The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-04-18

Mr.. Tinnin Declines to Run.

Mr.. Tinnin Declines to Run.
Fannin, Miss, April 10, '07-Edi.
tor News: ! have been personally
solicited by several Of my friends and
once or twice through your valued
paper. to become 8 candidate to rep
resent the "Grand old county" Of
Rankin in the next legislature, and
AK small space in The News to
reply.
In the good old days Of long ago.
when the ofiioe sought the man and
not the man the Office, no good patri-
otto citizen had right to refuse to
serve his country in any capacity that
his fellow citizens deemed him ftted
for land think they made few mis-
takes In their men in those days., but
now think one may decline with
more propriety.
The Office Of representative in the
state Legislature is not only one of
honor. bnt Of very great responsibility,
and an Office to which I don't think
any one should aspire unless he is
we'll fitted by training and education
to discharge the duties Of with credit
to himself and the satisfaction Of his
constituents, as we'll as to the state at
large. Our state is making rapid
strides in the development Of her
many and varied resources, and under
such progress and prosperity as we
hope to ses for many years, we need
in our Legislative halls our best,
wisest and most competent men to
represent rs; men fully capable Of
meeting and combating any emer-
genoy chat may arise, and in these
days Of graft and corruption there
will be many such emergencies, dare
say, for them to encounter. l endorse
what the Summit Sentinel has to say
in regard to selecting men to fill the
various offices and parsicularly that OF
representative, as there are many laws
that should be repealed or SO amended
as to make them more effective, nota-
bly, among which, / think, are our
jury laws. ! feel sure that majority
Of the good people Of this state will
agree with me that our jury system
is q veritable farce, and that the laws
for the selection OF jurors, it seems,
were passed more in the interest OF
the criminal than for Furnishing him
II guilty. In this connection ! think
the law in regard to changes Of venue
should be 80 amended as to make II
very difficult, il not impossible, fo1
one charged with crime to get q
change of venue. for who are more
lcompetent to pass upon ones guilt OF
innocence than his neighbors, if they
are honest, and don't believe there
is q community in the state in which
there conld not be an honest jury
selected If the laws were not such al
to disqualify them for service.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, ] wisf
to thank MANY Voters and my
friends for the honor and confidence
they express and desire to bestow up
on me, and to say that nothing would
afford me more pleasure than to repre-
sent my native county in the stat'
Legislature If I was qualified by train
ing and education to discharge the
duties Of the office as think the,
should be; but knowing my inabilit.
to do this must decline to become
candinate and trust that you, as vel
as every other voter in the county
will look we'll over the county ant
select msn better qualified (of whom
there are many than myself to fl
this most important position.
| I am most respectfully,
| s. W. TINNIN.