Evening star., 1933-07-02
MISSISSIPPI TOWNS .
SELL BEER OPENLY.
Special Session of LegisIa.
ture May Not Consider
Legalizing Brew.
BY REX MAGEE,

JACKSON, Miss, July king Cot
ton was the center of interest in Miss
issippi this week when, following a
Statewide celebration of Federal aid
for pledged curtailment of acreage, the
staple increased in price.
1t was particularly fitting that the
l0-cent cotton, a profitable figure,
should reach that market price during
the period Gov. Mike Conner had
issued a proclamation setting June rs
to July 2 as cotton week.
Not only did Gov Connor urge cur
tailment of the Mississippi crop, but
he led OF by agreeing to sign a con-
tract for the limitation of his own
cotton crop in South Mississippi.
The cotton activities not only have
over shadowed in interest the special
session Of the State Legislature to meet
in late July or in early August for the
purpose of framing a reorganization
amendment to be submitted to the
people, but also the troublesome polit-
ical question of prohibition.
Gov. Conner has estimated that the
reduction of the cotton crop will bring
between sl0,000,000 and $4,000. 900
into Mississippi from the Federal fund,
and it is generally estimated that the
increase in the price of the present
crop will range between SIC, ,000, 900 and
s40,000,000. The estimated gain in the
price differs because of divergence
of opinion on the effects of the drought
on the production of the crop in the
fertile delta where long staple is grown
At any rate. during the week cot
ton was king in Mississippi
Legislature to Meet.
Following meeting Of the Legislative
Recess Committee on reorganization
of the State government. Gov. Conner
agreed to call an early special session
of the legislature. All proposed plans
were tabled. The special session of the
Legislature will draft an amendment
for reorganization of the State depart
ments. The amendment then is to go
before the 100000 voters of Mississippi.
Whether they will give the 1884 Legis-
lature great power in the reorganization
remains to be seen. The people are
to be offered the opportunity of giving
the lawmakers almost full power.
In the meantime Gov. Connsr has
been talking to the stockholders" of
the State in a plea for an increase in
the present sales tax which has helped
Mississippi get start out of finan-
cial muddle. Also some opposition to
his plan has been encountered, partic-
ularly by few leaders who first op-
posed the tax.
The uncertainty of the date of the
special session of the Legislature has
prevented Lieut.. Gov. Dennis Murphree
from completing his plans to head the
annual Know Mississippi Better" train
scheduled to depart on August 4 for
the Worlds Fair in Chicago. Session
or no session. Murphree or no Muir
phree, the train will run.
Sell Beer Openly.
With 80 beer being sold openly in
some Mississippi towns but at boot
leg" prices Of rs cents a bottle, the
home forcibly to a so-called bone
dry" State. In all reported cases of
trials before justices of peace, those
charged with selling 80 beer have been
acquitted.
One case in which the man was
acquitted, a witness testified he had
consumed ~ bottles of the beer in one
day and Immediately after had driven
his wife to jackson and had attended
a show without feeling a bit intoxi-
Gated However, this particular case
yielded Government charge of selling
beer without Federal license. Recently
there has been q run on the Office of
the collector of revenue for Federal
beer certificates, some half-hundred
being reported for dealers in bone
dry" Mississippi. One mayor of a
delta town openly admits it is being
sold in his town, but that he is not
wasting the time of his officers to try
to stop it. In another town it Is re-
ported the Federal beer license is
tackled on the front wall of the cafe.
However, there Is much difference
of opinion as to whether the special
session Of the Legislature will consider
the question Of legalizing beer or of
submitting the Federal prohibition
amendment, Notwithstanding the fact
that the wet sentiment has been In
creasing decidedly in the State during
the last few years.
New Collector Arrives.
The coming Of Eugene Fly, the new
United States collector of internal
revenue in Mississippi to succeed
George L. Sheldon, Republican former
Governor of Nebraska, has attracted
much attention. Fly was campaign
manager for Senators Pat Harrison
and Hubert Stephens during their
race against former United States
Senator JameS K. Vardaman. He has
served as secretary to Senator Harrison
and of the House Ways and Means
Committee Sheldon. . popular Re-
publican In . Democratic State, was
once, In spite Of his politics. elected by
the Democrats to the Mississippi Leg