The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1906-11-03
ward. However, when later it
became known that man of DR..

| dSdluSL ulM, ,uumU6r OF GneSe
persons at once joined the immor-
al forces already organizing in
the ward and throughout the city.
Some voters who were for several
days outspoken for Cooper and
opposed to Abrams, wayered un-
der the subtle influence of the
'NOwl Club" with its whisky and
gambling attachments, deserted to
the Abrams side, and, on election
day it was facetiously remarked
by persons on both sides that the
contest had become one of
preacher versus poker-player.'
The Leader does not say or de-
sire to create the impression that
none but gamblers and blind
tigers and immoral people gave
Mr.. Abrams their support; no not
by any means; but we do want to
be understood as asserting that
the men with whom he has sat
repeatedly at the poker table and
all the gambling element and crap
shooters of the city. almost to
man, were his active supporters
/
and open sympathizers.
After the result of the election
was announced that night, it is
known that number of Abrams
supporters added to their enthu-
siasm by drinking at his home
and that of another candidate for
another Office in the same ward,
and at least one of the party Of
rowdies that visited the college
and offered insult to DR.. Cooper,
came directly from both of these
places.
1t is not strange, therefore, that
Mr.. Abrams should feel embar
rassed at making any public fuss
over the indignity offered by his
supporters to distinguished and
honored citizen like DR.. Cooper.
AS a matter of fact, their con-
duct was not an expression of i'll
will toward DIR. Cooper, but the
rowdies and hoodlums who perpe-
trated it mad caught the true
essence and spirit of Mr.. Abrams
candidacy and what it stood for
immortality and lawlessness--and
were giving vent to it in this
way.
1t was part and parcel of the
same spirit and candidacy that
caused the editor and this yellow
Journal" to be hung in efigy at
Grafton's corner the following
night, NOT that the perpetrators
of that act specially hated or dis
liked the editor, but rather that
they hate the restraints of law and
the healthy public morality which
B. I. Hobbs and The Leader have
uniformly stood for.
As another matter of fact still,
back of these outrages which are
a reproach and disgrace to Brook
haven, and not to the parties at
whom they were ostensibly ann
ed, the responsibility lies not on
ly in the spirit that was the chief
inspiration of Mr.. Abrams can
didacy, but also partly at the door
of one of the prominent financial
institutions of this town which,
having imbibed the spirit of
Rockefeller and the Standard Oil
Trust, never let's a question of
the personal unftness of candi-
date or a question of public NOR
atty and good government stand
for moment in the way of its
taking the side in elections that
promises to bring the most dollars
to its own Golfers.
In conclusion The Leader would
like to drop a word of warning to
Mr.. Abrams and those who stood
for him and what his candidacy
represented. You can't expect to
have lawlessness and white cap
methods practiced here in Brook
haven without that kind of infec-
ton ultimately spreading to your
own hurt. The people of Lincoln
county are not fools. In other
words, they will not long tolerate
one kind of law observance for
city and anothter kind for coun-
try, without inquiring the reason
for it and demanding reckoning.
It has been proposed by some
that those who are opposed to
/
gambling and blind tigerism put
out a candidate for alderman on
this issue in opposition to Alder
man Abrams at the December
ELECTION and draw the lines so
tight that every man will have to
stand clear cut on one side or
kha other The .padnr can't fa-