The leader., 1905-03-04
By ii. =. iILAKEsLEE. Iaekso1

Two actions Of the people Of Mis-
sissippi recently taken can be looked
1 dpoH as arguring great good for the
State Id the future. They indicate a
breaking away from old a1ignments
and forming new connections for tR9
public welfare. That no longer will
our people submit to the dtctation 81
New Yorker brokers' as to the price
which they. VIII accept for their cot
ton and that the Standard Oil COM
| pany and allied interests of insurance
companies, etc, shall determine the
price at which they shall dispose Of
crude oil from the seed mills
The first instance referred to is the
forming Of an association to handle
the cotton crop, prepare for STORMY
any surplus that may be raised and
the advancing of money on cotton
thus stored until legitimate price Is
offered The successful termination
of this movement seems To be- near at
hand and when the cotton planters of
the State can defy the manipulation
of Wall street dealers much viii have
been accomplished forth ADVANCE
ment of Mississippi The action Of
Mr.. Wilson, of Lexington, and ether
A41OAACJ OQ A4C1 IulONlGAOub Lu0 6IdlGy III
offering storage and advances to aid
the attempted revolution, is highly
commendable and stamps them as
deeply interested in the welfare Of
our commonwealth. 1t means more to
Mississippi than the mere handling
Advantageously Of the cotton pro-
dHc6d, and sets an example for our
people to follow In cutting loose from
the domination and dictation Of trusts
and combines that at present are prac-
tically in control OF the whole country,
legislative and executive.
The second, and of equal impor-
tanee with the first, is the movement
to build a refinery iii the State for re-
fning crude cotton seed oil; thereby
fitting for export as well as home con-
sumption. There are rs oil mills in
the State which are not controlled by
what IS known as the trust; under
whatever name It may be locally.
known. None of these mills, have a
refinery and there is none where their
product can be refined except under
control of the greatest trust the world
has ever known, the Standard Oil
Company, and its associated interests.
These Is mills then were compelled
to consult the sweet will of the trust
and smilingly accept anything offered
for their oil. Representatives from
these mills met in jackson few days
since and formulated plan for break
ing away from the trust and refining
their own product. Committees are
hard at work now completing arrange
ments and shortly d second meeting
will be held to put the plan into ex-
ecution. A proud day, it would be for
Mississippians should they be able
to defy these two great influences that
are at present the terror of all inde-
pendent interests in the United States,
and in number Of foreign countries.
These movements seemingly come
at a very opportune time President
Roosevelt is waging war against the
great transportation companies in rate
discrimination and has thrown down
the gage of battle to Standard Oil
What will be the result of this activity
is only conjecture, the sincerity of
the movement being questioned in
many quarters. However, the writer
believes that it will not be without re-
suits Of a beneficial nature. Kansas
has openly deffed Standard Oil, out
1awing it, passed a law to build its
own reineries and go into the market
as an Individual Kansas is an oil
producing State and can accomplish
something along the line indicated.
Texas has entered the fight against
the oil trust with energy and is doing
well so far The action of the cotton
and cotton oil men Of Mississippi will
only strengthen the positions taken
by these States. There seems to be
something like sympathetic move
ment against the trusts all over the
country, and our State is falling into
line very properly.
The. campaign being waged by Thos.
w. Lawson, be he what he may, is
surely bearing good fruit. Lawson
was probably as deep in the mire as
Standard Oil and its insurance Co
horts, but there is much truth in the
old saying anent when thieves fall
out" etc. The people Of Mississippi
have always expressed a desire to
fight combinations that were wont to
pppress consumers of any product.
The opportunity is now offered them
and it goes without saying that they
will Loyalty stand behind the institu-
tions provided for that purpose. A
series of articles giving light upon the
nefarious practices of the great trusts
are now being arranged to appear
during the spring and summer in all
papers throughout the State that de-
sire them A campaign of education,
supported by facts and figures, will be
inaugurated. More than two and u
quarter million dollars is paid by the
people of the State to a trust for one
commodity that has become necessary
about which some startling allegations
are made National legislation is
largely made at the command of the
trusts and in their interest In these
things all Mississippians are vitality
interested. A "Greater Mississippi"
means that her people shall be ener-
getic, persevering, broad-gauged aad
well posted upon all matters pertain
ing to the general welfare The time
to begin such movement is right
now. It is duty of every man to
know these things
The success Of any man against
seemingly insnrmountable obstacles is
the admiration of an appreciatiye pub
lie. Where brains, energy and capital
win in fair combat with opposing
forces of a non-prcgressive character
the discerning populace is ready to-
heartily applaud Such has been the
case with Capt. J. T. Jones in his cam
paign to give mississippi deep wa
ter harbor and safe port for handling
the commerce OF the country
Gulfport offers to the marine inter-
ests of the world safe and conven-
lent harbor with something like twen-
ty-five feet Of water. a direct north
and south line Of road offers unex-
celled facilities for transporting the
products for import and export An
anchorage basin of large proportions,
but to be increased shortly. offers aHn-
PIE room at no cost for the mooring
Of vessels and the discharging or taxi
ing on Of cargoes. A substantial pier
with railroad and electric car tracks
extends out into the sound more than
q mile running alongside the anchor
age basin for q considerable distance.
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