Jackson advocate., 1947-03-08
Governor Reveals Change In Primary
Laws As First Importance In Opening
Address To Extra Ordinary Session
Of State Legislature
Hit Action Of u. S. Supreme
Court In Election Gases
Says Spirit Hostility In The Air
Points To Outside influences

Governor Fielding L Wright in
his address to a joint session, op-
ening the extraordinary session
of the State Legislature here Tu-
esday afternoon, revealed as of
first importance( the change in
the state primary election laws,
a step which is everywhere re.
garded as a move to prevent
Negroes from viting in the state
Democratic primaries.
Other matters on which the ex-
troaordinary session was called
upon to act was, Thine Black Mar
ket Tax, Teachers Salaries and
The School Lunch Program.
In calling for change III the
state primary election laws, the
governor saidJ- e a spirit of
hostility RS in the air." again
raised the cry of outside infl-
uence, and charged that Tine IN
tied States Supreme Court i9
its recent rulings respecting the
Negroes right to vote in the De-
mocratic primaries had att acked
the fundamental concept of the
states election system
Opening his remarks with a
high tribute to the late governor,
Thomas L Bailey, the governor
thereafter entered into a lengthy
discourse regarding the need for
change in the state primary
election laws. Following which he
urged the session to consider ad-
equate compensation fir teachers,
the Black Market Tax and the
schol luncr program.
The text of the governors re-
marks dealing with the primary
election laws is as follows: Not
since our ancestors framed the
J Constitution of 1890 and defend.
| ed the same in the Senate Halls
I of the United States under the
able James. 2 George, have the
people of Mississippi been faced
with a more momentous period
than we are at present.
There re those in these United
states woh seek to say that
! State has no right to prescribe
the qualifications and the steps
which shall be prerequisite to vot-
| ing. Those persons holding these
views are opposed to our form of
! government as set forth in the
Constitution of the United States.
This nation of our was not found
ed on tn theory of strong GEN.
tral government.
In these days or ritical trends,
when the tendency is toward vast
powers vested in a centralized
government, it is paramount to
} the safety of the individuals lib
critics of this nation hat the peo-
pie of the sovereign state con-
tinually reassert themselves arSl
that they make continuing fight
for the rights of the state in
| all matters of this nation.
We have repeatedly seen the
bungling efforts of topheacvy
bureaucracy operating as part
of a strong Federal Government.
Thesee failures are but further
illustration of the well-ercogniz-
ed fact that when government be-
| comes removed from the people
and when men in governmental
positions are not responsible to
the people then Government be-
; gins to fail and the fnctions of
Government becomes inefficient
and corrupt.
There are those in this nation
today who would take from the
States their sovereignty and their
right to choose their officials
as they see fit. Trey seek to l.
gnore the fact that various stat
es and sections have their own
Continued on Page 81