The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1939-07-20
Clarence Morgan
Presents Case
Al Pitkens
Candidate For Lieut..
Governor Questions
Murphree's Record

11CkeHS, NhiSo., chiy AZ sSP~No
in behalf OF his candidacy for the
office of Lieut.. Governor. Clarence
f.. Morgan. of Kosciusko, Tuesday
told the voters of Holmes county
that it was his duty as candidate
and as a loyal citizen to bring ex-
Lieut.. Gov. Murphree's official re-
cord before them In order that they
might sensibly and inpelligently Sc
lect the kind OF public servant that
they want to serve them. mo man
can complain at fair discussion OF
his record" Mr.. Morgan asserted.
1.-The record of public official IS
public property and is open to pub
lie discussion"
Mr.. Murphree claims that the sign
ing of land patents by him while
acting as governor was mere per-
functory act and that he signed every
land patent that was presented to
him by the Land Commission ano
that II he is elected as Lieut.. Gov.
and has occasion 10 act as governor,
that he will do in the future as he
has conducted himself In the past.
Section 6012 of the 1880 Miss. Code,
under which MIR. Murphree acted
states. however, that all public lands
shall be sold under the direction and
supervision of the governor Hence
the countersigning of a land patent
by the governor is not a perfunctory
duty or act, but an executive act
by the highest public official elected
by the people of Miss, and it is the
duty of this chief executive to see
that the public interest in protec.-
ed, especially from land sharks.
while the governor was out OF
the state attending a football game
on Saturday afternoon, November Q,
1885, and at time when the state
, capitol was closed and not another
| single state official was at work, Mr.
Murphree signed 1884 land patents.
| This distinguished son of Miss says
that he was not personally familiar
with the names of a single one of
The patentees," Mr.. Morgan declar-
| ed, yet the records show that pat
ents with his signature attached
were executed to his own daughter.
to his partners and their wives, to
his business associates, and even
to the negro bell-hops and chamber
maids thai. were working in the Wal
thall Hotel where his office was To-
Gated"
Il have photostatic copies of these
land patents with his signature at
tached," Mr.. Morgan continued land
/ submit tlAem to the people as evil
dence"
He reminded his audience of the
Importance of the office of Lieut.
Governor by saying that the Lieut..
Governor is the presiding officer of
the Senate and If he sees fit 10 use
his official powers improperly, he
can hamper, hamstring and even
gan pointed out the fact That ex-
Lieut.. Governor Murphree, accord
ing to his own statement to the
press on May Z, 1889 did not have
an "any TOO close friend" in the gu
bernatorial contest. that he helped
White defeat johnson in 1885; that
he had never been close to Lester
Franklin because Of Testers Bilbo
affiliations; that he crossed with
Conner during his administration:
differed with Bailey at this same
time; and has been at more than
political odds with Billy Snider since
the old Press Association days.
IF you see fit to elect me your
Lieut.. Governor" Mr.. Morgan de-
clared, 81 promise you that I will
walk hand in hand with the man
elected governor, and that I will do
all within my power and gift to as
sist That man in formulating and
adopting that policy or Those poll
cies that will be of the most bene-
fit to the people of this state"