The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-24
.BIG FIGHT COMING
 OVER COMMISSION
Some Jackson Citizens Want
 New Form of Government
PETITION IS CIRCULATED
Majority. of People Appear To Be In Favor of the Present City Govern ment-kemper County Will
 Have Hanging April 24.

Jackson. MISS, ApIll zo-A AopcNiaisJ
 the late session of the legislature two or
 three citizens of Jackson secured the pas
 sage of d bill which provides that Mis-
 sissippi cities may, if they so elect, be
 placed in the hands of a commission,
 as has been done at Galveston and other
 places and attempted at Memphis. There was absolutely no demand here for gov ernment by commission. save in the hearts l of a very few. but they have been quite 1 busy of late, and have secured the organ 1 ization of what has been termed "Busi- ness Mems League" which is sending out and having printed in the local papers d circular explaining the provisions of the law. This law requires that on the peti- tion of 10 per cent of the voters of the city the City Council shall order an cleo ton. It is not doubted that the 10 per cent of signatures can be secured-10 per cent of the voters of Jackson would sign anything presented to them. This will order an election to decide whether or not Jackson will adopt the commission form of government and bring on one of the lveliest lights Jackson ever experienced. It will be the old fight of the Outs against the 'Ins" and in view of the fact that the present "Ins'' have licked these same Outs on more than one occasion in the past, and as they are just as hon est ahd capable and competent as any of the Outs there does not seem to be much chance to oust the present incum- bents by a circuitous route when direct one has failed repeatedly.
 It is believed that large majority of the people of Jackson are opposed to commission form of government If there is any one thing that the voters of Jack son like better than they do baseball it Is an election for city officers, and they are not going to vote for five commis- sioners to hold lifetime jobs when they have been in the habit of electing mayor .and several aldermen and other officials every other year.
 The average citizen of Jackson knows the affairs of the city are honestly admin
 stered, and that under the present ad- minstration no city in Mississippi has made more rapid and longer strides. They will be charry and slow and wary about flying to ills they know not of.
 Governor Noel has declined to inter- fere in the Tom Simpson case, and Kemper county will have a hanging on April 24. Simpson is the negro who caused the "Kemper riot a year ago by killing a Mobile and Ohio conductor, constable and raising a rough house gen. erally, which precipitated a riot and other Killings, and caused the military to -oe sent to restore order. Simpson made his escape, but several months later was recog- niZed and arrested in Cairo or Chicago and returned to Kemper county. His trial resulted in a verdict of guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to be hanged at the time mentioned, April 24. Efforts have been made to secure a communication of the death sentence, but Governor Noel after a careful study of the records in the case, announces that he will not in- terfere.
 The building committee of the board of trustee of the Soldiers home at Beauvoir will meet next Saturday to let the con- tract for the erection of two new dormi- tories and to take steps to add to the hos pital. These enlargements of the facilities at the home are badly neded and will be at the home are badly needed and will be tary of the board has now on hand 9 applications for admission and cannot take them in for the reason that the pres- ent quarters are filled to overfowing.