The Brandon news., 1906-10-04
BREWER-sOoTT CONTROVERSY.

between Hon. Earl Brewer and Col.
Charles SCOTT.
We do not know that we thoroughly
understand tho issue that is between
them, but a. we understand 1t, Mr..
Brewer charged in speech that Col.
Scott rode last winter with Mr.. Har-
rihan, vice president Of the Illinois
Central Railroad company, to jackson
In the private car Of Mr.. Hartman,
and that while in jackson Col. Scott,
Mr.. Harrihan, vice-president Of the
railroad company, and other officials
and attorneys of the railroad company.
held . conference in Jackson, and this
was all while Mr.. Scott was contem-
plating being candidate for governor,
ana that about that time his candidacy
was announced by him. To this Col !.
Scott denies that he had any confer
renee in Memphis or New Orleans
but AZ yet we have not seen where he
has said anything in denial Of such a
meeting in Jackson, or denial Of his
going to Jackson at the time stated
with Mr.. Harrihan in Mr.. Hartman IS
private car.
Mr.. Brewer also says that he charged
that Col. Scott was being supported
by the leading lawyers of the largest
railway systems in this state, and that
Mr.. Scott himself is q railroad attor-
ney for the Yazoo and mississippi
Valley Railroad company; and that
he has letter from Col. Scott that
will prove the fact of the support Of
the leading railroad lawyers mention
ed. Col. SCOTT denounces the state
ment as q deliberate falsehood; and
Mr.. Brewer, in speech, read letter
from Col. Scott in which Col. Scott
claimed the support, among others, of
General Catohings, Captain McWillie,
and Mr.. Leroy Percey, three leading
lawyers of railway companies in this
state. Mr.. Brewer also reads an Of
ficial published list of attorneys of the
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad
company and the Illinois Central Rail-
road company in which he claims that
Col. Scott is published as their attor-
ney. To this Col. Scott has made no
denial so far as we have seen or heard.
Col Scott has been very bitter in his
denunciation Of Mr.. Brewer, and we
think without sufficient provocation
Surely the people Of the state have a
right to inquire into the fitness Of a
man for the position who aspires to be
governor, and If he is man likely to
serve the railroads in preference to the
balance Of the people Of the state, the
people have right to know it. The
attorney who serves the railroad, as
against the people, before he goes into
Office, and expects SO to serve them
after his term Of Office is out would
hardly be expected to serve the people
az against the railroads while in office
Railroads claim to be public enter
prises, condemn private property and
compel individuals to sell it whether
they wish to sell it or not; and run
their railroads through any part Of
property Of individuals, even through
private graveyards if they see proper
and as soon as they build their road
claim 1t as a private enterprise, and
deny anybody's rights to regulate with
1t. Attorneys who have long been
accustomed to serve these railroads
are generally timbued with the same
ideas, and the people have right,
and ought to, consider this in the Sc.
lection Of officials. Railroad com.
panies, with their great wealth and
power, condemn sprivate property for
their own use. and generally become
arrogant, and their attorneys Of long
standing partake Of the same spirit.
Col. Scott was attorney for the
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad
company when the long contested suit
was prosecuted against that company
to compell it to pay taxes from which
it claimed exemption when it was not
entitled to exemption, as was decided
by the supreme court Of this state.
Whether he participated in the coun.
oils Of that case or not we do not
know, bnt was one Of the regularly
retained attorneys Of the road at the
time, and it is to be supposed that he
was imbued with the ideas that were
entertained by the other attorneys Of
the railroad, that the railroad COM
pany was not liable, and If so, he is
likely to have the same ideas now, and
If the decision were In his power would,
in all probability, reverse the decision
Of the supreme court, and thereby cnt
the state ont Of hundreds Of thousands
OF dollars Of taxes from the railroads
and cripple the schools to that extent.
IT, is not safe thing for the state Of
Mississippi to elect such q man to ap-
point judges to pass ..on such questions.