article here referred to you
haye, by being misinformed. unintsn.
tionally tended to besmirch the fair
name of a community that has ever
been known for its integrity and high
moral standing. After briefly intro
ducing your readers to Noxubee county,
you follow with the plain. unqualified
verdict lit is a bad county, - and fur
Their on you insinuate That there does
not exist there even normal conditions
of civilized government. You have
made ont of good old Noxubee the
Breathitt county OF Mississippi. while
Macon, the county seat, and one OF the
best regulated towns in the state. is
perhaps pictured by many OF your read
ers as the home Of lawlessness unequal
ed this side OF tho wildcat mountain
Businesses Of Kentucky. And all this
because the circuit Judge Of that dis
trict lately remarked upon the number
Of negro blind tiger cases brought be-
fore him, Noxubee unfortunately1be irg
a prohibition (O county. do not
know the Hon. h. F. Cochran, but I'M.
derstand that he lean able judge, yet
his 'high-sounding remarks from the
bench at Macon. Miss. at the expense
Of the best citizens. have q touch OF
sensationalism about them that will not
tend to further the ends Of a suggested
reformation there, il such is needed,
especially when such comments are
used to advertise the alleged lawlsssness
Of that district throughout the sonth.
He must have theIconcerted. courage.
GUS action Of the citizens who are
charged with moral cowardice before 1t
will come within bis sphere to check
the reputed extent OF crime now toler.
ated by them. II Judge Cochran is as
solicitious for the social welfare Of the
county in question as his remarks would
lead ,us to believe, it would certainly
cause him much annoyance to know
that such remarks have been used to
advertise him personally and politically
at the expense of an honorable and dis.
tinguished community.
To my personal knowledge Noxubee
county has always been noted as one
OF the quietest and best regulated com
munities in the state OF Mississippi.
Seldom has it appeared in the news
items az the site of serious crime, and
though a great farming district, and
therefore inhabited by numerous ne.
groes of the lowest working classes. no
white man has ever had cause to fear
leaving his wife and daughters at home
when business or pleasure called him
away.
Unusual harmony between the races
has always existed there, and in no part
OF the south has the respect due from
the negro to the white man been more
zealously, yet:peacefully guarded,
Certainly the impression given in
your editorial that the better classes
have been cowarded into intolerating
the lawlessness OF negroes in Noxubee
county is unjust.
Upon second thought you might &C.
knowledge that your editorial tends 10
injure a community that is not subject
to censure for conditions that surround
us on all sides in the south.
Having been for many years a resi-
dent OF Noxubee county and always
keeping in touch with affairs there, l
feel that | am competent and shou;d be
allowed to say a few words in defence
of a people who have been u%njustly at
tackled because Of exaggerated condi
tions prevailing among them.
Yours very respectfully.
M. MAHoRNER, JR.