The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-03-31
SPEECH OF
HON. c. h. ALEXANDER
Delivered at the County, Court
House at jackson, Miss,
January 20, 1911.

.-
/ summon you, my fellow e~omtrymen.
TO a fight for clean politics in Missis.
sippi. We are falling on eyl days.
There was a time when craftsmanship
made its appeal to patriotism and made
it in words eloquent with reason; when
Mississippians followed with proud and
quiekening steps while towering men
like Davis, Lamar, George and others OF
lustrous name led them on the way.
Mighty men they were, strong yet gen
tie, brave yet tender, masterful yet
modest. They hated a lie and seorned
the ways Of the ~demagogue. IA l can
not hope to reach that high table-land Of
thought and discussion, / can at least
turn away from the low levels where
d~emagoguery makes its appeal to pas
sion and makes it in the language o. the
yulgarian; where yituperation is the
weapon of selfish ambition, where epithet
is preferred to argument and where
brayado is accounted for courage.
! am not a politician, much less am
l a professional politician. The word
politics in its true and highest sense il
the science Of government, but the cor
ruption Of latter day politics has ae.
graded the word politician until it means,
in popular parlance, the man who Is
concerned only with office. The profess
sional, whether in the realm Of sport or
politics, IS the man who is in it for
gain. II there be any way that leads
through vulgar applause to public office,
| have never sought or found it. | shall
pay you, my friends, the compliment OF
casting aside the rounded period and
tinselry of rhetoric and appealing to
your highest thought. / have no APP
peal to your passion or prejudice, nor
have | any appeal to any special class.
! hold that any man in public life who
seeks to array section against section,
class against class, the country against
the town, or labor against capital is
worse than a demagogue. He is a public
enemy. / shall exalt the citizen. ! see
IN every man before me a sovereign as
well as d subjects sovereign because
Of the citizens high prerogatiye to
make laws and participate in government
"a subject because his highest duty is
to obey the laws. How shall ] come
before this composite citizenf Shall |
come with words Of homage and praise
to the sovereign Shall | latter you by
exalting before you your rights, your
liberties and your supremacy, or shall
l come with words of admonition for the
subject? ii ! sought only popular favor
the choice would be easy; but, believe
me, my fellow citizens, the time has
come when patriotic men should boast
less Of liberties and talk more of laws,
when they should think less of rights
and ponder more their duties. With this
as my profound conviction, | am enter
ing into this campaign.
For the first time / am before the
people of my native state asking the
bestowal of nm office. Its dignity chal-
lenges my pride, its honor appeals to
my ambition, and its duties and difficult
ties would call out my highest powers of
thought and endeayor. When | contem-
plate the gravity Of the trust and the
character and achievements of those who
have filed this office, l am burdened
with the feeling that he who coyets this
dignity or seeks this service should come
in humility to his task. My experience
in advocacy has never been in my own
behalf. 1t has been confined for the
most part to the court room. 1t is true
have never hesitated to turn aside from
the beaten paths Of a profession over
burdened with labor to bear my humble
part in every movement for the public
welfare, In every crusade for civic and
governmental purity, and always with
out money and without price, yet my
career has led me %oftencr to reason with
Jurors than voters. | know of no way to
reach and move the springs of human
action except to appeal to mems noblest
natures and highest thought with that
eandor and simplicity Of speech in which
honesty and earnestness always find ex-
preston. But, do not forget, my friends,
that there are qualifications for the
juror as well as for the advocate. What
is the first question that is asked OF a
jurorY Have you formed or expressed an
opinicny Is it a fixed opinion? II you
answer yes, you are not allowed to sit
even on the smallest case. Now, our
case is before the greater Jury of all
the democratic voters Of Mississippi. The
legislature had no power to do more
than fill the vacancy. The democrats of
the state have reserved to themselves in
a primary the nomination of q senator
Tor the full term. What are your quail
~ications for serving on this greater
jury nave You formed and expressed
nm opiniont Is il a fixed opinion? Have
YOU already rcpdered your verdict, even
before hearing the evidencei Have you
signed up, and that, without waiting
to give the new man a chance or a
hearings Or, if you give a hearing
and | know the people Of Jackson are
always courteous--will 1t be a hearing
like that given by the old justice OF the
peace who told the young lawyer, go
on II you want with your speech, but /
tell yoa plainly you are leading Of 4
furloin hopc,,n or that other Justice,
who seeking like a chancellor TO appear
studious and judicial, said, after hearing
q case, "Gentlemen. | take this case Tin.
der advisement for three weeks, and then
| will decide II for the plaintiff II
that is your frame Of mind, i challenge
Nou for cause. INT. I believe van u ~