Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-08-01

dry goods clerk, grocery clerk,
hotel clerk, farmer, C ountry school
teacher, with two willing hands
and stalwart heart betwixt him.
self and starvation. Too poor to
go 10 law school, he borrowed his
books and mastered them. Com
mencing the practice OF Law at
Austin, in Tunica County, in 1859
he moved to Bolivar. with one
dollar and a half and plenty OF grit
Since that time he has probably
done more than any other man
for the upbuilding Of the Delta.
More than any other man, per-
haps, he has known the shifting
lights and shadows Of failure and
success. He has devoted his great
talents and unexampled industry
to every cause OF improvement,
always declining reward for him
self.
He inspired and directed the
movement nearest the Delta farm
er's heart, that ofa safe and per-
manent levee system, being the
first and only president Of the as
sociation.
1t is not in high places alone
that he has served. A laboring
man recently told this writer OF
an occasion when being walked in
the middle OF the night to help
sack threatened levee, he work
ed all night, waist deep in water.
TO save his home. When MORN
ing dawned he saw that the man
next to him, muddy and unrecog-
nizable, was Charley Scott.
Yes" laughed Mr.. Scott, 81
think we white men had better
work at night; negroes do yer,
well in day time"
He has always taken an activ,
interest in politics, for his coun,
try and for his friends, never 70
himself. He was Democrat il
those days when Democrat,
needed men, not politicians, whel
argument and artillery, patienc
and pistols, steady nerve an,
patriotism were required 10 re
deem the South.
During all the years when b
welded a paramount influence il
Bolivar county and the Delft
generally, he never accepted an,
private emolument or benefit
tie refused to be county attorney
refused to be attorney for tn
levee board, and refused to re
ceive 9 dollar for any public ser
vice. Four years ago he serve,
on this levee board at the earnes
solicitation of his pcoplc-and a
n personal loss to himself of from
81, 500 to So, 900 annually, becaus
he could accept no retainer
against the board.
: He never made use OF his pow
er for private gain, and neve
distributed patronage to win poll
teal support. For this reason
the men who we're his open ant
determined enemies for years
the Anti. Scott faction-united in
a pledge to support him for tn,
governorship, using this remark
able language:
Your integrity commands the
confidence of all who know you
and even your enemies rely OF
your word in business, personal
or political matters as they would
on the bond of many men. -
Knowing that you will make ar
ideal governor in whom the
whole state will take pride, we
write this open letter TO tender
you our active support"
1 This singular tribute was signed
by thirty-seven of the men mosl
prominently and violently antag-
onistic to Mr.. Scott in his own
county. Such is the expression
OF his generous and fair. minded
enemies. He Is square and
straight and truthful. That's
why mis- open and honorable enc.
mics can support him.
And that's why the strikers,
The bosses and pixers,
Amt got no use for Scott,
When the people Of Rosedale
built their water works system
they selected a valuable lot be.
longing to Mr.. Scott. He set a
high price upon it, which they
finally consented to pay. Then he
astonished them by saying it was
all a joke, and making free gift
of the property.
For these and many other rea-
sons his friends and neighbors
have implicit confidence in the
man. But, queerly enough, these
same qualities have made him an
object Of distrust to another class
VI men VINO cannot comprehend
patriotic motives.
For the Teller that's after
The dough and the eraftsr,
Amt got no use fot Scott.
Mr.. Scott has experienced his
full share OF reverses. Bad
planting years have crippled him,
levees have broken and swept his
crops away, and financial panics
have made his ruin more splen.
didly complete. In the most
hopeless of these situations came
the failure of the Bank Of Rose.
dale.
Mr.. Scott was neither legally
nor morally bound for it's debts.
but he paid them to the last far.
thing, at a personal loss to him.
self Of SAG, 900.
And we also know" 80 cert.
ned his political antagonists.
that the poor people, white and