The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1919-07-11
Gov. Longino at
Owens Wells july 4

ax-Gov. LOngino spoke to fair-sized
| crowd at Owens about 5 o'clock last Frr
day evening. His physical vigor was
shown by the fact that on the previous
morning he had left Belzoni in Hum-
phreys county, gone to Camden, in thu
eastern part Of Madison county, spoke
there to Il large crowd, returned to Yaxoo
City that night, spoke there, left at 1O:S0
for Durant, reaching there at $3.50 .un,,
got up at $3.50, went to Weir, in Choe-
taw county, spoke there, returned to Me-
Adams in Attala. After speaking there,
he came to Owens. After speaking at
Owens he spoke at Durant that night,
No candidate could have borne, that strain
any better, and all Of the travel was In
Ford car.
After expressing his appreciation of the
opportunity to speak at Owens, Gov,
Longino said, among other things as re-
ported to The Advertiser, in substance;
at is customary and right for can-
didate who has held an office and agaln
comes before the people, especially for
the same office, to render an account OF
his stewardship. As governor of Misaiu-
sippi from 19O0-1904, do not Claim
credit for all that was done. As head
Of the government, then your chief ex-
ecutive, | gladly accept responsibility for
the state administration covering that
period. Of course, much of the credit
goes to other state officers, especially 10
the members of the senate and house.
Among the counties ably and honorsbly
represented in this department, was youR
own, then represented in the senate bg
Ex-Gov. Noel who was an exceedinsiY
helpful factor.
Taxation in Mississippi was not in-
creased, but was reduced In my adminiRc
tration. The bonded debt Of the statM.
payable, was not increased, but was ~
duced from about $1,000,000 TO $500, 900,
Largely more money was left In the
treasury at the end Of my administration
than was there when II began. A ons
million bond issue was authorized for the
construction of the new capitol. Not o
dollar of these bonds were sold or used,
The capitol was built according to tho
contract, within the contract price, and
within the contract time, without aRy
basis Of suspicion of graft. Possibly tho
freedom from graft was due TO the fagN
that the first effort to work the greft
scheme was on me, TO whom a wOuld-be
contractor named Gibson, thinking every
man had his price, proposed to swindlR
the state out of $260,000 by shoddy wOFk,
to be hidden up in the fnishings ard te
divide that sum equally with me II I
could get the contract for him. Tho
wOuld-be briber was arrested, indicted
and plead guilty, deterring all otAsR
efforts.
at has been charged that the capital
was built from the proceeds Of the salaa
Of some college lands, donated by tho
Federal government, and that the laAa9
should not have been sold, and also paid
for from collections Of the state revenue
agent in suits against railroads for back
taxes Neither Of these matters were
sufficient to build the capitol, and most Oe
, the back taxes collected went to counties
and towns, and commissions To the reyas
nue. agent and his attorneys, only few
hundred thousand dollars coming TO the
state. In truth, the capitol was built
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