The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-10-17
Wallace MCLaurin.

Wallace McLaurin was born on bis
fathers farm in Smith County, Miss.
February IL, 1862, and died in Bran
don, Miss, October 8, 1907. He was
educated in the common schools of his
county, and was afterwards himself
employed as q teacher On his re-
tirement from that work he removed
to Brandon where for a brief period
he edited newspaper. He was only
% years of age when, on the recon-
mendation Of l.. @. O. Lamar, then
Secretary of the Interior, and of
Senator E. O. Walthall, President
Cleveland appointed him receiver of
public money for Mississippi. He
held that post until the end of Mr..
Cleveland first term, but before turn.
ing over the office to his Republican
successor submitted report to the
Government which was highly COM
p1imented for its thoroughness and
accuracy. In 1896, Mr.. Cleveland
then being in the middle of his second
term, he was appointed inspector of
the Governments mineral lands in
the Northwest, at the instance of
Secretary Hoke Smith, now governor
of Georgia. In 1900 he was made q
member>of the National Democratic
Committee. and served in that capac-
ity until the nomination of Judge
Parker as the Democratic candidate
for the Presidency four years later.
At the time of his death he had been
for some years the private secretary
OF his brother, United States Senator
A. j. MoLaurin
Mr.. Wallace McLaurin was, as this
record indicates, throughout a great
part of his career a public man, and
his ability and fidelity were in some
measure recognized and rewarded by
the Government and the party which
he served. His knowledge of political
history, and especially of the politics
and public leaders of his own day,
WAS remarkable. His Judgment in
/ regard to questions of policy was in
variably cool aud unprejudiced. For
that reason, and also because of his
l.weIRnrwn practical sagacity. as
national committeeman he was the
right man in the right place. For
man of his capacity and accomplish
ments, he cherished only a very
modest addition. He served others
rather than himself. But, after all,
that fact affords only partial expla-
nation of his wonderful popularity.
His native kindness of heart, his
genial humanity, his cheerfulness and
sociability, made friends for him in
every quarter of this great country, in
every rank of life. He had no per-
sonal euemy. He did not know how
to make one. Though he had partici-
pated in many warm political cam
paigns, and though often compelled
to oppose his energies to the intem-
porate zeal of excited factions, he re-
mained to the last favorite with men
Of all classes and of all factions in his
native state. Children and servants
loved him. Nobody was afraid to
ask him for a favor, eand to many
foIlorn and shipwrecked brother did
he bring the cheer of kind word and
q helping hand. Now that familiar
figure on our village streets, the friend
with whom we have so often con-
ferred, has fallen out of times long
procession,
From life's history
i To deaths mystery, =
he has gone, and we shall never meet
him here again on earth. But there
was much in his life which we shall
remem Der, and which we are glad to
think must remain forever unforgot-
ten. To his brothers-that sturdy
band of whom now three sleep beneath
the sod-to all his relatives and life
long friends, we desire to extend an
expression Of sincere and profound
lsympathy.
We have ordered limited supply
of / gallon jugs-if you need any
write us and we will let you know
when they come. j. A. Taylor g
Son.