Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-03-13

es and today we had to adjourn
our House for the want of a quo
rum, as most of the members haC
gone over to the Senate to hear
Bilbo's reply to Gov. Brewers
letter. charging that he and
Hobbs were defeating every eff
fort made by the other Senators
to pay the $10.000.00 expended
by and with the consent of the
members of the legislature to
carry on the investigation of the
penitentiary. This money has
been due ever since January Oath
and the House did its part by
passing a.bill to pay that amount
early in the session. but it has
been hanging fire in the Senate.
| understand that Bilbo, in his
speech today, said that he was
willing to pay it, but that the
Governor had never furnished an
litemized statement of his expen-
ditures. The Governor denies
this in a lengthy interview of to-
day.
Gov. Brewer, this week, par
doned C. C. Smith, late president
of the Board of Control, sentenced
to five years in the penitentiary.
He gave as his reason, that
Smiths physicians said that he
was suffering from incipient tu-
berculosis and confinement would
kill him. He had a large peti-
ton to pardon Smith and think
the pardon gives general salts
faction, but the editor of the
Clarion-Ledger scored the Cover
nor for it, and said that if physi-
Cal infirmities were to constitute
a valid reason why a man should
be pardoned, he thought they
ought to be examined before trial
and if their physician found them
disabled, then not to put the
state to the trouble and expense
of going through with a trial.
This seems to be pretty good
reasoning.
understand that G. C. Smith
has always been a close friend of
Gov. Vardaman and that the lat
ter wired Gov. Brewer, "For
Gods sake, don't send poor Char
lie Smith to the penitentiary. !"
And some claim that this tele-
gram was the moving cause of
Smiths release. I said that Gov.
Brewer pardoned Smith, but
really he did not do this; he COM
muted the penal part of the SEN
tence but required him to pay
the $5O0.00 fine. :
Some claim that there is going
to be a lineup by Vardaman and
Brewer against Bilbo. but this
may be all rumor. 1t is certain
that the House is not as much in
fluenced by Bilbo as it has been,
although he has many strong
friends among the members.
| note with much pleasure that
our distinguished young son of
Noxubee, Hon. H. H. Brooks, Jr.
has announced his candidacy for
Congress from the First District.
| have heard some say that John
Allen held this position for SIX
teen years and then had to give
way for Gambler and now it is
time that Mr.. Gambler should be
rotated out of office and let Har-
den have some of the chicken
pie" | do hope that Noxubee
county will give Harden a unani-
nous vote for this position. The
only way to help our young men
to get official position is ror them
to h.. Y" a solid support at home.
Hare en deserves this and will re-
fleet honor on his county and on
his state, should he be elected.
l polled the members of the
House on this question and I
found that a majority of the
members from our District ia
vored Harden's candidacy and I
am told two out of three Of the
papers in Monroe county will give
him an active support. | do not
suppose that Judge McCool will
have any opposition as Chancel-
lor, for he has made a most ex-
cellent officer and he dispatches
business more rapidly than any
Chancellor l know of in the state
and is so well and favorably
known throughout the District.
We passed bill in the House
providing that the Superintend-