Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1919-04-24

Carthage, Apr Ii. - Historic old
Carthage, the county seat of Leake
county, was the scene of one of The
warmest political debates ever staged
In Mississippi today, when Lee NJ.
Russell, present Lieutenant Governor
OF Mississippi, and Oscar G. Johnston,
OF Coahoma county, rival candidates
for gubernatOrial honors at the hands
OF the people of Mississippi, clashed
in Joint debate for the first time in
the present campaign. While the de-
bate was not prearranged affair and
came about largely by reason of the
fact that both these leading candi-
dates for Governor of Mississippi were
billed to speak at Carthage today at
the opening of Circuit Court, an I'M
usually large crowd was present, as the
Joint debate was fully expected and
urged by the friends of these candi-
| dates for office.
early this morning the Johnston cam
| paign Committee extended to Mr.. Rus.
sell an invitation to meet the distin.
guished representative from Coahoma
In Joint debate today as well as at all
other speaking engagements of Mr..
Johnston. The challenge for today was
promptly accepted by Mr. RusselPs
friends and thereby Leake and adio!n- /
ing counties probably got a taste OF
the present melee a little more eXcit- |
ing and peppery tan will be seen
hereafter during the campaign, as it |
IS generally thought that Mr.. Russell |
will not accept the challenge of the |
gentleman from Coahoma for further
joint discussion.
Senator Ellis Presided.
After Judge A ]. McLaurin had
charged the jury, Senator w. A. Ellis,
having been elected to preside over
the joint discussion, introduced the
candidates to at least 1900 people as
sembled to hear the rival aspirants
present their claims for the governor
ship. Mr.. Russell spoke first, there
being no limit, going fully into the
record of the present administration,
for the acting and doing of which he
assumed the attitude of standing spon.
sor.
He was in fine fettle and with clear
voice and ringing tones detailed the
performance of campaign promises
made during the last gubernatorial
race by the present administration (
in Mississippi. He touched upon the
agricultural high schools now located ,
In 40 counties of the State, and claim
ed credit for himself and the Bilbo +
administration for these institutions, r
likewise taking credit for the bank =
depository law, guaranteeing the bank q
deposits of Mississippi banks He COM ?.
mended the work of the State Board of ,
Health, the conduct of the peniten- =
tiary FARMS during, the present admin =
lstration and assailed his opponent, y
Mr.. Johnston, for his stand against the c
elective judiciary. =
Contrasts Himself With Johnston. j,
He then went into his own record &
claiming fer himself the title of a JEFF #
tersonian Democrat and denouncing v
his opponent Mr.. Johnston, as a Ham q
htonlan Democrat, the one being the Il
party OF the people, by the people and A
for the people; the other he termed i
the control of the many by the few. u
He had advocated, he said, the initi- Il
alive and referendum, while he claimed
mat his opponent was not in favor of Ell
these laws. He wanted the recall also FC
enacted in Mississippi and proposed So
advocating it if elected He claimed f;y re
the present administration or it's dis ey
elples passage Of the anti-land corpora. by
ton Dill and in this connection charged sc
that Oscar Johnston was the candidate &C
OF Brewer and his faction in Miss's. of
sppi politics. He was in favor of the &C
retention Of the Board of Pardons and Gu
Of broad road building programme. kr
Discussed His Own Platform, IN
Nj. Russell then preceded to discuss ni
his own platform and the things for &c
which he stood and that would be ad or
7ocated by him in the event Of his wi
election. A bureau Of markets he con. be
'id2red necessary fer the farmers Of br
ne county increased salaries of the 81
'chcol for cripDlos and the mainten- Lr
ncc OF the old soldiers at Eeauvofr Ia
o serve as a clearing house Of employ va
nent for labor within the state, 10
we're other things which were men ~
.oAed by MIN rs being among those VIC
hinGs for which he ssocd ana which WI
you'd be advocated by him in 'he
went Of his election. He favored, lie
aid the putting Of the schools Of the On,
tate On the mileage basis tin
After discussing these matters at va
ONE length, Mr.. Russell went into VII
That is generally regardcl n his Sec :
ion as the main issue in the campaign, his
he state tax equalization board or orc
tate tax commission He sought 10 Ills
how where various counties, among /
lem the county OF Leake. h7d receiv-
{ more Doaer or Of the stl5e .seas- dre
Ty in The fem o. pensions and COM nIa
on school fvna than they had pad fac
r. the we" Of taxes. He vigorous 7nf
Defended tho state tax commission tho