The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-05-21

excite curiosity. So thar was one thing causing crowds to assemble
as auditors, but About that time a phrase was much in use
to excite popular feeling. 1t was used by the followers OF a man
much higher in the scale of Nature than the character of whom we
are writing. 1t was used, perhaps in good faith by this particular
section Of public thought to excite horror and indignation at a GER
tam action Of another section of popular thought, and by that horror
and indignation to create feeling and action favorable to the dis
tnguished gentleman to whom we have just referred. This shib-
lboleth was SECRET CAUCUS. Here was the magnetic agent with
our actor drew his crowds. He turned it inside out, and outside in;
he juggled it, tossing it up catching ia IS it fell; he rung the changes
on it and incidentally drew the coin from his sympathetic hearers
with his popular magnet. Let it be remembered that he was not
much of a martyr then but he began to abuse good men, bold IS a
sheep. and the crowds began to yell, for what crowd does not ike
to hear a pretty good dose of "cussing;' sounds good and vigorous;
salty, gingery, snappy. Some Of the good men did not like the
abuse and replied by cudgeling him, probably just as you and we
would have done. Injudicious. yes, but natural. And 10! a martyr
was made, and presented to our sympathy. Then our amiable and
enterprising adventurer found the people plying him SO much that
he concluded that he would capitalize this pity and offer for Office;
did so and was elected, and entered the public service with his
crown of martyrdom a tnae askew but on his head; a little battered
but still pitiful.
Like Jack Johnson, and like gentlemen of like repute. he had
into fame, like Jack again, evading the penalties of the law.
Blu: fame has its penalties. There is a very fierce light beating
upon a crown even when it is a fake crown of marsyrdom. Unfotu-
nately for our subject he had a past. The fierce light searched ev-
cry crevice and Granny of it, and we feel safe in saying that the
things disclosed there gave this man the worst reputation of any
man in public life in the Southern states, either past or present.
We do not purpose saying here whether these things re all
true, or even whether any of them are, but we do say that such a
reputation should not be carried INTO any ofhce OF dignity or power.
1t may be that the charges of bribery, graft and immortality are all
false; if that S so it is very unfortunate for him. but the state owes
it to itself to shadow its fame with no furnished reputation in its
ID"NNo VI PO"Ni'
OF one thing we ar sure. This man is not a martyr and he did
not care anything about the secret caucus" He had played upon
the sympathies and prejudices of the people and has deceived many
into a belief in him. Not by reason of his ability or character can
he appeal to III support. He is wanting in dignity of both mental
and moral cast. Impressive only to those who do not know him
we'll, or to those to whom he appeals by unjushhed claims to SYM
pathy. Morally unable to give anything to the people he asks ev-
erything from them. Nearly IS years of age he seems to have never
been able to manage his own business so as to gain even n honest
living, he is asking the struggling farmers to give of their little store
the money upon which he makes his canvass. INCAPABLE OF
MANAGING HIS w BUSINESS PROFITABLY HE ASKS
THE PEOPLE TO PUT INTO HIS HANDS, FILLED WITH
FAILURE, THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE. GOVERN.
MENT is MERELY THE BUSINESS OF THE WHOLE.
up our minds TO insert into the brilliant history of Mississippi a
chapter which must of necessity be headed Doubtful Reputation p
1t would be well for our people to think of what they ire asked
to do in voting for this man. This man does not represent the
leader many Of you have loved. He does not represent the people
of the state whom he asserts he loves; he represents alone his own
selfish purpose, knowing that he is merely an accidental product of
an unfortunate incident in the history of the state which has never
done any one good, and has for perhaps its worst result the putting
of this man to the front.
AS you love the reputation of your state think what his election
would mean. Follow some Moses who will smite this Golden Calf
to which we arc asked to lift up our hearts.
When we tarnish the official record Of the state we tarnish the
record left US by our fathers and mothers and we can not be true to
our sainted dead unless we protect and defend the good name they
have handed down to us. Any step downward is a compromise
with right. The highest lessons of life and the voices of the dead
admonsh US to beware of the MAI a S well as the woman of doubt
full Reputation"