The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1906-01-25
THE GOVERNORS ADMISSION.

THE GOVERNORS ADMISSION.
The News on yesterday printed a
story to the effet that Governor Varda-
man had admitted to Calvin Wells, jr.,
that he had whipped convict who
was employed at the mansion. The
governor says that he whipped the
convict because he gave him some i'm
pudence. This is certainly humili-
ating spectacle to the people of Missis-
, sippi Here is their governor paving
the air and calling for an investigation
of the penitentiary. The facts as
brought out today are that he and ex-
Sergeant Dave Pickett are the only
ones, SO far, who have whipped con-
victs
In the first place there is no law
under which convict is directed to
work at the mansion, though it has
been done by most governors for a
great many years. The News, while
knowing the weakness Of the man,
thought that he was too much OF a
man for anything like this. 1t knew
that he was weak and vain with q
passion for airing his PECULIAR views,
but it did not imagine that he was a
man who could not at least control
himself. The governor says that the
onvict gave him some impudence and
that he kicked him and then beat him
with broom handle. The News does
not mean to say that the governor did
not think that the convict was impu-
dent, but it submits that convict in
such position could not have been
very impudept. On the contrary, the
natural thing for him to have done
would be to have pleased the governor
in the hopes that he would get par
don as others who have been in similar
positions have been 80 rewarded.
Probably the convict did not intend to
BIZ impudent to the governor, but even
il he was, was it the right thing for
the governor to punish him with his
own hands? He could have sent him
to work under the gun which would
have been great deal more punish
ment to the convict than the whipping
he got, and the people Of Mississippi
would have been spared the hnmilia.
ting knowledge that their governor
ould not rule himself and was there
fore unfit to rule others; for this little
lesson is taught us in the second read
er, that he who cannot control him.
self is unfit to be the ruler over
state. The News in this instance
does not desire to be too harsh on the
governor, but this little incident con-
clusively proves that be is unfit to be
the governor of the great state Of Mis-
sissippi. What right anyway has the
governor to whip convict? What
right has he to have a convict work
ing around his place, for the consti-
tuition says that no one shall have q
private interest in the work Of con
vict. Of course if the Legislature in
vestigates the convict system Of Mis-.
sissippi, it will also investigate the
governor. The humiliating fact is
already known to the world that the
governor of Mississippi is on parity
with brutal guard who whips con-
vict because he is mad. This is what
the governor did. He whipped the
CONVICT because ne WAS mad Inc
brutal whipping of convict by ex-
Sergeant Pickett, for the supposed
reason that he was mad with the con-
vict for personal reasons. is no more
to be condemned than the whipping Of
q convict by the governor for personal
reasons.
In another column today the News
prints an interview with Calvin Wells.
jr., member Of the legislature, in re-
gard to the matter. The tenor Of Mr..
Wells interview seems to be to make
it as light on the governor as possible,
and to censure those who gave the
matter publicity, BY charging that #
is an attemp to muddy the waters.
= fov = The Noxuo a. <onnor,,oA ~ i