The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-03-11

w. anu Ill lH6 llRuC OF the
Linton incident and some political
history Of "the bureau" which
space forbids our going into here,
it is fully warranted. 1t really
looks as if Mr.. Summers was
merely throwing out a clumsy
drag net among ex-treasurers ex-
sheriffs, their uncles, aunts and
cousins, to catch prejudice and
sympathy for the Commercial
Bank, rather than sincerely de-
Tending people who needed de.
Tending at his hands.
BY the same far fetched as
sumption, that all of the ex-treas-
urers and all of the ex-sheriffs
have been ''attacked,'' Mr.. Sum-
mers discovers that his hoy" has
been attacked. :" AS a matter of
fact, every material statement The
Leader made about Wade Sum-
mers, Keenan, and Linton in con-
nection with the campaign of
1908, is sustained by the political
history of that time and was pub
lished with no more thought of
making an attack" on one of the
three than another.
We have heard Mr.. Summers
article commented on orally as
"a yelled defense of the CONNER
cial Bank" If it is, the veil is ex-
ceedingIy thin and the the defense
is thinner than the veil. The
Leader showed that represent
atives of the Commercial Bank
had offered County Treasurer
Linton bribe in mouey to do an
unlawful act and gave names, wit
nesses and circumstances; Mr..
Summers meets this by asserting
that officers Of another bank in
town made similar offer to his
son, while treasurer-elect over
four years ago, gives no names
and doesn't even claim that the
Commercials graft bureau would
not have made like offer at that
time also If it had found it neces-
sary in order to land the treasur-
er's account. If such a thing was
wrong then-and it certainly was
it is wrong now-and it is to be
regretted that Mr.. Summers has
had so many axes to grind ever.
since, or thought he had, that he
could not find a favorable oppor-
tunity to make statement on the
subject for publication until after
The Leaders, exposure of the Goth.
If Mr.. Summers is sure of his
facts, it really shows that
he discovered this particular
brand of graft in the county four
years ahead of The Leader, and
what he says on this point, instead
of generating the graft bureau
of the Commercial Bank, empha-
sizes and strengthens the position
and contention of this paper, that
not only should graft be discoun-
tenanced and made odious. but
that the law should be so changed
in regard to the handling of pub
lie moneys as to remove this form
of temptation from bank officials.
As to whether or not any officer
or stockholder Uf the Bank of
Brookhaven is guilty of what is
charged by Mr.. Summers, they
are all of age and can answer for
themselves if they see fit. The
Leader is neither their adviser
nor advocate.
The editor of The Leader re-
mbers the conversation with
Mr.. Summers at Shiloh and what
he said there about the political
talk he said he had with a man
connected with the Bank of Brouk-
haven at the south door of the
Cassidy Building the day his son
was declared the Democratic nom
inee, and we remember very dis
tinctly we we're impressed that if
be correctly understoo d and quot
ed the gentleman, that this was
only one of other evidences Of the
activity and harmful influence of
the banks in local politics in
connection with the treasur-
er's office, which called for
reform. Mr.. Summers, as we
remember, recited then most of
what he now publishes 10 regard
to his relations with Mr.. Keenan,
after the first primary of 1903,
keeping back the charge of graft
be now makes against an unnamed
bank official, though then, as now,
as he himself alleges, we were
willing and anxious to hear all he
knew, pro and con on the subject
under discussion.
Coming to what Mr.. Summers
now publishes about Mr.. Keenan's
quitting the race for county treas
urer four years ago and the strong
resentment he. expresses at the
very suggestion of graft in any
form, some of his statements are
noteworthy. According to MIR.
Summers published version, he
was helping to manage his suns
campaign and Mr.. keenan, sent
for him AFTER be had made up.
his mind to retire from the second
race, Stated that he was 60
ing to quit the race; that he was
sick, his family was sick and he
didn't have the money to continue,
having spent all he had; that he
felt like he could not win against
Wade. / insisted on his going
oD," continues Mr.. Summers,
and told him no money was
needed, but he was firm in his