The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-01-19
GOVERNOR BREWERS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS

In recognition of the custom so long
established that IL has acquired the force
~ law. the traditions Of this occasion re-
ouire the Governor-elect at this time to
deliver an Inaugural Address, and EN-.
hndy therein the general policies he
,tuIds for, and which he hopes to have
c~rygtalized into law by the aid Of the
legislative department. OF the state.
Party Harmony.
Before entering upon the discussion OF
tse problem of government, and before
admitting for your consideration sug-
g~,stjons for their solution, o moment
nav be given for q plea to harmony and
On6j will, without transgressing the ca
9ons of good faith, and with the hope
tbst the speaker will escape the charge
Of attempting to play the role OF teacher
or mentor.
It is easy to forecast that the Gov.
.eyHor whose terra of office begins today,
by reason Of the unique conditions which
brought about his unanimous selection
"A the standard bearer of his party, will
have trouble all mis- own during the en-
s.,lnq four years. On the other hand, it
seems clear also, that he occupies such
relations to the several factions within
his party that an imperative duty is
thereby imposed upon him to make an
honest and courageous effort to restore
marty harmony, especially while we are
an engaged in the transaction OF the
business Of the whole people However
thaBkless this task may be, and however
Iiahle to minsconstruction and criticism,
out of a sense OF duty l have decided
nevertheless to essay the role of peace
mixer.
Standing at the very summit of my
ambition and moved by a fixed purpose
to use every legitimate effort to advance
And conserve the moral and material
welfare Of the State, and to give every
moment of my time and thought for the
next four years to the interest Of the
people, it is surely not amiss for me to
claim the cooperation, sympathy and
support of every department of the
State government, so long as my official
cOaduct gives evidence~of a desire to
accomplish something for the prosperity
and glory of the Commonwealth.
In order that we may serve the people
best, we must first have peace and har-
mony; the passions and animosities en-
gendered and infIamed by the white heat
OF political combat must be forgotten.
II there are those who must indulge in
ordinations and recriminations, let it
be postponed until election years, when
they can at least offer as an excuse for
using such questionable methods the
degenerate practices of later day politi-
cd warfare.
We of the South have a problem
which, in It's most acute form, does not
exist in the States north of the Ohio
river. That we may find some righteous
solution of this problem is the equally
earnest desire of all, and, to that end,
it rs ESSENTIAL that the virtue and intel
ligence of the State should stand to-
getAer, and frown upon any and all
things which may tend to create dissen-
sion and division in our ranks.
We have two schools of political
+houglt IN our State, and this is true
of an the States. We have patriotic
naen who are extreme conservatives, and
we have also many good men who are
radicals in their progressiveness, but the
great mass of our people are neither too
radical or too conservative. Because we
disagree upon men or measures, Is no
reason why we should suspect each 9th
en- OF lack of sincerity or honesty. The
maintenance of white supremacy in all
lbs vigor, is of infinitely more impor-
taaoe than the advancement of the po-
H&isal fortunes or the political cruelty
ism of any man or group of men in this
State. T..
Believing this, and being inspired by
no motive other than the good Of my
State. | earnestly summon my co-labor-
ers to put aside all thought of faction,
Oy schism, and let us enter upon IL
duties with a fixed purpose to welcome
the counsel and aid of all who may have
anything to offer which promises to ben
eat the people whose interest we have
bsen chosen to represent.
Reformation of Criminal Law and Pro-
cedure.
The common law of England is the
law of Mississippi, except where changed
by statute, and therefore the courts OF
ctr State are bound to archaic princi.
pies, wise enough when made, but often
satirely untitled to modern conditions.
The safeguards thrown around per-
SONS charged with violations of the Grim
isal law, by judicial construction, were
designed to soften the rigor of the law
at a time when what would now be re-
garded as trivial misdemeanors were then
denounced as f~elonies and punishable
by death.
Ihe judges of that period were more
humane than the laws they were called
upon to enforce; so it was that the
courts began to build barriers around
miserable and helpless victims of a bar
bopous code of laws for the purpose of
rendering it more difficult to shed hui
man blood.
hiscarriages of justice are improperly
attributed to the ineficiency OF the
courts and the parties charged with the
duty of law enforcement. Experience
and an intimate acquaintance with the
Judges who have presided over the courts
on his State for the past twenty years
Justify the assertion that the fault does
not lie III any degree at the doors of
Judiciary; and only TO a limited ex-
tat are the other officers Of the law re-
sponslble for the lack OF efficiency OF
the machinery of the law.
The courts must be unshackled and
the p~aralayzing influence of the out
grown rule of practice and procedure
mus be brushed away by a general over
hauling of our statute. The enforce
rnent OF the law lies close to my heart,
and l am convinced that nothing is of
greater Importance to the people and
their happiness and prosperity. We are
NO better and no worse than the other
states of the Union, but it seems that
0ur faults are magniied and advertised,
while other communities escape such un-
desirable publicity. In order to free the
courts and provide them with a modern
code OF procedure and practice, by the
aid OF which much can be accomplished,
the Governor should have the authority