Oxford eagle., 1914-01-08

f1ftatutut puutiCAt Ttsutts VIII
follow the acquittal Of Senator @. A.
Hobbs on a charge OF bribery in the
Warren County Circuit Court al vicks-
burg In the opinion Of politicians here
who have been watching the develop
ments closely. II is certain 10 have an
important bearing on the next state
campaign. Some OF the enthusiastic
supporters OF Lieut-Gov. Bilbo are op-
timistc enough to believe that the ac-
quittal OF Hobbs and the dismtssing OF
the Indictment against Bilbo that Is
expected to follow means the election
OF Bilbo as governor without serious
opposition.
The opponents OF Bilbo however do
not concede his election by any means.
They believe they say. that a reaction
will set in against the lieutenant
governor that viii, end IN his defeat.
Biibo's more conservative friends
say that his future success largely
depends upon his own conduct In poll
ties. They declare that II ne pursues
conservative digniied course. he
will easily win In the gubernatorial
race. but II he becomes mixed up in
any more affairs like the trouble with
Dulaney and the Castlemsn matter he
will have hard shedding and will en-
danger his chances in the election.
Bilbo's conservative friends assert
that the people of the state are tired
of such scandals and unless they are
stopped the man who engages In them
will suffer at the polls.
Among the prominent political fg.
ures that are looming up as a result
Of the Hobbs trial at vicksburE are J.
W. Cassidy OF Brookhaveu and Judge
Patrick Henry. The three attorneys
for the defense who are receiving the
bulk OF the credit for the acquitiai of
Hobbs are Mr.. Cassidy. Judge Henry
and Judge W. J. Groom OF Jackson.
Judge Groom has no political aspira.
tions, and II Is not definitely known
that any political bees are buzzing
around Mr.. Cassidy's chapeau. but II
Is believed that Judge Henry would
not be ayerse to accepting n seat In
congress. which he once occupied with
credit A healthy boom for Judge Hen
~ as a candidate against Congress
man Collier Of the Eighth District has
already been started at Jackson. and
promises to grow as the time for the
opening Of the congressional campaign
next summer approaches. Judge Hen.
~ is popular In Warren county and
with the solid support OF the Bilbo
faction behind him. he VIII make q
formidable candidate.
Mr.. Cassidy's home Is In the Sew
enth district. which Is represented In
congress by Percy Quinn. The man
ner In which Cassidy handled his sid.
OF the Hobbs case at vicksourg dem
onstrafed conciuxiveiy that he n on,
OF the ablest lawyers In the state. An
his speech to the jury placed hir
among Mississippi's greatest orators
II he decides to measure strength will
Congressman Quin in the Seventh
district Il will mean a hard fight.
As the time for the eonvening Of the
I legislature approaches the elective iu
dietary issue Is coming to the front as
one OF the big fights Of the session.
The legislature in 1910 submitted an
amendment to the constitution making
circuit and ehaneery court judges
elective. The amendment was rati-
fed by. the people at the election in
1911 and at the session In 1912 the
legislature inserted the amendment
into the constitution. The Legislature
passed bill making the new amend
ment operative but the bill was We
/ toed by Gov. Brewer on the last day
of the session after a quorum had van
ished. This left the appointment Of
the judges in the hands OF the gov
ernor. Gov. Brewer vetoed the bill on
the ground that the constitutional
amendment had been improperly sub
. rrtfffaa IN tho Usnria