The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-08-09
DENIES CHARGES
RECENTLY MADE
SAYS He Did Not Msappropriate the
Funds of the Organization and
Characterizes His Assalants as
Tools of Character Assassins.

President G. R. Hightower, of the
Mississippi division of the Farmers
Union, has issued the following self
explanatory statement from division
headquarters:
Jackson, Miss, Aug. 6, 1909
The campaign of SANDER and perse-
cution of the Farmers Union and OF
me personally which has been going
on for som time, has been deliberate
ly planned, hoping to destroy our or.
der. It appears that special interests
operating through political intrigue
are responsible for the attacks. The
most recent attack comes from local
with twelve members situated neal
the line of Rankin and Scott counties.
Some of these men are loyal and TRUE
but have been deceived; others with
q vicious tendency are chronic kickers
or perhaps the willing tools of de-
liberate assassins Of character. | am
charged with having used the money
of the state union to further the inter
ests of the Farmers Union Cotton
Company since I have been president
Of the union This charge is untrue,
However, if it were true, it would not
he 4 breach of trust because that cont
nanv is a union enterprise, launcheH
nv nv predecessor, Hon. ]. M. Bass
and others. At the time that company
was being organized, President Bass
and several officers from other states
held meetings in Memphis in an ef-
fort 70 do something for the rehet OF
the cotton farmers during the panic
neriod of 1907. I was invited to at
tend these meetings, which was long
hofore T ever became president of the
17ormers' Union, and did so. l in
curred some expense, which was PAID
INV the state union of MISSISSIPPI
President Bass and Secretary Russeli
also had small expense accounts lot
+be same service. All of these ac'
counts were legitimate and were prop
erlv Maid. They were allowed by the
evacutive committee and were later
nassed on by the state union,
am charged with having drawn
salary from the state as state senator
and from the union as president at the
como time. If [ had drawn these sal
orios os charged, it would have beer
norfactlv legal and involved no ques
ton Of morals.
However. I did not draw double pay
90 is vouched for by the voluntary
statement given out recently by sec
,,o+arv of State Power, and in which
no shows by his official records the IN
iustice done me, and further says;
.oThe attention of Mr.. Waller was
oor1od IN his discrepancy by some IN
+orested parties, but he has not beer
20 INV office to have correction made
am charged with having used TN
e.nds Of the state union to further th
nresent warehouse movement. IN
following resolution was passeu D
4hc .+o+1 rr'cn'
80. r.a,i ~ wise to iorr
-. -,nra1 va.enouse company, nav
ing sufficient capital t' hold, cohCre
and market all the cotton we can'
order that we may be able to get d
eouitable and just price, and TO assis
those who have made distress COTTON
therefore be it
"Resolved, That the Farmers unio
Of Mississippi, in state convention a
sembled, respectfully recommend Una
all Farmers Union warehouses in MIS-
sissippi be combined under one cna
ter. with one central board OF dire'
tors. with sufficient capital to carr
ont the above-named purposes
"Resolved, That we recommend thS