The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1912-03-22
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF 1912

are written n when n DAY OF mi CCOun IS mdu us HiChHOSi
ship will know just what delinquencies the Great Judge has charged
against them and the credits He has given them for faithful service.
In our judgment, there has not been a law-making body to as
semble in Jackson since the war that hand such opportunities for
wholesome, patriotic service as this one had. Public sentiment was
crystalized regarding many matters of public interest that almost all
thought should be formulated into legislative acts. A Governor had
lust gone into office who was held in such high esteem by the peo-
pie of the state that n one opposed him. a thing most remarkable
in this day of strenuous politics. The Governors views on public
questions had been discussed before the people and they had said
they stood for and believed in what he believed in; yet very few of
his recommendations were made a part of the law of the state. Gov
ernor Brewers inaugural address was the plea of a statesman.
There was nothing partizan in it. He stood upon the mountain top,
and looking back over the glory and the renown that had come to
our state because OF her great and good men and of her noble wo-
manhood, he turned to the future with these matters SO we'll in mind
that it gave him a vision luminous for the future and buoyant with
those things that pertain to the highest development of the state.
Politics and partnership played havoc with many we'll devised plans.
The desire to get even, to settle old political scores, caused many
oenehcent ideas to die before fruition.
Many of the legislators in both branches are our personal
friends, and for their own sakes IS we'll as the interest which
every good citizen feels in the promotion of the highest and best
welfare of the state, we had hoped that the law-making body would
crown itself with glory. But it seems to have gone to seed on lit
tie things. The people at home are always ready to endorse re-
trenchment ard reform, bu' they expect the rule to be applied with
saneness and in a way that will not cripple any institution or enter
prise in the state. The cry of retrenchment that did not "retrench'
consigned many good measures to the dope heap. Because previ-
Gus legislatures had gone to extremes in the use of money, is no
reason why another should go to an extreme in Saving" One ex-
IRENE is as bad as another. We believe in the application of bust
ness rules, but in the last analysis the man who has the largest es
tate pays the greatest amount of taxes. Money is only valuable
for what it can be used. 1t has no friends and is equally at ease in
the pocket of the thief and the pocket of the saint.
But at last the total appropriations made exceeded that of any
previous legislature. This was but natural, and the law-making body
should have at once recognized this and conducted itself accord
ingly.
The necessary money to conduct the affairs of the state
on a basis that will appeal to the pride of our people car
be obtained without increasing the tax burdens of the masses. lie
the public service corporations of the state contribute to the state
treasury in proportion to their earnings and the state will have
money and to spare. For example, the total privilege tax paid thu
state of Mississippi by the American Express Co, according to thu
report of the State Auditor FOR the year 1910, was the insignificant
sun of s5olS. yet we dare say its total collections from the people
n h state were we n n a OuarTer million dOlarc II hon
pay at least thirty thousand dollars in taxes. The American Elk
press Company paid into the state treasury from this county for tn
year 1910 the pitiful sum of SI67. The Cumberland Telephone
Company paid the state for privilege for the year 1910, $3.50; tn
state tax in this county was $4,000 For the same period the tee
graph companies of this county donated the small sum of $4,000. A
we understand, the Legislature left these matters right where the
are. Let the people consider as to whether these corporations ar
adequately taxed. Besides these there are other things.
The Legislature owed it to the people to stay in session unit
some means were provided for a radical reformation of our court pro
cedure. Now skilful attorneys can muddy the waters, confoun
witnesses and disqualfy competent jurors to an extent that will dds
gust the citizen who believes in an honest administration of law
The evil of nonlaw enforcement is the greatest detriment to tn
progress and prosperity of our state. This condition emphasizes il
self to the mind of any observer who will sit around a court wher
a capital or felony case is being tried. A man that reads anything
hears of anything or that has a thinker to think, can be disquai6e
for jury service. by the queries of attorneys in almost every cast
The Legislature should have addressed itself with patriotic fervo
and intelligence to the task of making it less difficult to visit on tn
guilty the just deserts of their deeds. The children of today mus
beprotected against the wicked and lawless of tomorrow and
the years to come.
The legislature owed it to the people to provide some wa
whereby cases appealed from the circuit and chancery courts coul
be more speedily adjusted. Tardy justice toys with passion and il
flames, at times, the minds of those who rightly honor constitute
authorities by appealing to the courts. 1t is not a matter of adm
the Supreme Court, but it is aiding the people at large. 1t is
physical impossibilty for the Supreme Court to properly dispatc
business with all the matters that now come before it. The Judge
of this court can do so much and no more. If the Appellate Cour
which was proposed, was not the best thing to do, then som
th,ne better should have been offered. But the folks at home Al
demanding the expedition of litigation. The idea of carrying
case to the Supreme Court and having to wait ten months or a ye
for a decision, is out of harmony with the spirit of the day. tt
world wants results quicker than that.
The legislature owed it to the people, not only of south Missi
sippi but of the entire state, to provide a method of giving sout
Mississippi equal Legislative representation We of the other Sc