The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1919-04-25

femOV6 Of d. Butl0c and Tor Rue
Een's connection herewith. He denied
the charge that he La ever been q
corporation lawyer. as charged by one
of his opponents, and stated that in all
his practice he had never accepted
regular retained OF employment for
any corporation.
He further stated thst when MI.
Collins, the present AItorneyGeneral,
went to bring his suit against the Y.
merger that Collins had retained him
to file this suit for him.
Resents Siur at Soldier Boys.
He went after Russell and the Issue
without reserve for referring to the
boys who la volunteered and been
drafted in the late war, but who had
not seen overseas duty, as near sol.
diers." He said that 1t was true that
he had been a near" soldier, just as
near as he knew how to be. That h
had gone in as a private and had not
asked any favors from anybody. That
he claimed no credit for it, but that
he did object to this unkind and UNI
Just reference OF Mr.. Russell to the
Toys who had one into training and
who stood ready to sail on orders from
the government being termed near
soldiers.
Russell and the P~ardoninq Board.
Johnston everiastingly and vigorous
~ assailed Russell for his stand for
the retention of the pardon board.
What in the world does Lee Russell
want with a pardon board" he said.
why, he has been acting as Governor
during the absence of Governor Bi1bo
for at least five or six months during
the past three years. A man was con-
victed in Tunica County, with a fair
trial by a Jury Of twelve men, he ap-
pealed to the Supreme Court and the
Supreme Court affirmed the Judgment
OF the Lower Court. He was given a
hearing by the pardon board and the
pardon board after a full and fair in
vestigation adversely decided on the
pardon petition and recommended that
the pardon not issue. The Lieutenant
Governor. Mr.. Russell, here who is
strongly in favor of the pardon board
paid absolutely no attention to their
recommendations but granted the par
don while acting as Governor, I confess
my surprise at his need of a pardon
board to make recommendations If he
should be elected. which is al impossi-
bility. So far as I am concerned, II
elected I propose to exercise the duties
of the Governors office. The constitu-
ton puts it on the Governor to grant
or refuse pardons, it is his duty under
thu o~~ct:f,4;,, ord until tho oorctifn.
ton is amended and the absolute pow
er vested in the board of pardons. l
propose to follow the dictates of my
conscience in the exercise Of this dis
erection if / am elected. If a man is
sentenced to death for a crime, / don't
want to pass an application for par
don or communication of a death sem
tence On what somebody else has to
say about it, but I want to know my
self after my own investigation. I
don't propose to shirk any responsible
ity vested in tho Governor by the Con-
%stitution Of the 5 tie or to shove it Off
on somebody else: in any such fashion.
He denied that he had been a secret
caucusite as termed by Lieutenant
Governor Russell, stating that he had
voted against the secret caucus and
that Russell knew it. That he had
always been in the open in everything
that he had done, but that he lodged
no issue at any time. That Mr.. Russell
was mistaken in his statement that he
had aver been in favor of doing any,
thing under cover, and that he had sup
Iorted a resolution to dissolve the Sc
cret caucus of 1910.
Mr.. Johnston stated that he had
voted against the resolution which
Mr.. Russell called a resolution ex-
onerating Senator Vardaman because
it had contained a clause in it which
censured Governor Noel and h Bap-
fist Church, reading the clause, and
stating that a majority of the legisla-
ture had either voted against it or
not voted at all.
Mr.. Johnston's address was much
more frequently and vociferously ap-
rlauded than was the address of Mr..
Russell. Absolute order prevailed,
however. and at no time was there any.
thing more than good natured cheering
and applause. Each candidate had his
friends in the audience, and for an
audience of it's size it was on extra
good behavior. Russells manner was
that of intense political antagonism,
while Johnston parted his thrusts in a
strong, vigorous, clear-cut, dignified
,-anner. At the conclusion Of Mr..
5ohnston's remarks, the Lieutenant
Governor declined to reply to him, and
Johnston retired amidst the cheers of
he larger portion Of the assembled
crowd.
Today at Carthage marks the clear
cut defining of the issues between the
two generally conceded leading con-
testants in the race for Governor. Rus
tell has laid down the gauntlet and
Johnston apparently has accepted it
with a view Of forcing the Lieutenant
Governor into the background.
Notable among the visitors to Car
thage was ex-senator James K. Varda<
nan, who accompanied Mrs. Lee NJ.
Russell, and another lady. from Can
ton to the scene of the battle and who
returned with them. The Senator's
purpose in visiting Carthage at this
time was not known, but indications
are that he has Joined the Russell