The Tupelo journal., 1908-01-17

unhappy environment have caused them
to stray from the paths of rectitude
and virtue, or possibly have prevented
the child from entering the path Of rec
titude and virtue at all.
Department Of Education.
The department of education has be-
come one of the most important, if not
the most important, department of the
state government. There are many
recommendations made in Superintend-
ent Powers report to the legislature
which deserves serious consideration.
No class of our people contribute more
to the well-being of society than the
men and women who have consecrated
their lives to the education and develop
ment of the minds and bodies of the
boys and girls, upon whose shoulders in
a few years all the responsibilities of
hame and government will rest. School
teaching has become a profession. The
relation of the teacher to the child is
almost as sacred as that of parent, and
you cannot expect a teacher to discover
and bring out in the child the better
parts of its nature unless the teacher
shall be trained, any more than you can
expect a doctor, Oh a lawyer or a
preacher to succeed in their professions
without preparation.
Abolish the Saloon.
If I were called upon to name the one
thing that has wrought the most harm
in the world, caused more poverty,
heartaches, blighted lives, frustrated
ambitions, than all other agencies for
evil combined, l should say the intern
perate use of Intoxicating liquors.
Whisky taken immoderately is hurtful
to man physically, spiritually, mentally
and financially. 1t is an evil, without
a mitigating incident. 1t is the deadly
drug into which the jewels of the hearts
best love are dissolved and pourel into
the mouths of men to madden the brain
and destroy the soul. 1t is verify the
Circean vortex from whose v%oluptuous
whirl, comes human swine to scatter
the seeds of sin and death, from which
will surely spring the tares of sunless
sorrow. l trust that you may see fit
to enact laws at once which will forever
wipe this stigma from the state of Mis-
sissippi.
Public Service Corporations.
The right of the state of Mississippi
to regulate public service corporations
in intra state matters is settled beyond
dispute, and the duty of the state to
regulate them does not admit of ques-
ton. The public must be protected
against the greed and cupidity of these
corporations, and the public convenience
demands that there be some remedy for
their Indifference. There is no question
before the American people today which
touches more vitality the material in
terests of the masses than the matter
of passenger and freight rates on the
railroads.
The Judiciary.
Ordinarily, a poorly paid public Off
cial as IN economic agency is a failure.
The state should not ask it's citizens to
render efficient and intelligent service
without giving to that citizen a fair
compensation for such service. The cost
of living has increased, and all the ex-
penses of maintaining a home have
nearly COUPLED in the last decade. The
circuit and chancery judges receive to-
day the same salary that was paid them
by the state twenty years ago-twenty-
seven hondred and fifty dollars per year.
This salary is too small to tempt a law
yer who is capable of performing the
functions Of that great office, ever if
there were no travelling expenses and
hotel bills to pay, but with these not
inconsiderable expenses added, it makes
the compensation for efficient service
exceedingly small.
f Elective Judiciary.
While l think there is no cause of
complaint or just grounds for criticism
of the men who have served the state
as judges under the apopintive system,
nor do l believe the character of the
Judges will be improved by a change in
the method of selecting them, still I be-
lieve the method CT e~lecting by the
people more nearly accords with the
Democratic idea of government, and out
of respect and Difference to a demand
throughout the state for a change in
the system.
State Depositories.
Experience in other states has demon
strated the wisdom of state repositories.
I believe that a prudent, wise system of
state repositories will facilitate the
collection of taxes, simplify the dis
bursement of public funds, prevent the
congestion of money in the state treas
ury. Keep the money in circulation
performing the benefcent function for
which money was created-and at the
same time add to the states revenue.
This recommendation is made, of course,
with the idea in view that the legisla-
ture shall provide by law for such safe
guards as will render impossible the loss
of the states funds by peculation, bad
investments, or misfortune on the part
of the borrower; and to also provide
against the possibility of such deposit
tories becoming a c%orrupting influence in
state politics.
Soldiers Home.
Your attention is directed to the re-
port of the board of trustees of the Sol
diers' Home. I cannot too highly COM
mend the fidelity to duty and the eff
cheney of this board in carrying out the
legislative will in the management of
this splendid home for INDECENT and
homeless ex-Confederate soldiers. While
there has been some little friction, and
now and then a little complaint on the
part of the unfortunate old fellows, still
I am of the opinion that the home could
not be managed better, more care and
kindly attention given to the old SOL
diers than have. been accorded them in
this home by the board of trustees, the
superintendent and the matron.
The State Militia.
The state militia of Mississippi is in
better condition today than ever before
within it's history. Under the wise and
devoted direction of Adjutant General
Fridge, a degree of efficiency has been
attained which it has never enjoyed be-
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