The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-07-23
PREAENTs OPERATION OF
LEGITIMATE INDUSTRIES
Organized, He Says, As Result Of Trip
to England to Borrow Money for
Farming Proposition - Thousht He
Would Veto Measure to Block Him
Personally = Never Intended For
Law. 1859

"The anti-corporation law which for
bids a company to carry ON farming
operations in this state" said Cover
nor Earl Brewer, yesterday, ''is now
beginning to pinch the foot of those
who made it."
The Governor of the state was in
Hattiesburg yesterday for the purpose
of attending the meeting of the Board
of Trustees Of the Normal College, OF
which he is an ex-officio member. Be-
fore leaving he granted an interview
with The News, in which among
other things, he spoke of the anti cor
poration law as monstrous obstacle
in the way of the development Of the
state.
my attention" he says, "has been
forcably called recently to the law
which does not allow a corporation to
conduct farming operations or to ac-
quire land for that purpose. l could
mention numerous instances where
legitimate business has been diverted
from this state to Louisiana and to
other states because of the law. Men
have come to me with propositions
which l know would greatly promote
the best interests of the state and /
have had to tell them they would
have to go elsewhere.
THE law ITSELF" he says, has had
a peculiar history. do not think that
its original proponents ever had any
intention Of putting it on the statute
books. 1t was primarily an attempt to
block a scheme Of mine. They thought
when it was passed by the legislature
that l would veto it. They also thought
that I would be candidate for United
States senator. They were mistaken
in both instances. They intended to
use it against me If ran for senator
If vetoed the bill.
The idea originated with my politi
cal enemies when l made trip to Eng
land for the purpose of borrowin
money to finance a farming proposi
tion. .-.,~m
There was a common impression
J that was trying to interest an Eng.
lish syndicate in buying a large tract
of Mississippi land. That was a mis-
take. An organization had been formed
here and had bought the land and |
was trying to borrow the money in
England to pay for it.
With the one single idea of blocking
my scheme and embarrassing me. my
political enemies got together and
formulated the law and passed Ii
Through the Legislature. 1t has been
a powerful agent to drive honest cap
ital away from the state"
The Governor arrived. yesterday
morning and went at once to the Nor
NAL College where the meeting of the
trustees was held.
The governor says that he is highly
pleased with the college and he thinks
lit has great future before It.
I In the afternoon he was taken for
la- ride by some of his local admirers.
He visited the bathing beach on Bouie
river, but did not go in himself. He
d spent half hour or more watching the
bathers.
He had dinner last night at Hotel
Hattiesburg with some friends and left
at S:15 o'clock for jackson.
! Things have been rather quiet, he
said, since the big fuss." referring ia
the Bilbo trial.
He said he had just heard that Mr.
> Bilbo had spoken for an hour at Lau'
derdale Springs. near Meridian. thG
! Iday before and that he had devoted hall
the time to bitter denunciation n
the Governor and the other hn1f
1praishs the Lieutenant oovertou