Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-08-12
Mississippi's Greatest Need

possesses our people as never De-
fore and animates endeavor Tor
better building it brings reallza-
tion of the opportunities that
await enterprise and energy in the
wealth of Mississippi's undevelOp-
ed resources and is guiding our
best intelligence along the way to
the right utilization of our opulent
birthright.
And nothing should be permit
ed to hinder or restrict the actlvl-
ties of that spirit.
It is a benefcent influence and
agency for the economic, social and
civil betterment of our State.
But it needs capital for it's best
nOurishment and the achievement
of results.
We must, therefore, find some
way to disabuse the mind of capital
of the impression that, somehow,
prevails that it is unwelcOme in
Mississippi and will not be fairly
treated. We do not fix the respOns-
bility for this impression; we know,
only that it prevails and ought to
be removed.
We do not believe that the peO
pie of this State share that senti-
ment of antagonism toward corp
6ratiOns, per Sc, that so literally
adorns the speeches of some poll
ticians and the rhetoric of a few
newspapers; they are resolved that
private rights shall not be sacrific-
ed to corporate greed and that the
rapacity of the predatory trust
shall be resisted to the uttermOst.
That is, we believe the thought and
sentiment of a vast, majority of
our people and the irresponsible
demagogue should not be permit
ed to misinterpret it for the misin-
formation of the world to the in
finite hurt of every interest of our
State.
1t is high time that this unjust
and hurtful impression shonld be
diSsipated, and it can be done in
the election of men to public office
who are not afraid to stand for
what they belive to be for the good
of their people and manfully con-
tend for their righteous cOnvic-
tiOnS; we want to send men to the
legislature whose minds are broad
enough, whose intelligences are
bright enough and whose courage
is great enough to recognize the
needs of the State and advocate
policies that will meet these needs
in the bringing hither of capital,
whether that capital be individual
or corporate.
No good man should be afraid or
ashamed to avOw his resolution to
do justice; he is unfit to sit in leg
islature or congress, to be governor
or district attorney, to act as
grand or petit juror, who shrinks
from the thought of treating the
corporation as fairly, under the
law, as he would treat a private
citizen; he should have nothing to
do with the making of laws or
their execution, who has not the
courage to manfully face an un-
just prejudice and fight it for the
deliverance of his State and people
We are spending more than a
million a year tor the instruction
of our children, that the reprOach
of illiteracy may no longer attach
to our State; the native intelli-
gence of Mississippians, broadened
and illuminated by reading and
observation is, today, responsive
to reason; and if public men would
better appreciate this fact and
make their appeal more to the in.
telligence of our people, and less
to their prejudice, both they and
the State would prosper through
that departure.
1t is not true that any spirit OF
enmity or antagOnism towards hon
est and legitimate corporations en-