The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-07-29
COURT PROCEEDINGS DO
NOT AFFECT AUGUST PRIMARY
Judge johnson Says Attorney General
Collins Has Understanding With
Prosecuting Lawyers That Case viii
Be Withdrawn Unless Supreme
Court Rules.

With the sheriff's election over, For
rest county politicians will now find
in the judicial and con-
gressional election to be held August |
IS.
Chief interest has so far been mani |
tested in the race for circuit Judge, in
which two former occupants Of the |
bench, Paul B. johnson and w. H.
Cook, both of this city, and the pres
ent incumbent, J. M. Arnold, of Ellis
vile, are the contentants. Chancellor
Stevens has no opposition for re-elec-
ton and as Representative Harrison
has SO far remained at his post in
Washington, interest in the congress
sional race between him and DR.. J.
D. Donald has not yet waxed warm.
The election for circuit Judge is in
teresting not alone for the close and
somewhat bitter fight between the
contestants, but because of the unus-
ual conditions of an election being
held under protest.
A temporary injunction restraining
the election commissioners Of Jones
county from holding the November
election has been made permanent by
Special Chancellor Devan Sharbor-
ough, but an appeal has been taken to
the supreme court.
This injunction applies only to the
final election and has nothing to do
with the primary next month, but it
has added considerable complication
to the affair, for if the supreme court
sustains the injunction the voters will
have lost the ballots they cast in the
primary.
Up To Supreme Court.
The injunction is now in the hands
of the supreme court, which adjourned
without considering it, although there
was a motion to advance the case on
the docket so that it might be heard
before the primary.
In refusing to sustain this motion,
the supreme court handed down a
brief opinion, stating that the court
did not think it necessary to pass on
the case now, as the court already had
passed on the legality of the elective
judiciary law, although it had not
passed on the legality of the way the
law was enacted.
Should the supreme court sustain
the injunction, Judge Arnold would
continue to hold the office until anoth
er law, properly drafted, could be
enacted.
Letter From Collins.
Judge Johnson says he has iI
his possession letter from At
torney General Ross Collins, stating
, that the attorney general has had al
understanding with the lawyers wht
brought the proceedings that If thu
, supreme court did not act before
the adjournment, they would drop th'
case. They did not act on it, but NJ
Z steps have been taken to drop it. On
, the other hand, it is believed effort
: are being made to have the court cor
. vene in special session to consider II
: The constitutional point raised il
}. the Injunction is whether or not tn
elective judiciary amendment to tn
constitution carried with 1t the gil
of power to the legislature to chang
the election year from that alread
prescribed in the constitution.
Q The candidates are as much at sc
over the condition as anybody els
Q and the situation will continue to b
somewhat muddled until the Supren
, Court acts or the case Is withdraw
o The primary, however. will be held {
s II nothing had happened, as the pr
d ceedings affect 1t In no way, and Il
; three candidates are expected to car
b paign with renewed efforts during Il
NEXT three weeks. s....s
~, <s ~. 2. & u. z " y ~. So.