The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-09-30
VISITOR TALKS OF
B0LLS AND POLLS
Editor Lawrence Comments On Busi.
ness, Banks, Cotton, Politics. Is
Secretary State Democratic Com
mittee

Biloxi Daily Herald of September %,
with the Editor Of the Sentinel. The
headlines to the article are also re-
produced from the Herald:
o. +. Lawrence and wife. of Gre
NADIA, are among the many coast visi-
tors. Mr.. Lawrence is editor of The
Grenada Sentinel, one Of the oldest
and best established newspapers in
Mississippi. He is a member and
the secretary CT the Democratic State
Executive Committee, and has taken
more or less interest in politics for
ia number of years. For eight years
he was member of the general
board of trustees of the state colleges
and served as secretary during his
entire term. When seen by a repre-
sentative of the Daily Hehald ard
asked about the business outlook in
north Mississippi, crop conditions, and
politics, he said:
Our people, in q business way,
during the past twelve months or
more, have been somewhat like the
children Of Israel during their wan
derings in the wilderness-they have
been moving but they have not known
toward what place, just as the whole
country has been doing, the same
condition. But in spite of the fact
that we are confronted with n very
short cotton crOp-the boil weevil
destroyed the greater part Of it-our
people are finding themselves, and are
recovering from the shock of reckless
business and after-war conditions
Grenada County is in the midst Of
building hard-surfaced roads for
which the federal government is fur
nishing fifty per cent Of the funds.
When the roads are completed, our
county believes that, in proportion
to area, she will have the best roads
in the state. While the cotton crop
is short, there has been an abundance
of corn and other feed stuff raised,
and it is believed that with the ad-
vance IN the price of cotton the farm
ers Will be in far better condition
to face the problems Of 1922 than
they were those of 1921. Grenada
County fiatters herself about many
things; but there is hardly anything
more important now than the stabi-
ity Of her banking Institutions. 1t
is generally recognized that Grenada
has one of the greatest bankers in the
South in the person OF J. T. Thomas
What is said of Grenada County as
to road building may be said to be
largely true of the entire northern
belt Of the state. The spirit Of per-
manent road building seems TO have
literally obsessed that section. Even
Calhoun County, regarded as one Of
the most interior counties, is getting
ready to spend one million dollars on
road building. Whether or not the
public has acted wisely ir going such
great lengths, in issuing bonds for
even permanent improvements is one
OF the questions that many Of the
more conservative citizens are now
debating; the future alone Will answer
the question one way or the other
But with the present high rate of
taxes, 1t seems certain that there is
going to be slowing up on bond issues.
There IS general protest throughout
the state against the present tax
rate. Of course, there are some who
always complain more or less about
taxes, and among them are many
who are the best able to pay. Never
theless the kick against taxes under
present conditions is. IN my opinion
well founded
"Oh, as to politics, fear that if
| were to answer you at any length
on this question somebody might
accuse me of taking part in political
contests. ! have always been a high
private in the rear ranks in that re-
spect. | have viewed the battle from
far off. But | will say that Grenada
county believed in the righteousness
Of the war against GERMANY. and
she was unreservedlv with Woodrow
Wilson in the prosecution of the war.
Grenada County was for the Peace
Treaty. Grenada County believes that
the present economic condition Of the
country was beyond any human beinp
to prevent, but she does believe that |
the policy of the republican majority |
in congress greatly added to the en-
oarrascment of the nation and made |
It impossible to choke off the profit |
GERS as quickly as 1t should have been |
done. The republican party always |
believed IN fostering big business |
at the expense of the masses. Henry |
Watterson used to preach that the |
believed in taxing the /
many for the favored few; he was
right. 1t still clings to that Bourbon
idea. | believe that the rank and file
of Mississippi hold the same Jews
that Grenada County does, and that
whenever they have an opportunity !,
TO express themselves at the ballot |,
box, they Will say so.
Il believe the women of Mississippi !,
are going to be big factors in the
primary of 1922. They are loyal to
their country without any side-step-
ping or back filing, and they Will put
he stamp of their disapproval upon
all whose chief business it was to
ind fault and criticise when we were
n death struggle with Germany.
Speaking of the primary reminds
ne that there were about 10000 !
white men in Mississippi who voted
he republican ticket in the national
election. This thing of voting the
'epublican ticket in national elections