The Tupelo journal., 1913-10-24

The nan who attempts to enact con-
science into a statute and honesty into
the administration of state affairs has
before him an Olympic task. He i'm
mediately becomes the target of all
who deny that public Office is a sacred
trust conferred for the benefit of the
common veal.
In investigating the political condi-
tons of the state of Mississippi there
is disclosed a startling amount OF
graft, crookedness and corruption rum
ming riot, unusual in a great agricul-
tural state. Things that would for
corruption, make city ward politics, in
many instances, look like a handcar by
the side of a vestibuled train.
While in the city of Jackson. ! was in
formed by rumors, that reports were be-
ing industriously circulated that a very
salacious story could be had involving
the governor of the state. found a
number of people anxious and willing
to assist me in getting that story for
publication; in fact, as soon as it was
known that I was in the city. certain
enemies of the governor called at my
hotel and endeavored to induce me to
write a story of and concerning him
that would eliminate him from politics
in the state. / was assured that they
had repeatedly tried to obtain other
writer's to publish this story, but had
been unsuccessful.
/ thereupon went into the general
conditions of the state at their solicit
tation with the view of writing this
story, calling a spade q spade, and IN
volving whomever the facts involved
whether it was the governor or others.
l was told by the runners sent to
see me that 1.-THE ISSUE" a little week
ly newspaper published in the city Of
Jackson by a corporation organized by
Lieutenant-G Governor Bilbo, the policy
of which seemed to be dominated by
Bilbo, the mayor of the city of Jack
son, S. j. Taylor, and by Senator Hobbs.
a member of the state senate from
Lincoln county, that they were in pos
session of facts and figures IN their
locker that would prove beyond all
doubt and question that the governor OF
Mississippi had taken a trip to Eng
land in the latter. part of the summer
of 1912, and that he had carried with
him a good looking woman as his COM
panion on the trip. | took after this
story like a bee seeking honey, and
asked for the necessary confirmation so
that | might safely write it for publ
cation. But as | became familiar with
all the internal maneuvering of the
different political factions, friends and
foes of the governor, | soon learned to
distrust those who were telling me the
story because they were unable to pro-
duce proofs and facts to substantiate it.
When / became convinced that The
Issue" did not have the proofs, but was
informed that they could direct me to
a thorough compilation of evidence
against the governor in this connection.
/ took up a preliminary investigation
of the governor, who was the subject
of this crucifying indictment and at
tempted character assassination.
From his record | could make but
one deduction, and that was that he
lived above the miazma of dirty, foul
politics. He is a man that was born
and reared in the rural districts of the
state of Mississippi, of humble parent
age, who had toiled and worked his
way through college, had become a
practicing lawyer, had served for four
or five years as prosecuting attorney
in one of the districts of the state, and
bore the reputation of being the
enemy and nemesis of all crooks and
corruption; that while holding that
position he demonstrated in his district
that men of wealth and power must
wear stripes just as the humblest clti-
zen of the state if they violated the
law. This young man had become a
candidate for governor. and the pre-
Judice that always follows the efforts
of the young man from humble life
who aspires to the go%vernorship took
hold of him in the campaign, but his
splendid record as prosecuting officer
and his great ability, combined with
cool. calculating judgment, landed him
in the governors office a few years
later without opposition. An honor
never accorded to any other gentleman
in the South.
When he was indicted into office the
state had just undergone a great po-
~litical upheaval and the bitterest fac
tionalism prevailed that has ever mark
od tho history of the state NOT since