Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-08-10

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- folk against town
folk, individual against corporate or
sanization. 1t recognizes that all have
rights which the others are bound in
justice to respect. 1t is not now nor
never has been in sympathy with blat-
tant assaults made by aspiring politi-
clans against railroads or other cor
porations operating in the state, merely
in the hope of appealing to preiudiced
people and securing their support. 1t
is, however, in favor Of equal justice
and even opportunities before the law,
and in perfect accord with the demand
that the strong as well as the weak,
the combinations Of men as we'll as
the individual, the rich as we'll as the
poor, shall be made and held amen
able to the laws OF the commonwealth.
In the present dominant issue before
the people Of Mississippi, this question
is presented in all the force Of its
varied and embarrassing bearings. A
grand young man, native born son Of
the state, whose every heart pulsaton
vibrates in love and sympathy with his
fellow men and brother Mississippians,
steps forth as candidate for Cover
nor, not as a covetous aspirant for
donors and emoluments, but offering
his services to the whole people in the
interest Of fair play, in a demand for
the equal distribution Of the burdens
of taxation. for the protection of the
young, the preservation of virtue in
childhood, for the honest discharge of
all public duty, and last but by no
means least for the enforcement Of the
laws when violated against the rich
and powerful as well as against the
poor and helpless.
In taking this advanced position,
stand not before dreamed Of by an
aspirant for high office in the state,
MIR. Brewer, could not fail to realize
that he would at once inspire the an
tagonism, the desperate opposition of
all who felt themselves licensed to
take short cuts around the laws passed
tor their government.
In the first primary, Mr.. Brewer
gained ascendency over the most con-
spicuous candidate of the public
service corporations. the railroads,
despite the fact that half hundred
thousand dollars was spent in that
candidates interest In eliminating
this railroad pet from further consider
alton at the polls, Mr.. Brewer natural
ly brings down.upon his own head the
hatred and every possible opposition
these defeated interests can bring to
bear for his final overthrow in the
second primary. To them it is any
thing to beat Brewer.
In this connection, and at such a |
time. it may not be inappropriate for
every voter to sit down for himself and
for himself think over the situation as
Ii the public service corporations so
earnestly desire the defeat Of Mr..
Brewer, therelnust be some method
in their madness. Is it because MrI
Brewer declares that he is in favor Of
the public service corporations obeYng
the laws as rigidly as the private cit
izen is expected to obey them? Al
no time nor place has MIR. Brewer
stated that he would discriminate in
favor Of the private citizenship Of the
state and against the public service
Everywhere, at all times.
he has plainly proclaimed that he
wants the laws obeyed by ALI
ALIKE.
Ii would not seem logical that any
railroad or any other combination Of
wealth should complain Of this position,
unless it does not want to be held in
obedience to the law in the sameman
ner as it asks that those with whom it
may come in contact shall be held in
1t looks very much, under the atti-
tude Of these great combines Of wealth,
that they object to being subjected to