Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1905-01-26
By II. E. BLAKEsLEE. Jackson.


passing, and the man who will not
see IL stands in his own light.
Harry l.. Lyons, founder and until
last week editor and owner Of the
Laurel Ledger. has sold that excellent
paper and will devote his time cx-
clusiyely to the work of compiling
industrial editions OF papers in hust-
ling towns that desire such work
done. The first work OF Mr.. Lyons in
Mississippi was for the writer, for
whom he compiled and issued the H.
ltstrated edition OF the Tupelo Indus
trial Review. The phenomenal sue
cess of this work firmly established
him with the newspaper fraternity OF
Mississippi. and the several beautiful
and valuable editions issued since
have placed him far ahead OF any
man who has ever done this special
work in the State. His style Is
unique and convincing, setting forth
in an unusually strong light the ad
Of the city or community un-
der consideration. II is to be hoped
that the present year will see much
Of this highly commendable work
done in the great old State. The
newspapers are more wide-awakc than
ever before. and thoroughly realize
the Importance OF pushing their home
towns and the great benefit to be dc.
rived. Push Mississippi"
The farmers who raised n great
deal of six cent cotton in the central
portion Of the State are not meeting
and resoluting much. but have already
set their pegs TO plant a little more
truck and little less cotton this year
than last. This Is about the only
s sensible way 20 go at the business of
reducing the acreage. The price will
reduce IL all right. and who knows
but what an experience like that
through which we are passing is not
a good thing? II Is undoubtedly
forcing a diversification OF interests.
and that has long been acknowledged
as absolutely necessary in the South.
Raise the neccssaries Of life as far
as practicable at home and make the
surplus crop cotton. With cotton at
IL to Is cents per pound. OF course
everybody will raise all the cotton
that they can, for there is big money
in II. but such prices are abnormal
and will not hold good. Eight cents
is n fair price for cotton. and as
surplus crop the South would grow
rich raising it at that rice.
Natchez will celebrate Mardi Gras
on a much larger scale this year than
ever before. The success attending
their efforts Ia the past Is. sufficient
guarantee that the event this year will
be well worth going many miles to
attend. Then. too. 1t Is n Mississippi
and deserves the undivided
support of Mississippi people. ~ tho
season when this event comes off the
people are anxious to get off some
where for a few days recreation, and
with the splendid list Of amusements
offered at Natchez, there is no reason
why the attendance should not be all
that could be desired. Patronize
Mississippi institutions.
Poplarville comes to tho front again
by voting overwhelmingly to install
Z municipal waterworks system. Work
will begin 30 soon as the plans can
be made and the contract let. Poplar
willie is exactly right in deciding to
have these necessities supplied by the
municipality. The cost to users will
be much less under municipal owner
ship. and II there should be any profit,
which II Is never figured to have more
than enough to pay interest and
bonds. II will revert to the taxpayers
and tighten that burden in the end.
Good for Poplarville.
Recently large number Of deaths
have been recorded in the State
caused from cheap brands of whisky
shipped in from the countless jug
houses on the outside. The most seri-
Gus phase OF the situation, however,
is what a man is calculated TO do who
will drink such abominable stuff just
before il kills him. An investigation
of the murders and crimes of less de-
gree committed in the State during
the year just past, will show that
cheap whisky was the cause OF an
alarming proportion OF them. II it is
absolutely necessary that we have
ltt eOtllt hAuu an
effort to get n brand with the fight
all taken out before It is allowed to
come into the State. This is a vex-
atious question that continual agita-
tion and experiment will properly set
tie in time.
Hazlehurst Is attracting much at
tention from large truck handlers in
the North and East who desire to buy
their crop this spring A large num-
ber of representatives of big houses
have already been on the ground try
ing to contract or make arrangements
to get the stuff Truck is as easily
handled as cotton. and IL 1t is grown
In any quantity by community there
will always be buyers on the ground
to offer the highest market price in
cash before 1t is loaded.
Orders have been given from Wash
ington that the hustling little city Of
West Point Is to have free mail de-
livery after the 1st Of May. This is
quite a feather in the cap of that
place. and again stamps them as hust-
lers. West Point is growing phenom-
enaily fast all the time.
President F. ii. Lewis, of the Pasca-
goula Commercial Club, made \ re-
port recently OF all matters handled,
and the result for the past year No
organization in the State can show a
better record OF accomplishments,
and IT goes without saying that the
citizens OF Pascagoula will see that
the club Is better supplied with the
sinews of war for the present year.
1t Is money well spent.
Monroe county has made step
toward bettering the condition of her
public roads. The contracts have
been let to have them worked, and If
the new system proves profitable it
will be enlarged upon in the future
The interest in better roads is gain
ing fast. and ere many years pass it