The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-08-31
OUR NEXT
GOVERNOR
BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE LIFE
A Man Who Will Reflect Honor to
the Office and State and Credit TO
Hinsel-A Man Of the People and
for the People.

hon Z. +. Noel, VINO has won the
governorship of Mississippi. has been
prominent in the political life of the
commonwealth for the past two de-
cades, and it is very doubtful if there
IS a man in the State who enjoys the
personal acquaintance Of a larger
number OF people
This was Mr. Noel's second race
for the governorship. Four years ago
he was IN the contest with ] X. Var
daman and +. a Critz, and pollcd
about $4,000 votes, which was not
quite enough to pitt him in the sec
ond primary. Mr. Noel accepted de-
feat gracefully. resumed his law
practice, and also resumed interest IN
political affairs Quietly and un-
obtrusively. yet with very decided
effectiveness. he commenced another
campaign nearly two years ago
While other prospective candidates
were feeling Mr.. Noel was getting
his forces together for the fight. and
he had canvassed more than half the
State before Nessrs Scott. Brewer.
Sisson, Truly and Thomas made for
NAL announcements --is work could
hardly be called ''gum-shoe" politics,
for II was an open secret in political
declared in the Vardaman- Critz-NoeI
raea that the gentleman from Holmes
woEld again be an aspirant four years
.fro# that date
Although his platform was not radi
cal or extreme in It's main aspects,
.Mr Noel is pledged 70 a pumber OF
Important reforms. notable among
which is a State prohibition law. ana
that subject will doubtless he the key
note of his inaugural address. He
has been for many years an ardent
prohibitionst and relentless enemy
of the liquor traffic in all forms. On
" year or 50 ago he contributed his
legal talents without hope or promise
OF financial reward in the fight to
Suppress the G. O. d. liqaor traffic
which had grown to alarming pro-
portions in many towns. practically
multiplying the local option laws. He
took part III the litigation instituted
in ehe State and federal courts and
conceived the idea of taxing the c.
O. D. business out Of existence also
framing several of the statutes OF
remedial character enacted by the
lie gislatiire. although he was not at
that time member Of either branch
of the law-tnaking body.
= Mr.. Noel declared from the stump
throughout the campaign that il elect
ed he would recommend the enact
ment OF State prohibition measure,
and 1t is hardly necessary to- ask him
for reiteratiop of this declaration.
his eIectIon IS in sense a triumph
OF the prohibition cause. although
that question was not directly at
Issue between him and Hon Earl
Brewer. the latter also declaring.
daring the latter days of the cam
pafgn that he favored a prohibition
enactment by the law-makue body.
Next In importance of the issues
advocated by Mr.. Noel is an elective
Judiciary system. He was the author
OF the elective judiciary amendment
Submitted to the people at the 1900
election, and which presumably car
rfed by Safe majority tsit which the
ssapreme court declared unconstitu-
tional because they had not been
drafted in proper form.
In renewing his agitation for an
elective judiciary system, Mr.. Noel
not only declared for the election Of
supreme Judges, circuit judges and
ehancellors by popular vote, but he
also included levee commissioners.
and through this means he seeks to
deprive the office TO which he has
been elected of the most important
on which the former chief
executives have built up their politi-
cal machines.
THE patronage Of the chief exc
orStive should be reduced TO the
smallest practical limit. declared Mr..
Noel in his platform issued nearly
eighteen months ago. That he will
reiterate this creed when he goes
INTO Office may be confidently ex-
pected.
Another notable reform to be ad-
vocated by Mr.. Noel is in the exist
ing methods of the distribution of The
school fund by which some counties
secure more money than they can
well handle while others hardly get
meagre salary for the shortest term.
This reform, of course. involves a
constitutional amendment. with the
enactmert of which the governor has
buf'little to- do. but the recommends
ton of the chief executive invariably
carries much weight Another edu-
cational advancement advocated by
Mr.. Noel is the establishment of "a
State normal aud training school for
feathers.
Thf new governor goes into office
pledged not TO become a candidate
for the United States senate, and he
will be the first ruler of this common
wealth who has made an anti-elec-
tion pledge of this character. This,
In isseif, gives promise of a success
sui administration. free Of factionai-
ism-or effort Tor political aggrandize-
ment.
SSveral ohter issues were advocated
oy Mr. Noel during the campaign
that are worthy of passing notice. He
fevors amendment Of the primary
election law. OF which he is the ai-
Ahor limiting the amount a candidate
tof state office shall spend in making
Z canvass. What the campaign lust
CLOSED has cost Mr.. Mel would be
hard 10 estimate, but it is certainly
rAore than the salary he will draw
lur the first year in office The ex-
penses of some of the other candi-
dates were nothing short of rIiinous.
Mr.. Noel believes that present
meth DDS of taxation and assessment
are defeceive, rendering the burden
twice as heavy in some counties as
a others and he will urge the enact
p1enf OF statutes to correct these IN
Penalties and more epuisably distri-