The Semi-weekly leader., 1919-08-27
YESTERDAYS ELECTION
BRINGS SURPRISES
With One Exception All of
Present County Officers
Are Displaced.
r. C. APPLEWHITE
NOMINATED SHERIFF
Russell Carries County by Sol Votes
Voters Give Preference to
Young Men for Offices.

second primary, and many things
might be said of it, there are a few
things that stand out prominently
from the surrounding chaos that are
apparent to all.
In the first place it has been an
election filled with surprises. The
things that one naturally looked for
to happen did not happen. No one
expected to see Oscar Johnston get
513 votes in the two precincts in
Brookhaven, after all of the SPELL
binding speeches that had been in
dulged- in within the past week by
the prominent supporters of Lee Rus
sell, but it is nevertheless the fact.
1t was the unexpected, in many
instances that did happen. There
has in fact, been surprises all a.
round, not only in the result of the
election for state officers, but for
county and beat officers as we'll
1t became apparent several days
ago that the political waters were
being much muddied, and the result
of the second primary would be one
of the uncertainties. Who would be
nominated for this or that office
seemed to be clouded in so much un-
certainty that old politicians refus-
ed to make any forecast. Questions
asked of those who ordinarily would
be in position to know, as to who
would be nominated for certain Of
fees would be met with shake of
the head. The answer 81 don't
know" or "it will be close" was the
rule rather than the exception.
Another thing that has made itself
evident as the election day approach
ed was the tendency upon the part
Of the voting public to nominate en-
tirely new men for office. This was
especially true in regard to the coun-
ty Offices. There was an undercur-
rent that made itself felt to put into
office men who had never held office
had been holding office for any
length of time and place in office
men who had not been in public life
and public office for years upon
years. This tendency upon the part
of the voters may in a measure ac-
count for, the results Of yesterdays
primary.
The most important thing howev-
er that has been shown by the re-
suits of the primary is the fact that
the reins of government have been
placed in the hands of the young
men of the country. In nearly every
instance from the office of Governor
down, Tuesdays primary has placed
in nomination younger element
than ever was known before. The
Governor-elect is a young man; SO
is the Lieutenant-Gover the State
Revenue Agent, Clerk of the Supreme
Court, State Auditor, and others. In
Lincoln county the same fact is true,
with the possible exception of the Of
fee of Sheriff. Let us look at the
personnel of the men who have been
nominated for county and beat Of
fees, and we will find that in each
instance, with the exception above
mentioned, (and Bob" would not
consider himself old), and we have
the following young men who are to
serve us for the next four years.
State Senate-Hon. A. A. Cohn;
Floater Representative-Ge Hen
ry Moak; Representatives,. H. Yer
non; Sheriff-R. c. Applewhite;
Chancery Clerks. B. McNair; Sup
erintendent of Education-L. Russell
Ellzey; Circuit Clerk-R. Lee Moak;
Treasurer-G. N. (Poly) Case; Tax
Assessor-Sam Wactor, Jr.; Super
visor for Beat Henry M Busby;
Beat 2-R. p. Mullins; Beat 81.
@. Brister; Beat 4-J. L. Woodall;
Beat 5-John Walker.
All of these gentlemen are young
men, none Of whom are past the me-
ridian Of life, but in the full strength
and vigor of manhood, with many ac-
tive years of life to their credit, in
the ordinary course of human events
The young men are coming into
their own, and the primary has
shown to the werld that they are not
going to take back seat in the ad-'
ministration of public affairs as they
have done in the past, but are going
to forge forward and seize the reins
Of the government and shape the af-
fairs Of state according to their own
ideas of government. This is no
doubt as it should be. These young
men have it in their hands to make
or mar. They have it in their hands.
to bring honor and repute upon the
name of their state, or they can so
act as to bring disrepute.
We feel confident that the State of
Mississippi and the County of Lin
coin will never live to regret the day
in the choices of Its qualified electors
have made in their selection of the
personnel of men to fill its public
offices.