The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-05-18

of gubernatorial candidates in
the forthcoming state campaign
before the Democratic primaries,
was issued today and by ex-Su-
preme Court Justice jeff Truly.
The following is the platform of
Judge Truly:
To the Democrats Of Mississippi:
In making this formal an
houncement of my candidacy be-
fore the state Democratic prima-
ry election for the nomination of
governor, shall confine myself
to a concise statement of the
chief measures of state policy
which / intend advocating, leav-
ing all explanations of details
and the elaboration of proposed
plans for public discussion during
the canvass.
First The intelligence, patri-
otism and capacity for self-gov-
ernment of our people being
above doubt or question, they
should, in my Judgment, be YES
ted with the sole power of select
ing their own representatives in
every department of government.
Therefore, | shall advocate an
elective judiciary.
Second-Inasmuch as the pub
lie school system of the state is
recognized as one Of the most po-
tential instrumentalities for the
benefit of the people at large,
such liberal appropriations should
be favored as will eytend the
effect Of that system 70 It's Ut
most limit for good.
| shall, however, suggest cer-
tain material changes in the plan
of administering the funds devo-
ted to that purpose, which is now
in force, SO that the benefits of
education shall be equally dis
tributed throughout the entire
state. Realizing the fact that
the perpetuation of our republi-
can institutions and the welfare
of our country depended upon
the intelligence and patriotism
of the future generations of our
citizenship, the manifest pur-
pose of our constitution was Ito
place within the grasp of every
white child of the state a chance
of obtaining an education at the
public expense. The method
now obtaining of distributing the
public school fund Of the state,
in list practical: operation, sub
verts this constitutional design
and initiates against the best in
terests of our people.
To make this perfectly obvious
it is only necessary to call atten-
ton to the fact that under the
present system the children of
the "black counties obtain from
the state more money, better ed
ucational advantages and longer
school terms than do the chill
dren of the white counties. "
In other words, in those richer
counties, where the negroes are
largely in the majority, the state
provides better facilities for Sc
curing an education than in those
poorer counties where the condi-
tions are reversed. The result
being that the school term is un-
duly shortened, in some it is
necessary to supplement the state
fund by special comfy taxation,
while in the favored counties
there remains annually from the
state fund a large and increasing
surplus. No system which sends
a majority of the negro children
to school in Mississippi for a lon
ger term each year than it. does
a majority of the white children
of the state, should be tolerated
any longer than the time needed
to abrogate it.
Nor should the people hesitate
to change a system which per-
mits the accumulation Of a large
and increasing surplus of idle
money in the vaults Of the banks
while the state is paying inter-
est on money borrowed to run
the government and the schools.
This money should be devoted to
the advancement Of the cause Of
education or left in the pockets
Of the taxpayers.
For the indefensible condition
now existing ample remedy, with
exact justice to all, can be found
by constitutional methods. Such
change Of our organic law should
be adopted as will insure to the
white children Of every county
of the state, at the public ex-
pense, an annual school term Of
equal length.
AS to the higher institutions
of learning maintained by the