The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-01-30

he poor, in order to better condi-
tions, have often wanted to vote some
other ticket. When the democrats
became aware Of opposition, they put
into force two laws, known as the
poll tax and street law. This COM
pels the poor man to pay IS for the
privilege of voting. The rich are not
asked for it.
Wilson refused to pay his tax, and
was promptly put in jail. 1t would
not do to let a socialist run his bluff.
An appeal was taken. Court after
court said the law was right. The
supreem court Of the state finally af
frmed it, The costs, amounting to
$12S were taxed back to Wilson. I'm
able to pay he is now in Jail at Hands
boro. It will take him fourteen
months to work it out.
This is a civil debt and the consti-
tuition of Mississippi says that man
can not be imprisoned for debt. The
law says he can. barrow says con-
situations are for the rich, laws are
for the poor. Wilson finds it is true.
There is a CLEAN of hope in the
last election Mississippi polled quite
few socialist votes. The poor
white slaves are beginning to think.
Rose of Biloxi, Wilson of Beauvoir,
and few others are keeping the
torch burning Debs was there last
| spring and did a world of good. 9th
ers will follow and some day Missis-
sippi will be redeemed from the grasp
of as great a set of scoundrels as the
world ever saw"
The plain truth about George E.
Wilson and his troubles with the Har-
rison county authorities is that Will
son is a reckless and irresponsible la
Dor agitator, who went to South Mis-
sissippi several weeks ago for the
purpose of forming labor union
among negro laborers in saw mills
and lumber manufacturing plants.
1t was Wilson's purpose to organize
whites and blacks in the same unions,
and it was the white laborers of that
section who told him to get a move
on himself. Just as he was about to
depart, an officer requested him tc
pay street tax, having been in the
community sufficiently long to be liza
BILE to that obligation. He refused tc
pay, was arrested, and placed in Jail
The same thing has happened thou
sands of times in Mississippi. 1t hap
pens almost every day in Jackson, anC
frequently the police docket shows
the names of fifteen or twenty per
sons arrested for non-payment o
street tax.
The only difference in the instance
cited by the muck-raker of the Mil
waukee Leader is that Wilson hap
- pened to. be socialist and, like
majority of the members of that par
t., who own nothing on Gods greer
earth and are jealous of all who hav
. acquired property, he thought that h
' was exempt from the laws that ar
fairly and impartially enforced il
Mississippi against all other men, I
i is costing him both time and none
. to find the contrary.
The same stunt was pulled off
!, year or so ago at Biloxi by Sumne
w. Rose, leader of the socialist part
= in Mississippi and recently a cand
date for governor.
Rose was trying to make a marty
y out of himself, and, when arrested
the authorities for failure to pa
- street tax, he gave a cheap Theatres
: performance by going to Jail, refusin
to accept bond from friends, carrie
the case to the supreme court on II
=. absurd theory that a street tax is u
constitutional, and when that tribu
a. al affirmed the lower court, Rose W;
- forced to pay the street tax, fine a
sessed, and costs of the litigation.
This man Wilson, referred to by Il
=. writer in the Milwaukee Leader, wi
~ merely pee-wee imitation of Sunni
- w. Rose.
bo So much for that phase of the cas-
- And now for the other lies perpetr;
ed by ]. H. Greer, whoever he may
It is true that labor agitators a
= unwelcome" in Mississippi. and t
a, same is true of all other parasit
- who try to live at the expense
others.
- But it is not true that there is a
form Of unfriendly feeling towar
- organized labor in Mississippi. Ira
. unions exist in all the centers
= population, and are in flourish