The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1922-02-11
NEWS AND VIEWS
The
STATE CAPITAL
By F. r. Birdsall

that Edgar S. Wilson, who recently
purchased the Kinds County Gazette,
was given countrywide reception and
banquet by the citizens of Raymond,
at which his services as journalist and
a citizen were eulogized by people OF
all callings from all parts of the county
Both from the cities and country. The
statement is made that no such honor
was ever bestowed on any Mississippi
newspaper man, and President Hight, !
of the Mississippi Press Association, |
says that the other editors are not en-
vious, because the compliment was de-
served. 1t is learned that Mr.. Wilson |
hopes to make the Gazette a state |
wide weekly paper from the capital |
county of Mississippi discussing state |
and governmental affairs as well az
city and county matters. He will con-
tinue to. reside in Jackson, where no
has lived. since boyhood, and the Ga
l'zette Will remain in Raymond, where
is has lived and gone under the same
| it has lived and gone under the same
name for 70 years. Raymond is one
of the county sites of Kinds County,
only 16 miles from the capital. being
linked to jackson with a gravel pike.
built some years ago. under the initi-
ative OF the Jackson Chamber OF Com
merce, Mr.. Wilson being the chairman
of the good roads committee Of that
organization. It is said that the best
agricultural high school in Mississippi
in the matter of equipment is located
at Raymond.
A bill has been introduced to call =
4 constitutional convention. and II such
bill shall pass and receive the sigma
ture of the governor such convention
will have power when convened to
change any part OF, the organic law or
to make a new one. A constitutional
conventjon once assembled, Is su-
preme and may enact the constitution
it makes with or without submission to
the people ratification or rejection.
The present constitution, which was
enacted November /, 1890. was not
submitted to the people, for ratificae
tion or rejection. There have been 1S
amendments to the present constNu-
ton. perhaps the most important one
being initiative and referendum which
gives the people the right by majority
vote at the ballot box, to repeal or
enact all laws and to make any
changes they desire in the conStttu-
ton. Next to this initiative and ref
erendum provision in importance, was
an amendment to the constitution. TAX
ing the appointment of supreme court
and circuit judges and chancellors out
of the hands of the governor, and max
ing those officials elected by the peo-
pie.
The house of representatives has
under consideration impeachment pro.
ceedings against George r. Edwards
of Attaa, railroad commissioner for
the central district of MISSISSIPPI,
alleging drunkenness in office. Under
the. constitution, the house of repre-
i sentatives has sole power of impeach-
ment, but two-thirds OF all the men,
bers present must concur therein. All
impeachments shall be tried by the
state senate, and when sitting for that
purpose, the senate shall be sworn to
do Justice according to the law and
evidence. No person against whom inn
peachment has been brought shall be
convicted by the senate without con-
currence of twothirds of all senators
present. So far, Commissioner ed
wards has given out no statement on
the subject. When. the senate consid-
ers this matter testimony OF all wit
nesses for and against will be heard in
that body. >
| The outstanding feature of the con-
test for the democratic nomination for
the United States senate was the open
letter of Miss Belle Kearney to
Messrs. Vardaman and Stephens, the
two other candidates and former Gov
ernor Brewer, a prospective candidate,
in. which Miss Kearney asked these
gentlemen to join her in an appeal to
the legislature to enact a law fixing a
reasonable mamimum, which might be
spent by candidates. containing dras-
tic provision for sworn itemized &C
counting not only for candidates them
selves, but all monies spent in their in
terests by friends and supporters. Sem
ator vardaman answered the game day
and cordially approved Of the sugges-
tions, and Mr.. Stephens sent letter
next day in which he discussed the
/ matter at length. and joined in the re-
quest T.
-, The board Of prison trustees OF the
Mississippi peniteptiary have helped
out the state treasury by the sale Of
! s6S. 900 worth OF cotton raised on the
prison farms. 1t is announced that
| 800 bales remain unsold.
The office OF state revenue agent,
| which has been the subject Of attack
ever since its creation, by bills to abol-
ish or curtail or cripple the powers of
that office, from all indications will
| he continued without impairment by
the legislature, as has been the case
throughout all these years. On test
strength in the house, the friends OF
| that office had decisive majority.
| and senators are reported as saying
that that body, If the matter comes up
there, will endorse the revenue agents
course by a heavy majority.