The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1919-08-01

as introduced by me will be found at
page 81 OF the House Journal of 1908.
Thirdly "The writer" next chal.
lenges the correctness OF my statement
that was the author of the bill prohib-
iting corporations from owning farming
lands In Mississippi, calling atten ton to
the fact that the bill which became law
!s shown by the books to be Senate bill
introduced by Senator Bailey OF Lauder
dale County. Here again "the writer"
shows the densest ignorance regarding
legislative history. Stated as briefly as
possible, the history of this bill is as
| follows:
In 1912 at the request OF the farmers
Union, Congressman T. U. Sisson draft
ed and sent to Jackson a bill designed
to prohibit corporations from owning
farming lands. President Carter of the
Farmers Union and G.. R. Hightower.
ex-president, with other officials, came
to jackson for the purpose of under.
taking TO secure the passage of this legis.
lation. There was some objection made
to the bill prepared by Mr.. Sisson and
| was invited to the conference and re-.
quested to draft bill and did 80
When completed, my bill met with the
approval both of the Farmers Union and
the Legislative Committee. Since was
not as interested in undertaking to make
record as the Attorney General seems
to have been when he had photos made
OF the various checks which he has
gotten. l gave the bill to Mr.. N. A..
Mott OF Yazoo and to Mr.. q. II. West of
Carroll County who jointly introduced it
in the House. 1t passed the House and
went to the Senate, where In some way
the bill disappeared. Senator Bailey
who had been In the conference with us
and who knew the bill, came Immediate
ly to my desk in the House and advised
me Of the disappearance: l thereupon
gave him a carbon copy OF the original
bill.this he introduced in the Senate
AS drafted by me, the law was rather
!, more drastic than the Senate would
agree to; they therefore made some
slight amendments and passed the bill
which then came back to the House for
re-passage, was passed and is today the
law. note "the writer's" reference to
a subsequent effort to "put teeth" in the
law. In reply l will say that II any
corporations have acquired lands in Mis-
sissippi in violation of the terms of this
of this Act since the law went into effect,
1t is because the Attorney General has
not done his duty. Personally l know
of no violation and assume there was
none.
Fourthly. Regarding the provisions
of the banking law providing for the
guaranty OF deposits, will say that John
L. Smith Of Clay County and myself
wrote Sections Asa and 46 OF the present
banking law. These are the Sections
that put into the Act the present guar
anty system. am not interested In the
recollection of the gentleman to whom
"the writer" refers, but again suggest
that he look at the minutes OF the House
Journal Of 1914 at page 713.
The final statement In the article re-
ferred to that am seeking Office by at
tempting to appropriate the work of
other brains is absurd. I am not SEEK
ing office because of what have done
but refer, In addressing the people of
this State, to my record as evidence of
my fitness for the Office to which as
plre. II the article to which this is a
reply was written by or passed upon by
General Collins, 1t is certainly a serious
reflection upon his knowledge OF the
legislative history of the state.
OSCAR JOHNSTON.