Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-01-12

ears obligations OF the state would,
probably, all have been met at maturity,
the policy every state should pursue. To
permit delayed payments OF states prod
ucts, which are only saleable for cash,
gives purchasers the chance to speculate
on state property to their own profit;
and, in the event of any considerable
decline, the loss might fall on the state,
while the state could not profit by any
advance in price, afer sale, and before
payment.
Pardona
Amidst . multitude Of other duties,
. governor has no time for ~judicious
exercise of the pardoning power. 1t
should be conferred upon q ~pardoning
board, to be exercised while sitting q 9
court Until such constitutional change
is made, an advisory board would be q
great relief, and help to governors, who
nov perform the disagreeable and un-
aided task of huriedly acting accord
ing to lights before them. Those lights
are often misleading.
An industrial home for hayward and
delinquent children and those starting
out in criminal careeFs is sadly needed
in Mississippi. In lessening crime and
encouraging morality and thrift, its
beneficent results would largely out
weigh its cost.
Conservation Work.
Nearly all the states have a conserva-
ton commission, whose duty it is to
ascertain, report and conserve its nat
ural resources. The state g~eologist, DR..
E. N. Lowe, is thoroughly imbued with
this spirit, is well informed on the sub
ject, and has rendered valuable service
along this line, in connection with geo.
logical and forestry Investigations and
soil and water surveys. Such authority
might be conferred on the geological
commission, who could make this one
Of its lines of work.
National Guard.
The National Guard is created by the
constitution, which we are all sworn to
uphold and obey, as a part of the quail
fications to vote, and again, as a pre-
requisite to office holding. This consti-
tuition, section 221, imperatively de-
%clares, "The Legislature is hereby re-
quired to make annual appropriation for
the efficient support and maintenance
of the Mississippi National Guard" Sec.
ton 2372 makes the governor command
er-in-chief of this guard and empowers
him to call it out to execute the laws
and to suppress riots. Pursuant to this
authority, and at the request Of local
officials, who acknowledged their in.
ability to suppress rioting, and after
hundreds of shots, with murderous pur.
pose, had been fired at Water Valley,
and thousands of shots at McComb City,
l ordered the National Guard in such
numbers as the adjutant general and
the military officers thought were nee
essary to ~re-establish order and to sup.
press and prevent rioting. Not a citizen
at McComb, nor but two at Water Val
ley, have ever said to me that the order
ing out and keeping of the troops at
those points was otherwise than neces.
sary.
The National Guardsmen, while seek.
ing no such service, promptly and fear
lessly responded to the states call. As
a whole, they are a fine body of men.
The a%djutant general will submit an
itemized account, accompanied by proper
vouchers, showing all expenditures paid
on account of the National Guard serv-
ice at McComb and Water Valley, and
also a statement of additional expend-
itures incurred.
Insurance.
The department of insurance, as dem
onstrated by the report of the commits
%sioner, is an exceedingly busy and use
full public agency. Considering the
amount of insurance paid by our citi-
zens, and the extent it figures in the bus
mess and family world, great care should
be exercised to prevent the operation
of insolvent or worthless insurance com
panies.
Public Highways.
Our constitution, section ITO, confers
upon boards of supervisors "full jurisdic-
ton over roads, ferries and bridges, to
be exercised in accordance with such reg
ulation as the legislature may prescribe"
This provision of the constitution should
be abrogated, for it prevents the estab-
lishment of an efficient road system, d.
rected and supervised by an expert
builder. Each county has now, neces-
sarily, under this provision, the power
to determine its own highway method.
Some of these methods are crude and
inefficient, but a growing number of
them are utilizing modern ideas. Some
are successfully operating, under skilled
road superintendent, teams and imple-
ments owned by the counties. The labor
is directly employed. Many others let
the road contracts to the lowest bidder.
With varying SUGGESTIVE labor of coun-
ty prisoners has been tested, some coun-
ties finding it more expensive and less
beneficial than free labor, ever with
short term prisoners, and but slight in
centives for escape. The law of 1910,
authorizing supervisors districts or coun.
ties to issue bonds for road construc-
ton has been successfully applied in
many instances.