Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1920-10-01
BuRSTED BUBBLES

The soap bubble that Gov. Russell
sprung about the overdrafts of the A.
& NJ. College has been completely burst
ed. The replies TO statement made
by the Governor by Secretary Law
renee and former President W. H.
Smith show that if there is anything
wrong, that Gov, Russell was a party
to all the transactions, as he was a
member of the Board of Trustees; a
member of the Legislature and as Gov
error is President of the Board of
Trustees. The Governor went after
these former officials of the college
through his paid auditor, Mr.. Cleaver,
ami Wnen his report was submitted it
looked as if some of them were guilty
of gross carelesSness and irtimated
more serious charges. Now Cores
Mr.. Lawrence and President Smith
with their statements and show that
if there is cert missing it must have
gone into the pockets of some one else
and that so far as the condition of the
accounts are concerned, the attention
of the Board of Trustees was called to
these and so was the matter submitted
to the Legislature in their annual re-
ports President Smith shows that he
called the attention of Hon. J. S. How
erton. who was Chairman of the Com
mittee on appropriations of the Leg
islature, and urged that remedial legis
lation be passed to take care OF the
oyerdrafts. This gentleman true TO
form, and to sustain his rcputa.i as
the Watch Dog of the treasury told
Mr.. Smith that unless he would--for
political reasons -recommcnd the dis
charge Of certain member Of the
College Faculty, that he would see
that he did rot get he appropriation.
This unheard of and truly UnderEand
way of getting rid of 4 faithful mem
Der Of the faculty, Pres. Smith fatty
refused to be party 20, and for tbs
the money he asked for was rot given.
These facts Gov Russell was perfectly
familiar with, but yAat he might east
suspicion on these men, he turned loose
his double barrel guns ON President
Smith, Secretary Lawrence and Vice
President B. NJ. Walker rhA result
is that the whole thing >hss rescted,
and instead cf the men aimed at by
the governor being injured w the ey-
plosien, he alone comes ,ut "t the
scrap looking like he had beer drawn
through thresiing narhiae.
Vice President Waiter, aftrr iseng
in charge Of the cei'esn for ihe two
weeks intervening tetwftr she rrtire-
ment Of President Smith and the in
coming President Hull, made streru-
ous efforts TO get Gov. Russell into
conference about the overdrafts, but
the Governor declined stating that ne
did NOT have the time to give him for
the confelencei Taking the 'fihole
matter into cor Iteration it shows bat
one thing and that is that Gov Rus
sell was not so anxious to get the mat
ter straight before the people as he
was to besmirch the characters of
some of his political opponents, and
that he might succeed he sprung the
ovcrdrafts before the public
The News congfatulates President
Smith, Viee-P ! sident Walker and
Secretary Lawrence upor their COM
plete vindication, and if Gov, Russell is
as wise az this paper thinks he is ne
will let the matter drop, and we will 30
further and say that it is a safe bet
that he will rot call the Legislature
together to investigate the matter. It
is also safe bet to say that when the
Legislature meets in regular session
and the matter is then investigated
that instead Of the characters of the
former officials being injured it will
show that because Of the political
Juggling il was bold attempt to con-
zeal facts.-Yazoo City News.