Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1919-04-24
FIRST JOINT DEBATE Of
GUBERNATORIlL CAMPAIGN
HELD At CARTHAGE ON A
Lee hnse and Oscar Johnston Discuss Of the Day Before
g" or0wa-Aussel Attacks ALI Three Opposing Candidates
and Is Literally Skinned by Johnston, Whose Address
frequently and Vocherousy Applauded by Crowd

cure-al that was absolutely impossibl
for the Board Of Supervisors in the st
to equitably assess in uniform name
the taxes of the state. lie charged hi
opponent, Oscar Johnston, as ben
against the tax equalization laws bt
cause the tax commission had raise
property values in the Delta and hal
charged that if he was elected h;
would probably name on the state tai
commission men who would not seel
to carry out the letter and spirit Of the
tax equalization laws. He charged
Johnston with being a secret Caucusitc
and as having voted against the exon
GRAFTON Of Senator Vardaman, while 8
member of the state legislature.
Mr.. Russell claimed in CONCLUDING
! his remarks on his own platform, the
! bankers the railroads, and other cor
porations to be fighting him. He LAID
the Issue of factiona! politics squarely
before the voters and said that it was
| impossible to conduct a campaign ir
Mississippi without factionalism fCl
the reason that there were two schools
Of thought in Mississippi and he was
the candidate Of the one and Johnston
the candidate CT the other HIS
cited an editoria. run in the Jackson
Daily News in support of his con
tention. And said that while soml
people in Mississippi were calling loud
~ for factionalisIn that they were tho
men who were most ardently support
ing his opponent, MIR. Johnston.
Russell attacked Johnston for his
stand on the matter of college frater.
mites both while in college and later
while in the legislature. He called hin,
an autocrat, and inferred that he had
been reared in an atmosphere that
took him out OF touch with the com
mon people. He said that he had al
ways been politically antagonistit
toward Johnston and Johnston toward
him and that they had never agreed
on anything.
Takes Rap at Longino.
Mr.. Russells manner was vigorous
lenunciatory and vituperative. His
address was forceful and throughout
he was given the strictest attention Of
his audience. Just at conclusion of his |
address he took occasion to denounce
Longino. Ex-Governor of Mississippi,
for alleged remarks made by the ex.
Governor In controversy with Mayor |
Mclnnis Of Meridian over the old So
iiers home at Beauvoir, in which he
that Governor Longino had
told Mayor McInnis that he "was tired
Of all that Confederate rot. In this
he paid a tribute to the
9x-Confederate soldier He furthe,
;harged LOngino with having been re.
)udiated by the people of Mississippi
vt the polls once in mis- race with Sen
ltor Money and once recently in a race
With Judge Sydney Smith, whom he
stated had overwhelmingly defeated
Governor Longino for Supreme Court
udge year or SO ago. He charged
hat Longino was claiming the credit
or building the New State Cap!to
When as matter of fact the suit
gainst the Y. & NJ. V. Railroad and
he l. c. Railroad was brought by Writ
dams in the term Of the predecessor
: off.1e CT Governor Longino and that
y Loagino had to co was to spend
ne money.
Mr. Russell went after the ex-Gov
rnor, lIr. Longino in strong terms
1r that part Of his inaugural meg
age in which Governor Longirc :
commended to the Legislature thai 7
very time a lynching was pulled of {
y mob that tho family of the per. {
IN lyn2had should be entitled to re T
over in the Chancery Court a sur? l
money in large amounts from Tire @
ounty in which the lynching oc v
lrred. He stated that it was a well {
nown fact that about the only lynch i
gs that occurred in Mississippi were 7
ack brutes who had assaulted SON g
,od woman and that if the ex.@ov Q
'nor's plan was adopted the county t.
here the lynchinC occurred woulc s
forced to pay the family of the s
ute committing the outrage a large ,
m Of money out OF its public treas. !.
y. lie said that the eX-pova~uc7 b
ID stated in his message that he s.
lHted the amount to be large enough /.
make the public rise up about +. fl
Il that he felt sure the public o.
ould rise ID and defeat any mar {
10 would advocate such a measure. N
FidiouIed Ross Collins. ~
He rid!culed the candidacy of his h
eonent, Ross Colin whom he in
mated had switched around until he
IS lost in the shuttle and knew no, h,
lere he stood on anything himself. 8
The Lieutenant Governor concluded X
address with an appeal to the vot- to
: to go to the polls and look after n
interests in the coming election w
Johnston Greeted With Applause. 81
st the conclusion Of RusselPs al CT
sss, Johnston arose amid some ap Es
use. He at once went into the at "
ks of Lieutenant Governor Russell Cr
stated that he was willing to inset in
icSupc of fln 20 Nc Fcr,, f,;r1,. ope