The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-03-29
DEFYING LIGHTNING.

Wnen the MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION
al convention of 1890 was in session,
the Commonwealth. edited by the
editor Of the Kinds County Gazette,
said:-
Gentlemen of the convention,
don't overlook the corporations. Treat
them fairly, but don't overlook them.
They are artificial persons; they
should be no better or no worse than
individuals. Don't hold out induce
ments to them to locate here and af-
ter they come, allow them to be per-
secuted, any more than you would
leave loopholes which, when they
grow strong and ayaricious. would
enable them to suck the life-blood Of
the people. Yes, gentlemen of the
convention, treat the corporations
fairly, but don't overlook them"
This postulate, then as now, can
not be questioned, either in morals
or law. 1t is the rock on which JUS
tice Is founded. and the gates of hell
can not prevail against it.
The constitutional convention,
composed of such statesmen and pa
triots as Wiley p. Harris, j. q.
George, S. S. Calhoon, Edward Mayes,
R. H. Thompson, A. ]. McLaurin,
Frank Burkett and more than a hun
dred other able and devoted Missis-
sippians, made 1t mandatory on the
legislature to "enact laws to prevent
all trusts, combines, contracts and
agreements inimical to the public
welfare"
The legislature obeyed the man
date OF the organic law and passe /
laws to protect the people against
trusts and combines and to compel
tax-dodgers to cough up" And, to
insure the enforcement of these laws
it created the office of State Reve-
nue. Agent. When that office began
to function, the wicked trusts and
combines and the artful dodgers and
their trained band Of satellites, who
were brought to book, set UP cla-
NOR for its abolishment.
They fought Writ Adams and they
fought ]. c. Johnston, just like they
they are fighting Stokes v. Robert
son. But Adams and Johnston, like
Robertson, pursued the noiseless te-
nor Of their, sworn duty amid criti-
cism and slander with a step that
never faltered and courage that
never failed. They put millions of
dollars into the state, county, mu-
nicipal, and levee board treasures,
thus easing the burdens of taxation
upon the great mass of humanity.
They were true to their oaths and to
the people, and hence they automati-
cally incurred the hate of profession
al tax-dodgers and wicked trusts and
combies.
State Revenue Agent Adams was
prosecuted into life tenure of that
office and grateful people were pre-
pairing to crown his invaluable SER
vice to them by making him COVER
nor, had not death intervened.
1t is not believed that malign in
fuences, the trail of which is mani
fest can succeed in persuading the
legislature-the chosen servants of
a sovereign people-to cripple the
office Of State Revenue Agent. Like
efforts have failed for twenty-five
years.
Legislators who have been home
are returning to the capital with the
report that the people, the men and
women of both town and country,
are aroused on this matter as on no
other, since they freed the state from
radical misrule in 1875.
They are saying that if the Of
fee of State Revenue Agent is
p crippled, Stokes " Robertson
will be made governor next
year by greater majority than
he received for reelection as
State Revenue Agent, in 1919
the greatest majority ever CIV
en- any man, living or dead, op-
posed or unopposed, for any Of
fee by the white people of Mis-
sissippi.
A member of the House of Repre-
sentatives, discussing this matter,
said: 1.-The man who aspires for re-
election or promotion that flies in the
face of the people who love Stokes
V. Robertson as they did Writ Ad-
ans, for the enemies he has made
will be buried in the August primary
of 1923 so deep under an avalanche
of ballots that he will not ever hear
the faintest echo of the second trum-
peting of Gabriel on resurrection
morn"
Whom the Gods would destroy,
they first make mad. ."-Hinds Coun-
ty Gazette.
The above article makes an inter
esting historical review of things
that have been in our State before
the present. The editor of the Ga
zette is Hon. Edgar S. Wilson, who
was for number of years private
secretary to the lamented Senator L.
@. c. Lamar, and during Gov. Stones
administration was Land Commits
sioner of Mississippi For years he
was in charge Of the New Orleans
Picayune Bureau for Mississippi and
lately resumed the high office of ed
itor of country weekly at Ray
mond, the-county seat of Kinds.
Mr.. Wilson speaks with authority
on all matters pertaining to State af-
fairs and is distinguished repre-
sentative of perhaps the most inter-
esting periods in Mississippi's mod
ern history.
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