The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1914-05-16
Mississippi Mill Slips Cog in Senat-
OriaI vote---The State VS..
Standard Oil Co.

jackson, Miss, May 13.-A dis
covery Of more than ordinary pub
lie interest was made this morning
on receipt at the Governors office
of letter from Secretary of State
W. j. Bryan. stating he had never
been informed of the action of the
State of Mississippi in regard to
the proposed constitutional amend
ment as to the election of United
States senator's by the people.
Mr.. Bryan directed the attention
of the Governor of Mississippi to
the fact that this State had been
officially notified of the action of
Congress in the premises in May
1912, that is that Congress had
submitted the proposed amendment
to the State for ratification or re-
lection. but so far Mississippi s
action had not b cen reported.
The lie tier from Mr.. Bryan was
referred to Secretary of State Pow
er. A search of the records showed
that there was no record of legisla-
tive action. and should Congress
take up the matter during the next
two years, Mississippi would have
no voice for or against ratification.
The Legislature did, however,
put the machinery in operation tor
the election of her United States
Senators by providing that all
candidates shall submit their names
to primary election next year.
But this will not carry weight at
Washington. The hope is express.
ed here that sufficient number of
other States have voted on the
amendment to carry it through
Congress without the vote of Miss
issippi.
Just who is to blame would be
hard to determine. The Secretary
of State says he turned the docu-
ments bearing on the subject into
the hands of the Speaker of the
House, anc the Speaker delivered
them to the proper parties. with
the request it be attended to 1t
was simply taken for granted that
all the Legislature had to do was
to prepare for the election of Sena-
tors. or it may be the Legislature
supposed Congress had already set
tied it.
The result of this oversight may
be that the Governor of Mississippi
will continue to appoint United
States Senator'S in case of vacan-
cy
SUIT ATTRACTS LAWYERS.
Distinguished lawyers from with
out as well as from within the
State appeared before the Supreme
Court this morning in one of the
largest suits ever known in this
section of the country involving as
it does many millions of dollars in
the way of fine and forfeitures.
The style of the case is the State
VS.. Standard Oil Company. Of
Kentucky. ct al. whichsincludes in
the list Of defendants several of
the greatest oil companies in the
world.
This case was instituted by At
torney-General Ross Collins in the
Lauderdale County Chancery Court
lat Meridian. 1t charges that the
Ioil mills are combined for the pur-
pose Of restricting and controlling
the oil business Of the State: that
they constitute trust and combine
contrary to the laws of Mississippi.
land If found guilty are liable to
heavy penalties. Ia the Lauderdale
court the oil mills filed demurrer
to the declaration of the Attorney
| general. but that demurrer was
overruled BY the chancellor, and is
before the Supreme Court on de-
murrer and not its merits.
The attorneys representing the
state today we're ex-Justice W d.
Anderson. Of the Supreme Court.
and Assistant Attorney general
Frank Johnston and Geo. EthridQe;
the oil companies we're represented