The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-05-03
RECORD

Judge Bell has lived in Greenville.
washington County. Mississippi, since
he was three years old, his parents
having moved from Yalobusha County,
Mississippi. He attended the public
schools Of Greenville until prepared
to enter the University Of Mississippi.
from which institution he graduated
with honors In 1892. at the age OF
eighteen He then taught school for
four years, and was made Superin-
,tendent Of Education of Washington
County in 1896. During the four years
following he increased the term of the
county schools and saved the county
the sum of $10.oO0O0.
In 1904 he represented Washington
county in the Legislature, in which
body he was Chairman of the Commit
tee on Universities and Colleges, all
the Communications OF the Commit
tee to the Legislature being adopted,
including the payment of long stand
ing floating debt at the University,
and the building of Music Hall at
the then !. I. & G.
He resigned his scat in the Legisla-
ture when appointed by Governor
vardaman as Chancellor of the Sew
eoth District, in November, 1904. He
resigned the Chanceilorship in l9os
As a Chancellor he was endorsed by
the Bar and upheld by the Supreme
Court in one Of the best records, OF the
State. The judicial experience was a
valuable training in business methods
and the exercise al careful Judgment
as manv large estates and business
interests vere passed upon by him.
Since 1908 he has engaged in the
practice Of his profession in Green
Vile. In 1920 and 1922 he served IN
the legislature as Senator from
Washington and Sunflower Countses'
During the session OF 1920 Judge Ben
was one OF the Senate leaders IN the
fight for suffrage. for womsn-tae
Senate finally passing the snilrase
amendment. His vote and his voice
we're uniformly for ali measures auso,
Gated by the federation. q Women :
Clubs. and for all bills looking toward
the development of Mississippi ano
the betterment Of conditions for WON
en-. children. our educational system
and labor. whether agricultural OF IN
dustrial.
Among the measures then intro
duced by him was one protecting IN,
vestors by vital amendment 10 siie
Blue sky Law, which has saved
great deal Of money to the people o.
mississippi; 3 bill for the education OF
adult illiterates; one creating Com
mission to investigate the reclamat,on
of cut.oYer and eroded lands IN MIS-
sissippi: one for the establishment
OF the parole and indeterrafnate sen
tence, and one for an income tax.
During the 1922 session he intro
duced a measure making the compen
sation Of Assessors dependent rpoI
the amount Of property returned iol
taxation, and especially looking TO tne
reaching Of personally that y at pres
eut escaping taxation. and tnereD'
increasing the revenues Of the s1s.e
while reducing the present tax burden
borne by the land. a,
He also draw and introduced g D,l
looking to the reforestation OF "ss.s
cutover lands. in order to create NY
wealth. Another important measure
introduced by him was bill to p,ac 8
the State Colleges upon q miliass
basis ii support, which would %
long step toward removing these =
stitutions from politics. :,
Y HIS public lifo has been one OF en-
Client labor III the interest OF ~
state. with the needs OF when ~
varied experience has made MIN 9
-saillar ne ID primarily lawyer ans