The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1919-06-04

ana esteem IOI the HCIOcS
or the soldiers of the late world wide
war.
He said that recently he had been
approached by men who SAID: Gov.
ernor, they say that you are in favor
OF the old time convention for nomi-
mating candidates. What about it?'
To which Gov. Longino replied that
he knew nothing about it, as there
was nothing in such reports. When
| went into office in 1900, said the
speaker, one of the first things | did
was to recommend the passage of a
law providing for a general primary.
This was not done at that session,
but in the following session two
| years later, at which nothing could
be acted on save revenue matters,
without the recommendation OF the
| governor, he took the matter up
again, and urged the body to pass
! such a law. A bill was introduced
| by Governor Noel, then in the legisla-
! ture, and it was passed, and i had the
| pleasure of signing it. This showed
| his attitude towards the primary law.
One of the circulars, sent GU I'M
| signed, in violation of the law, said
| that he opposed the counties issuing
| bonds for good roads. The records
would show that he was one of the
| 'irst public men in the state to advo-
| late such a movement.
He was also charged with favor
ng pensioning negroes and giving
| heir families large bonuses. Just
lere he read his address to the leg
allure in 1900, showing his attitude
20 mob violence, which doubtless
met with the approval Of all law
| abiding citizens, and urged the legis-
| lature to stand by the governor in
| enforcing the law. Then he said that
he penalty he had asked, was prob
IDLY excessive; that in recommend
ng it, it was perhaps a political
| mistake, but he was the only one who
| had suffered from it. The legislature
| took no action and no one was harmed
save himself, and his motive was
good. That happened nineteen years
! ago and was a thing of the past. His
enemies had only circulated part of
| the truth about the matter, and half
| the truth was often worse than a
whole lie.
1t seemed that his distinguished
opponents had all turned their bat
cries on him. But said the speak
r, don't you know that a good
,untsman does not waster his time
nd ammunition on dead game? so
GU see Why they are after me,
I'M YER much in their way"
Gov. !. ngino said that after his
long service in church and state that
these things in perverted form
brought against him seemed un-
thinkable.
The speaker then took up his rec
ord as governor, saying that it was
Usually customary for a candidate
Who had held office to give an &C
! count Of his stewardship, and that
he would tell of some Of the things
he advocated and recommended
When governor, he felt that certain
things were needed, and a new cap
.tol was one of them. He had the
honor to recommend to the legisla-
ture that a new building be erected
and a bill providing for a bond issue
of one million dollars and interest
was passed. A capitol commission
composed of the attorney general
nd other good men, including the
.governor, was appointed to carry out
he work. The building was com
,leted on time and at the contract
price, without the breath of scandal
,r grating, and these things seemed
to mark an epoch in the states his
tory. The building was erected
however, without the use of the
bonds, and this was one of the things
done during his administration. II
could not have been done without q
good legislature and a good capitol
commission. "Now, some say that
claim credit for the building without
bonds. l do not claim any more
credit than you as tax payers claim
l only claim the part of the taxes
that l paid" Ny opponents say that
the railroads paid for it and the
money was collected by Writ Adams
Writ Adams had done his duty anC
COLLECTED this money, back taxes
which the railroads had neglected
to pay, but the money collected die
mot pay for the capitol. It was
known that the greater part of the
taxes collected was from the coun
ties and not from the state, and wher
these back taxes we're turned in, the
greater part Of it went back into the
counties, not in the capitol building
"They say l borrowed 5000, 900 from
the colleges to put into this building