The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1948-10-21
THROUGH.
HAZEL
EYES

year the eyes OF the nation, will
be on Mississippi to see how we
vote, what kind Of folks we are.
People Of America are interest-
ed. in knowing whether or not
the people Of Mississippi. have
really asserted some s indepen-
dence in their privilege Of the
ballot or whether the States
Rights movement has been en-,
gineered and promoted by only a
few people in the state as claim
ed by the National Democratic
committee.
It is vitality important that
every qualified elector in the
state go to the polls on Novem-
Der 2, and show the people Of
the nation in no uncertain terms
where we stand.
This newspaper, under the pre-
sent ownership, has never told
anyone how to vote. We believe
the right to vote in free election
without intimidation is a sacred
privilege and that every qualified
elector is entitled to make up his
or her own mind on how to vote.
But we do urge you to vote so
that the total vote cast will be
representative of the will Of the
majority of qualified electors in
Mississippi.
The Durant News believes the
best interest Of all Che people Of
Mississippi, both white and color
ed, will be served best by voting
for the regular Democratic cleo
tors who were chosen by the
Democratic convention In jack
son and who in turn are pledged
to cast their electoral vote for
Gov. Thurmond Of South Caro-
lima for president and Gov.
Wright of Mississippi for vice
president. That is how we shall
cast our ballot.
We believe that all qualified
electors should have the privilege
Of voting for the party Of their
choice and are happy to live in
a broad-minded state where all
the political parties in the ma
ton who want electors for their
parties to appear on the ballot
have been able to do so.
We are also still hopeful for
the day when voting Republican
in Mississippi will be no more
than being a Methodist, Bap-
tist or a Catholic.
We have religious freedom in
Mississippi and all our people
sincerely feel that every person
Is entitled to worship God In
the church of his choice.
Why should we be so unmind-
full of our interest by blind ALE
glance to the Democratic party of
the nation; stupidity following it
wherever the political bosses OF
the large eastern cities might want
to take it?
Yet We have been in the past.
For IL years now we have
been writing editorials on the inn
portance of the people of the
South waking up to demand
their political freedom.
This particular election on No
vember 2 for the first time will
give us an opportunity to exer-
else our own choice of candidates
in the Democratic party; to serve
notice now that Democrats in
Mississippi have minds Of their
own and demand the right to
help choose candidates for the
national party who will serve the
interests of the people of Mis-
sissippi as well as the people OF
the nation; that we will no longer
stand in the position of whipping
boy-nor be kicked around like
a stray hound dog.
BY casting your vote in the gen.
eral election you can show you
are a part of the newly awaken
ed South now in the fight fol-
political freedom so that We may
receive the equal treatment anc
consideration from the nationa
government of the United State:
which has long been overdue.
If and when the time come'
when the South does secure thu
same treatment and consideration
as other sections of the country
from our national government W.
will move ahead economically 81
fast that ewerv citizen of th'
South, both white and colored
will be affected. Expanded eco
nomic opportunities will be avail
able and everyone will be bene
fitted.
This is what we meant whel
we said the welfare of every
southern man and women, whit
and colored, is tied up in on
election.
AS long as our support is il
the bag as it has been for S,
long, our section receives littl
consideration by our nationa
government. If we exercise on
political freedom and vote TO
our own candidates, we will b,
serving the best interests of al
the people of our state.