The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1906-08-18
VOTED AGAINsT TURNING THE DRUNK.
ARDS OUT.


adoption OF d new code at the last
session Of the Legislature, para
graph recommended By the Code
Commission twice passed the SEN
ate authorizing the Governor to
suspend from Office for malfea-
sance or drunkenness, any State
or county officer, on an affidavit
| duly sworn out or an indictment
returned by agrand jury, pend
ling trial of the accused by court
Iof competent jurisdiction. After
Eit passed the Senate the first time,
lit was reeonsidered by small
majority after hard fought fight,
Ibut still later, when official drunk
enness in the State house became
rampant and disgusting to de-
lgree not to be ignored, the Senate
passed a joint resolution instruct
ling the Code Committee on Re-
vision to reinsert the paragraph
lgiving the Governor authority TO
suspend drunkards from office.
What became of this joint resolu-
ltlon when it got over to the
House Of Representatives to be
adopted or rejected by them, is
told in today's Leader in chap
tier of the House proceedings as
reported by the Daily Clarion
Ledger of April 21st. The
Clarion-L Ledger gives the names
of the Representatives who voted
for the resolution and those who
voted against 1t, and shows that
it was defeated by a vote of so
to 46.
/ On the same day and at the
same session, as shown by the
Clarion-Ledger's report, Repre-
sentative Bynum introduced res
olution expressing it as the sense
of The House that State officials
guilty of drunkenness (Which had
become notorious) should resign,
and this resolution was defeated
lby an increased majority. The
names of the members who voted
yea and nay on this resolution
are also recorded in the Clarion
Ledger's report, as also string
of fimsy excuses, the Gil. re-
porter volunteering the statement
(which is accepted as correctl
Ihthat no doubt the explanat ions
Eoffered are applicable TO ALL
who voted against the resolu-
tion.'
! When it is known that drunken
ness on the part of at least two
State officials was fragrant and
notorious during the whole of the
legislative session up to that time,
and that witnesses by the score
and proof overwhelming could be
had for the asking, the explana-
tions offered for killing the By
mum resolution are about on a par
with that of the fellow suddenly
caught skinning stolen sheep,
who, being much in need of an
excuse, declared he had killed the
sheep because it was trying to
bite him.
II the Bynum resolution was
not the proper way to proceed
and impeachment was the thing,
why did not some of those voting
mo and who were familiar with the
facts, substitute resolutions of
impeachment? Echo answers
why?
| The following copied from the
jackson Evening News Of April
I1sth, throws important light on
the situation prevailing at the
State Capitol at the time the reso
llutions were voted down BY the
House, as recorded by the Ciar-
ion Ledger, and furnishes one Of
the potent reasons therefor not
mentioHed by the eexplaining mem
bers. The News says:
While the chairman of the
Railroad Commission was un-
1doubtedly intoxicated, as charged,
Ibis offense does not loom up
much larger ID gravity than those
lnf MORE THAN a SCORE OF
LAW MAKERS WHO HAVE
l.BEEN In VARIOUS STAGES
lOF lNTOXICATION On.
MORE THAN ONE OCCA-
lSION DURING THE PAST
FEW MONTHS. There has
been d very considerable amount
I0f lushing' around the State
House throughout the session,
land In one Of the committee
rooms Of the HOUSE liquor has
been almost continually kept By
members and a negro porter en-
pIoyed to keep the whisky in
charge for the convenience of
Those who imbibe with more or
less frequency.
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