The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-01-12
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
MISSISSIPPrS EXECUTIVE GIVES
ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP.
Tells of the States Financial and Its
Public NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Many
important Recommendations.

Jacks0n.-FOliOWlng IS q SYNOPSIS VI
Gov. SoeTs message sent to the legista-
tufe Wednesday,:
Gentlemen of the Mississippi Legislature:
The responsibilities imposed upon the
governor are far beyond the means OF
performance placed at his
Only approximately, under existing cir
cumstances, can he fairly fulfill the high
trust imposed
Addressing you, in general terms, it
affords me pleasure to state that the
affairs of Mississippi, in all OF the va
rious departments of government, dur
ing the past four years, have been con-
Quoted in a ust, economical, efficient and
patriotic manner. The states credit and
financial affairs are in better condition
than they were four years ago.
Depression among our citizenship, over
the heavy reduction in the expected
yield and price of cotton, should cause no
serious nor prolonged discouragenent;
hut should serve us for earnest, per
sistent and intelligent study and effort
for moral, spiritual, educational and
material upbuilding of our beloved COM
mOAwealth.
By a~vailing ourselves of the informa-
ton and assistance of the United States
department of agriculture; OF our agri-
cultural and it's experiment stations and
farmers institute and extension work;
of our Agricultural High Schools and
Boys Corn Clubs, and of the various
other agencies provided by the federal,
state and county governments, our peo-
pie, soil and climate considered, will
nave no reason to be disheartened.
An intelligent backward look, cover
ing not merely a few months, but the
whole decade, will clearly prove that
the whole South, especially Mississippi,
has much reason for congratulations on
past achievement, coupled with an alb,
soiute assurance of a successful and pros
porous future.
Law Enforcement.
The Urine object of governments is
the protection of life, liberty, property
and the pursuit of happiness. The de
gree OF accomplishment OF these most
. important objects is the measure of sue
cess or failure. Our legislatures have
given rs, in the main, q good system OF
laws, OF course subject to human i'm
projections, and the need of occasional
bettcrment. Our courts, whose exclu
sive power and duty it is to apply the
general rules of conduct established, OF
authorized by the legislature, to indi
vidual, ~litigants, or offenders, have rem
dered admirable service. It's civil bust
ness has never been more efficiently mol
justly nor expeditiously handled.
The execution of antitrust laws have
been practically suspended by the court
decision, that section 5O1S of the code
gave to offending corporations absolute
immunity, after being required to pro
duce books or papers pertaining to con
fsyGs..s violative of our antitrust laws
w. such writings, secondary evi
denes ufeing inadmissible, hardly any case
-ars1 be made out. The introduction
of the only practicable proof acquits OF
tenders. Corporations are not protected
by the constitutional guarantee that n.
person shall be forced to give testimon.
which might eliminate himself, withou
making that testimony carry immunit,
from prosecution. This section of tn
code of 100 was entirely needless, a
evidence was legally obtainable, estah
fishing offenses by corporations, mer
creatures of the law, without any i'm
munisy attachment, and it should b
promptly repealed.
According to n recent supreme cour
decision, section 1869 OF the cod of 1906
through the misuse of a word, impose
no penalty on cashiers and other Off
GERS Of banks for receiving individua
deposits, knowing the bank to be prob
ally insolvent. Considering our lament
able failure in having provided no sys
ten of state bank inspection, this sup
posed law was one of the chief safe
guards, commonly thought, to be ex
tended to dcpositors. This law shoul,
be promptly amended, and also strength
ened by making every deposit in a bank
for a few months before failure, pre-
sumptive evidence of criminal receipt o
money. thus throwing upon officials o
broken banks, who nave the best oppol
t~unities of knowledge, the burden o
showing whether or not they had goo
reason to believe the bank was solven
when deposits were received. The urgen
need Of such a law, or of efficient ban
inspection, or both, is being now Col
clusively established.
Ou- courts have fully upheld the la,
Of 1910, comforting upon chancery court
authority to %enjoin liquor-selling, as
! nuisance, in addition to sustaining a
tachment, and imposition of penaltie.
This law, chapter 1874, should be e,
larsed to include malt, and all othe
intoxicating liquors, and a separate pc,
atty be made enforceable for each sal,
II, in addition to this, all building
whose owners have reasonable notice G
their use in connection with liquor sci
ing, were made liable for the penalties
and the agents, as well as the owner
of property SO used, be made subjec
to Indictment, Our liquor law would b
greatly improved. Some confirmed liquo
sellers have procured partial or tots
protection by parading their physical il
firmities, and inability to labor. Fo
these and other professional offenders,
cure might be found by comforting powe
upon the court to impose, at discretion
penitentiary sentences.
Chapter 1870 of the code contains a
excellent law, theoretically, regulatin
the use of standard weights and mea.
ures, INT penalizing the petty swindlin
resulting from use of false or defectiv