The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1919-09-03
C~ongratulates Russell
Upon His Nomination
For Governor.
PROVES TO BE A
GOOD GAME LOSER
Does Not Indorse Harsh
Criticism of jackson
Daily News.

JACKSON, Miss, Aug. 29-By way
Of demonstrating that he is as good
and game a loser as he is a cam
paigner before the people, and recog-
the potency and logic of the
Oscar G. Johnston this aft
ernoon dispatched the following brief,
formal and significant letter to Lieut..
Gov. Russell, whom he recognizes as
the undoubted nominee for governor:
Extends Congratulations.
jackson, Miss, Aug. 20, 1919.
Lieut.. Gov. Lee M. Russell, Jackson,
Miss:
my Dear Sir-You having received
the nomination for the office of gov
e-nor at the hands of a majority of
the white Democrats of Mississippi, l
tender you my congratulations and
beg to advise that I bow cheerfully
to the will of the majority and stand
ready as q private citizen to cooper
ate in every way possible toward
making your admin. stration a sue
cess.
"Yours truly,
OSCAR JOHNSTON"
Issues Manly Statement.
The foregoing was followed up by
the preparation of the following plain,
frank statement:
ITO the Democrats Of Mississippi:
"The gubernatorial contest is at an
end. Nothing is to be gained by in
dulging in vain regrets, bitter re-
p~roaches, harsh criticism OR predic-
ton of dire consequences.
political post mortems serve no
good purposes. We are all Democrats,
a majority have expressed the will of
the party. It remains for the minor
ity to abide the consequence with good
grace, and, it becomes the duty of
every loyal Mississippian to face to
the front with his shoulder to the
wheel and exert his every effort to-
ward the development of a greater
and a better Mississippi.
Condemns Harsh Criticism.
l do not indorse the opinion ex-
pressed by the Jackson Daily News in
it's harsh criticism of those who pre-
ferred another to me in this contest;
on the contrary, l have an abiding
faith in the integrity Of the whole
people of Mississippi, and believe that
it is the sincere desire of a vast over:
whelming majority of the voters tc
ID that ,rL,,L ; ,;~I{ o-l for th<
best interest of the state.
There have been some unpleasant
features developed during this cam
paign. At times it has been difficult
to submit to slanderous m"isrepresen'
tations. Such things, however, seen
in recent years to have become a part
of a political campaign, since prob.
ably for the purpose of trying the
mettle of a candidate.
Says Campaign Pleasant.
"However, on the whole the cam
paign has been pleasant. l have Wis
tied every section of the state anc
have been treated with uniform cour
tesy and consideration and extended
that hospitality for which our south.
land is justly famed. l have formed
many lasting friendships and enjoyed
many humorous incidents, SO that aft
er all I am glad that I made the race
II trust that my campaign has beer
so conducted as to have been of a
moral and an educational value to the
people of the state. I know that it
has been an appeal to reason and to
judgment and not to passion or to
prejudice. Having INDUCED in no
villification or abuse, l do not feel it
necessary to express regret or to Of
fer apologies.
Thanks Loyal Friends.
"To the thousands of loyal friends,
acquaintance and supporters over the
state who by their votes have evil
denced their confidence in me / am
profoundly grateful. I wish that it
was possible for me to meet and
thank personally every n of them.
We have fought a good fight and my
chief regret at the outcome is on
their account. AS a private citizen l
shall continue just as interested in
the welfare of my state as l should
have been had l been selected to serve
as her governor, and shall continue to
devote time, energy and such talent
as a good God may have endowed me
with in an effort to be of service to
my fellow man I trust that the peo-
pie will have no cause to regret their
choice and that the administration of