The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-07-25
Extract from the Public Speech
of Hon. r. S. MCLaurin.
Leading Candidate for District Attorney
Of this the Eighth judicial
District.

more negroes than white people,
because the grand juries have in
dicted more negroes than white peo-
pie; and the grand juries have in
dicted more negroes than white peo.
pie, because negroes commit more
crimes than white people commit.
! say this with pardonable pride of
the white race. the race to which |
belong. In the peniten tiary there
are about ten negroes to one white
person; so this condition of more
crimes committed by negroes than
white people, and therefore more
negroes than white people convict
ed exists all over the state as well
as in this district. 1t always will
be that negroes commit more crimes
than white people commit. White
people are progressive race. The
white race is on the up grade. It
IS improving in education, morals
and spirituality. Crime is on the
decrease with the white race.
No other race in the world could
have accomplished what the white
race of the south, and especially of
Mississippi, has done since the war.
And this race, with high ideals, is
moving onward and upward to
higher heights. Of course, there
are not as many of them in the
penitentiary as there are negroes,
and never will be. do not take
pleasure in seeing men convicted or
suffer- | have prosecuted those
indicted, hoping the guilty would
be convicted and the innocent ac-
Quilted, because it enforces the law,
and the enforcement of the law
lprotects life, liberty and property.
Tag law is enforced by the acquit-
tai OF the innocent, as we'll as by the
conviction of the guilty. | have
heard that it is objected that in
some cases where there were
several indictments against the
same man have accepted pleas of
guilty in some of them and mol
pressed some of them; or tried and
convicted some and mol pressed
some. Where thought the public
interest was thereby subserved
have done so. 1t has been done by
district attorneys in this and other
districts from "time whereof the
memory of man runneth not to the
contrary"
AS to my legal attainments and
fitness for the office, modesty for
bids me to speak. You have the
data upon which you can Judge as
to this. am not the recipient of a
college education. When a very
small boy it was necessary for me
to work in the field, and at the age
OF twelve | was a regular ploW
hand, by the fruits of which one of
my younger brothers was able to
attend Mississippi College, at Clin-
ton, and the other three younger
brothers the University. However,
by aid of the learning acquired in
the neighborhood schools studied
law, practiced ten years, and was
then elected district attorney from
which you can judge whether the
lawyers who have met me in court
have had occasion to remember
that they have been in law t5ial.
have no unkind word or feeling
for my opponent. Ny relations
with him since our acquaintance
have always been pleasant. first
met him two or three years ago
when he was teaching school in
Rankin county. Ny acquaintance
with him then was but slight. He
continued in the schoolroom till a
little more than year ago and
then moved to Brandon where. he
has since lived.
AS to our comparative qualiflca-
tons for this important office that is
for you to say, not me. Ny
modesty would prevent me from
undertaking to estimate my qualifi-
cations; and | could not estimate his
If | would because ! have never
seen him try but one case in court.
# you feel that he is best fitted to,
serve the peoples interest in this
important office, vote for him; if
you feel that can best fill the Of
flee vote for me. Which one would
you employ to prosecute case for
you. Thattis the criterion.
It IS my desire to serve you 70 Z
the ensuing term and then will
not be, 9 candidate for re-election.