The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1914-05-30
CAN'T GET STATES PRINTING.
Gov. Hurting Business Of The Issue;
Refuses to Ratify Contracts.

Jackson, Miss, May 18th
Issue. the weekly newspaper her
that is being operated in the inter
est of Lieut.. Gov. Theo. G. Bilbo
candidate for governor, will no
be given the contract to publisl
the monthly Bulletin. of the de
partment Of agriculture. notwith
standing the fact that the board O
contracts has so decided. Gov
Brewer, without whose approva
the contract cannot be made, ha
ascertained that the wives of
number of state officials or mem,
bers or the legislature own stock
in The Issue Publishing company
and holds that this is subterfug,
to evade the law providing that n,
state official shall participate il
any contract with the state.
The Secretary of State, Jos. w
Power, will readvertise for bids t,
print the monthly Bulletin. They
will be opened at an early date.
Asked for an opinion on the mat
ter, Assistant Attorney Genera
Geo. Ii. Ethridge. sent the mana
ger of The Issue a reply, holding
that the mere holding of stock by
few minority stockholders" woult
not prohibit the corporation from
bidding on public printing worl
contracts. The governor. however
says ne will not approve anything
that smacks of law evasion, OF
that is violative of the spirit of tht
statutes, and explains his position
fully in letter that he has writer
to Commissioner of Agriculture
Blakeslee. who informed him o1
the opinion from the attorney
generals office and asked him
whether he would approve the con,
tract.
To this letter Gov. Brewer re.
piled that he could not approve the
contract, as the wife of the lIeuten.
ant governor, the wife of Senator
Lee Russell and the wife of DR.
Goodman were stockholders, init
mating that he believed the money
for the stock was put up by their
husbands. 1t is known that Sena-
tor Russell is a close personal and
political friend of Bilbo. and the
same applies to DR.. Goodman.
The letter of Gov Brewer in
reply to Mr.. Blakeslee makes high.
ly interesting reading. 1t follows
Jackson. Miss May 10, 1914.
"Mr. b. E. Blakeslee. Commission
er of Agriculture, jackson. Miss.
my Dear Sir:-I am in receipt
of your letter of the 18th instant
enclosing communication from the
assistant attorney general, address
ed to J r. Oliphant manager OF
the Issue Publishing Company, in
which the attorney-genera takes
the position that it is perfectly
competent for the Issue Publishing
Company to publish the bulletin
for your department of the state
government. In reply will say
that the list of stockholders
furnished me by you did not give
the amount of stock held by each
stockholder, and hence it was i'm
possible for me to tell whether it
was majority of the stock or a
small minority, but | rote Mrs.
Bilbo. wife of Lieut.. Gov. Bilbo,
is a stockholder in this corporation
| note that Mrs Rushing, wife of
"a member Of the legislature; Mrs.
Goodman. wife of member of the
senate. and various others who are
related to officers of the state, in
cluding one or two state officers,
are stockholders in this corpora
tion. If this stock were held by
Lieut-Gov. Bilbo, members of the
State senate and house of repre-
sentatives. it would be manifestIy
in violation of the constitution for
this corporation to make contract
to print the journals of the Iegisla-
ture or for any OF the state depart
ments. | do not think they can
transfer this stock. or hold the
stock in the name of their wives
and avoid the spirit of the law. /
think this is subterfuge and my
idea about such things is to avoid
the appearance of evil.
A distinguished citizen of the
state told me short while since
that Bilbo said to him that he
wanted him to take stock in the
Issue. that this stock was not
worth much at this time, but when
they got In power it was going to
be turn mill. as they were going
to turn all state printing through
this corporation.
They may do this, but not
while am governor.
Very truly yours.
EARL BREWER,
Governor"