The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1909-05-20
SENATOR M'LAuRiN.
Replies to Criticism by, Ex-Governor
Vardanoan.


Nav IL. 1901 notice in the is
sue of May l an unprovoked assail-
1 ment of me by Governor Vardaman.
/ must not be expected to notice all
the Misrepresentation that Governor
yardaman utters against me. / will
| take one, however, from the Issue or
| May /, and let it serve as sample.
On mage 8 of the Issue, first col
umn. he says: 'As Senator McLaurin|
/ has so largely rested his case ON
the record he made in the constitu-
tional convention he may, if he choos-
es, explain his vote ON the following.
article. page 81 of the Journal, intro
duced by Hon. r. H. thompson:
! Lands belonging to or under the
control of the state shall never be
donated. directly or indirectly. to
public corporations, or individuals,
or to railroad companies; nor shall
such land be sold to corporations or
associations for less price than to
| individuals The vote on this article
was SO to 10, A. j. McLaurin being
one of the 49,"
The truth is, Mr. Thompson offered
a substitute for section 81 and pend
ing amendments thereto, which substi-
tute was in the following language;
Lands belonging to or under the
lcontrol of the state shall never be
donated, directly or indirectly, to
private corporations or individuals or
Ito railroad companies, nor shall such
LAND be sold to corprations or asso-
Citations for less price than that for
which it is SUBJECT to- sale to in
ldividuals. This section, however, shah
mot prevent the legislature from
granting a right of way, not exceed
ing 100 feet in width, as mere
easement to railroads across State
lands"
| Upon comparison of the substitute
offered by Mr.. Thompson and the
pretended publication Of it in the
Issue. it will be seen that Governor
Vardaman left out this part OF the
substitute. to-wit: This section,
however shall not prevent the legis-
.Ilature from granting a right OF way,
not exceeding-100 feet in width, as
a mere easement to railroads across
State lands" Had he published this
with the balance of the substitute 1t
would have shown my obejct lit.
On page 205 of the Journal of the
Constitutional Convention the report
of the Legislative Committee is
found. On page .314 of the Journal
section 81 appears, which reads:
Lands belonging to or under the
lcontrol of the State shall never be
donated, directly or indirectly, TO
railroad companies, private corpora
3, tions or individuals"
On page $40 it appears that Mr.
Il BOYD offered this amendment:
"Nor shall such lands ever be
leased or sold to railroad companies
or private corporations for less than
the price. at which they are offered
to individuals.
This amendment was accepted by
the Committee, and made the section
read as follows:
Lands belonging to or under the
control of the State shall never be
donated, directly or indirectly, to
railroad companies, private corpora
tions or individuals, nor shall such
LANDS ever be leased or sold to rail
road companies or private corpora
tions for less than the price at which
they are offered to individuals
The section thus amended was
adopted.
The vote adopting the section was
reconsidered. Several amendments
were then offered to the section and
rejected. Mr.. Holland then offered aD
amendment; Judge Simrall offered ar
amendment, and SenatcS George
offered an amendment to Judge Sim
rails amendment. The Journal, on
page 81, then proceeded to say:
"Mr. Thompson substituted the fol
lowing substitute for the whole sec
ton and pending amendments there
to-:
Lands belonging to or under the
control of the State shall never be
donated, directly or indirectly, tG
private corporations or individuals
or to railroad companies, nor shall
such lands be sold to corporations
or associations for less price than
!, that for which it is subject for sale
to individuals. This section, however
shall not prevent the Legislature
from granting a right of way, not
exceeding 100 feet in width, as a
mere easement to rilroads across
State lands"
The test was then between the
section as it was after Mr.. Boyd's
amendment had been accepted, which
was as follows:
Lands belonging to or under the
control of the State shall never be
donated, directly or indirectly, to
railroad companies, private corpora
tiors or individuals nor shall such
land ever be leased or sold to rail
road companies or private corpora
tions for less than the price at which
they are offered to individuals 7"
and the substitute offered by Mr..
Thompson which was as follows:
Lands belonging to or under the
control of the State shall never be
donated directly or Indirectly to pri-
vate corporations or individuals or
TO railroad companies; nor shall such
land be sold to corporations or asso-
fciations for a less price than that
for which it is subject to sale to
individuals. This section, however.
shall not prevent the Legislature
from granting right of way not