The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1907-04-18
DR.. MccALEB's VIEWS.
Repeal of Lien Law, Reduction of
Interest, Agricultural Banks,
Reform School, Exper-
iment Station.

Claiborne and Jefferson counties.
In response to a question as to
what his platform would be, DR..
McCaleb said
"I have no platform, for that is
formulated for political parties to
stand upon nevertheless, as Bis
marck said: ANY one who can
make promises can get himself
elected I can give you my views
on the measures 1 favor for the in
! terest of the state and the people.
The leading question that concerns
planters, as we'll as the business
class, is the repeal of the agricultu-
raj lien law. 1t should be wiped
off the statute book, because it is a
| false economic doctrine and injuri-
ous as we'll to the business interests
of the state. It is the credit sys-
tenn that paralyzes our agricultural
resources by making us one crop
people to the detriment Of all other
products, which would command
ready cash in the markets, instead
Iof cotton being the only cash crop.
| The abolition of deeds of trust on
implanted crops would do much to
increase our prosperity and go far
to settle the constantly recurring
labor problem, which contronts us
for solution every year. The un-
paralleled prosperity of Texas,
! Georgia and other states, is due to
the fact that they have long since
abandoned the agricultural lien
law, while South Carolina and Mis-
sissippi still cling to this system,
which is a relic of the days OF re-
construction when all economic con-
ditious were demoralized and i'll a
state of chaos and confusion.
"The conventional rate of inter
est should be reduced from ten to
eight per cent per annum. l am
sure our financial friends would
welcome this change, and those
who seek loans could then expand
their business, while better condi.
tions would ensue from increased
values in the progressive develop
ment along all lines of industry.
Mississippi is an agricultural
state, and needs a chain Of agricul
tural banks throughout the state
and under its protection. Our com
mercial development has been great
er than our. agricultural and horti
cultural lines. I would make th'
agricultural banks as strong as the
national banks, and require then
to be strictly under state supervis
ion by having one-third OF thei
capital invested in state bonds as
provision i'll their charters. In ad
ditiou exempting all their loans a
six per cent from taxation. Witt
the establishment of agriculture
banks money will be provided
for the farmers to harvest thei
crops and by time loans to improv
their farms. Our lands will no
huctuate in price, and they Wi
have a fixed value like town lots o
the real estate market.
"The Reveille has for years urge
on our legislators the establishment
of a State Reformatory for juvenil
criminals. I am aware that it wa
the first newspaper, the pioneer i
this state, to advocate this urger
need for the we'll being of society er
acted into law. Unfortunately, tn
making of criminals is, to a gres
extent, the result of environment
= The young offender, who has ha
the misfortune to sink in crime b
association and contact with oldt
y criminals, become more and MOI
+, chronic 1aw-Dreaker The sta
IS should spend sufficient sum to r
Z form the juvenile offenders al
+ school them by precept and exar
y pie to become good members of s
ve ciety. Preventive justice is chea
C. er and better in the long run ths
repressive and punitory laws, G
a. pecially SO insofar as juvenile crit
- ina1s are concerned
"All the geographical divisio
of Mississippi have an experime
be station, except the southweste
t" portion. 1t is an act of just
which we demand, for the geoloi
cal formations of this section shC
that they are entirely unlike t