Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-07-17
Miss Matte Drunetta Plunkitt.

The absenting herself from the Capitol by Miss
dattie Plunkett, state librarian, to escape giving
1r testimony in the Bilbo trial, after having been
properly notified her evidence was wanted by the
prosecution-the State-is not at all creditable to
her, either as an official of the state or as a good
citizen of Mississippi.
What her real motive was in dodging the occa-
sion we do not know. That, as Lord Dumb Try,
says, lis what no fellow can find out" X
There be those who will give the lady much credit
for astuteness in lodging the issue.
There be others, among whom is The BEACON,
who will believe she has shown more of the aptness
of an artful dodger than of the righteousness of a
lover of truth and justice.
But, it may be urged by her friends and Bilbo's
satellites, she kept aloof from the summons of the
court because she was a woman and wished to avoid
the publicity of the ~thing-wanted to keep out Of
the limeight.
To that, the answer is. she testified in the Hobbs
trial at Vicksburg, and it also is pertinent to in
quire: Since when has she become so maidenly mod
est and retiring she is unwilling to face the public
from the witness box,' when duty to God and to
man demanded that she should have been placed
on the stand?
During the time she was a candidate (for the Of
flee she now fills and of which, by her recalcitrancy
in refusing to testify and so stacking the cards that
she could not be brought before the court to testify,
she has proven herself to be unworthy she never
objected to all the publicity in the press she could
pet free of charge.
y Some, doubtless. will assert that she has simply
:, shown herself to be, what in fact she is reputed tc
4 be, one of the smartest politicians in the State
that she had the acumen to foresee there is GOING
to be bitter contest for state Offices at the next
State primary and, she was smart enough to keer
out of the fight between the governor and the lie,,
tenant governor.
That. however. won't do; for it was not the issue
The real issue was:
The State of Mississippi against a person in higl
place who was indicted and under trial for the hei
6 nous offence of bribery.
That, and that alone, was the issue.
) The question to be determined was:
q Is Mississippi to maintain law and order and fore,
her officials, in high as we'll as low places, to OBJ
- serve decency and common honesty?
" That was the real question to be considered, am
from that conclusion there is no logical escape.
;, The Bilbo-P lunkett- Vardaman school of politi
~ clans may claim the role Miss Matte played wa
good politics.
So it may be; but, at the same time, it was might
poor patriotism, for it was utter faithlessness {
the cause of ~virtuous government.
y 1t was in fact, to put it mildly, a very repreher
III sible breach of that most excellent maxim, nobIess
he obLge, which no woman can safely defy.
s. The State wanted her services-it needed her tes
te timony, and had made known to her its necessity
a. She is a woman of rank in Mississippi. the Tibrs
rian of the State-the only woman ofice-holde
al in Mississippi-she receives an excellent salarv an
ID yet, despite those facts, she put herself in hiding